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Driver licence test guides

Published: | Category: Road codes , Leaflets & brochures | Audiences: General, Motorists

These guides provide detailed information about the Class 1 (car) driver licence tests. You should use them in combination with well-structured and comprehensive lesson plans, together with high levels of supervised driving experience in a broad range of driving situations.

See also:

Practical tests

Young drivers

The official New Zealand road code online

Publication details

  • Author:
  • Published: September 2012
  • Amendments: Updated October 2020

DRIVE website

Waka Kotahi recommends drivers and their coaches become familiar with this test guide, refresh the driving skill area of the road code and view the full licence test information on the DRIVE programme.

DRIVE, a free website and learning tool created by Waka Kotahi and ACC, is designed to help young people become confident, capable drivers. There's a section on the restricted licence test explaining how to prepare for the test, and how the test is marked giving examples of critical and immediate fail errors and telling you what will happen during the test.

There are also some videos showing how to do a number of driving manoeuvres for beginner, intermediate and experienced drivers: http://www.drive.govt.nz (external link)

Restricted licence test guide

The restricted licence test is designed to assess whether the skills of the learner driver are at a level where they can drive safely without a supervisor in the vehicle (under certain conditions).

Restricted licence conditions

The test assesses a learner driver’s ability to competently, safely and legally drive a motor vehicle on a road in various road and traffic conditions. This guide provides detailed information on how the test will be conducted, what driving errors could result in a critical error or immediate failure error being recorded and the road layouts you're likely to encounter on the test.

The test will take around 60 minutes. This time allows for vehicle checks before the test, the driving test itself and time for the testing officer to provide feedback after the test.

Restricted licence test guide (online)

Restricted licence test guide [PDF, 3.3 MB]

Full licence test guide

The full licence test is designed to assess whether the skills of the restricted driver are at a level where they can drive safely without the conditions of the restricted licence.

As well as testing the driver’s ability to competently, safely and legally drive a motor vehicle on a road in various road and traffic conditions, the testing officer will also assess the driver’s ability to verbally identify hazards and assess how they react and adjust their driving in response to those hazards at certain points during the test.

The test will take around 45 minutes. This time allows for vehicle checks before the test, the driving test itself and time for the testing officer to provide feedback after the test.

Full licence test guide (online)

Full licence test guide [PDF, 1.5 MB] 

Driving skills syllabus

Once you've learned the basic skills of driving a car you need to practise. We've designed this syllabus to help you and your driving coach (your supervisor) while you're learning to drive. You can use it in conjunction with lessons from an approved driving instructor. 

Driving skills syllabus (online)

Driving skills syllabus [PDF, 1.2 MB]