The law has changed
New relicensing requirements for drivers who have been disqualified or whose licences have been suspended came into effect on 10 May 2011.
This means if your licence has been suspended, or you have been disqualified, and your suspension or disqualification ends on or after 10 May 2011 you cannot simply return to driving.
Any card held by you, whether surrendered or not, will be cancelled.
You will need to reinstate your licence and have a new licence issued before being legally entitled to drive again. This applies irrespective of when the suspension or disqualification commenced.
For more information about the changes, see our media statement and questions and answers (PDF, 29 KB).
For further information on what you need to do, see factsheet 50.
Penalties for driving without a current and valid licence
If you drive without a current and valid licence, you risk:
- receiving an infringement fine of $400
- receiving a fine of up to $1,000 if summonsed to court (this would likely follow persistent offending)
- being forbidden to drive by police
- having your vehicle seized on the roadside and impounded for 28 days
- being declined vehicle insurance
- having an insurance claim declined.
Your licence is suspended or you are disqualified from driving
Your driver licence will be suspended on-the-spot for 28 days if you:
- exceed a permanent speed limit by more than 40 km/h (or another speed limit by 50 km/h)
- drive with more than 650 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath
- drive with more than 130 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood
- fail or refuse to take a blood test for excess blood alcohol, or refuse to supply a blood sample
- are caught drink-driving and have been convicted of a similar offence within the previous four years.
The 28-day suspension begins immediately.
You can also have your licence suspended - for three months - if you accumulate 100 or more active demerit points over two years. The suspension begins when you are served notice of the suspension.
The courts may disqualify you from driving.
In all these cases, you must surrender your licence to the New Zealand Police or to us.
If your licence is suspended for excess demerit points or you are disqualified by the court, you will be unlicensed once the suspension or disqualification has ended. You must not drive until you have reinstated your licence and a new licence has been issued.
What if I need to drive while I am suspended or disqualified?
In some circumstances, you may be able to apply for a limited licence, though not if you've received a 28-day on-the-spot suspension. Find out more.
What will I have to do to get my licence back?
Any driver licence card you held at the time of your suspension or disqualification has been permanently cancelled (whether it has been surrendered or not) and is no longer valid. At the end of your suspension/disqualification, you need to visit a NZ Transport Agency driver licensing agent and apply to reinstate your licence. You will need to take acceptable identification and evidence of address and pay the regulated fee of $66.40. Find out more in our limited licences factsheet.
Don't know when your driver licence expires?
Your photo driver licence shows expiry dates.
See 'number 4b' on the front of your photo driver licence for the expiry date. (Or see 'About your photo driver licence'.)
Check 'number 8' on the back of your licence for the expiry date of any endorsement you may hold. (Or see 'About your photo driver licence'.)
How to renew your expired licence
Generally, you can renew your driver licence once it's expired without having to sit any tests. However, if your licence expired more than five years ago you'll probably need to sit theory and practical tests/courses to regain your licence. If you had any licence endorsements you'll have to pass the required courses to regain the endorsement. If you can produce evidence of having been licensed to drive during the previous five years (eg with an overseas driver licence), tests and courses may not be required.
Find out more about renewing your licence.
Remember, you cannot drive while your licence isn't current and valid. You can only begin driving again once you've renewed your licence.
Travelling overseas?
You can only renew your licence when you're in New Zealand. So if your licence is likely to expire while you're overseas, it's worth renewing your licence before you leave. Find out more.
