Limited licences

This factsheet explains the criteria that must be met to be eligible for a limited licence and how to get a limited licence. It also explains how to reinstate your licence after your limited licence has expired and your suspension or disqualification has ended.

If your disqualification or suspension will cause you extreme hardship, or another person undue hardship, you might be able to get a limited licence.

Step 1: Apply to the court

A lawyer can assist you to apply for a court order authorising you to obtain a limited licence. They'll get the documents ready and present them to the court. Applications are considered by the courts on a case-by-case basis, using the criteria in sections 103 to 105 of the Land Transport Act 1998. If the court order is granted, then you must obtain a limited licence from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) before you can drive.

Step 2: Apply to the NZTA

You can apply at any NZTA driver licensing agent, these are selected branches of the Automobile Association, Vehicle Testing New Zealand and Vehicle Inspection New Zealand.

You will need to complete an application form (DL15), pay the limited licence application fee ($39.30) and present evidence of your identity and address. The application form contains all the information for applying to the NZTA for a limited licence.

The agent cannot issue you with a temporary licence when you submit your application. This is because section 30(5) of the Act places responsibility on the NZTA to be satisfied that you are entitled to a limited licence before issuing any limited licence (including any temporary limited licence).

Step 3: The NZTA will assess your application

The agent will forward your application to the NZTA for processing. The NZTA will assess your application within four days of it being received.

Step 4 option A: The NZTA declines your application

When assessing your application, the NZTA must consider the criteria in sections 103 and 104 of the Act. If your application and/or the court order do not comply with the criteria in these sections, then your application will be declined or delayed.

Examples of where the NZTA may decline issuing you a limited licence include when:

• your licence is suspended or revoked on medical grounds
• you are serving a 28-day licence suspension for excess speed or alcohol
• you are indefinitely disqualified for repeat alcohol and/or drug driving offences
• your court order indicates you may drive vehicles for which you did not hold a current licence at the time your disqualification or suspension commenced
• your court order indicates you may conduct driving tests or act as a driving instructor
• Your court order indicates you may drive in a passenger service (except where demerit points were the only reason for the licence suspension and where you can prove that no more than 20 of these points were accumulated while driving in a passenger service).
• your court order indicates you may drive in a transport service, if you were disqualified for excess alcohol while operating a transport service vehicle
• you are disqualified for driving while already disqualified or suspended
• you are disqualified for certain offences causing death or injury
• you received another disqualification after the court order was granted.

Examples of where the NZTA may delay issuing you a limited licence include:

• Section 104(1) of the Act requires you to serve a 28-day stand-down period*.
• You have not provided all the necessary information or your application is incomplete.

* If a 28-day stand-down period applies, you can still apply to the court within that 28-day period. However, any court order issued within the 28-day stand-down period should clearly state that no limited licence can be issued within that 28-day period. The NZTA will apply the 28-day period – even if it is not stated on the court order.

If your application is not granted, you will be sent a letter outlining the reasons why and advising you of your right of appeal to the District Court.

Step 4 option B: the NZTA grants your application

If your application is granted, the NZTA will issue you a temporary limited licence to use while your photographic limited licence is being manufactured and mailed to you. When driving, you must carry both your limited licence and your court order at all times.

If you hold a limited licence and receive a further disqualification, then your limited licence is automatically revoked and you are no longer entitled to drive. You must surrender your revoked limited licence to the court, the police, the NZTA or an authorised NZTA agent.

Overview of the limited licence application process

Reinstating your licence

After your limited licence has expired, and at the end of your suspension or disqualification, you will remain unlicensed and are not entitled to drive until you have applied at a driver licensing agent to have your licence reinstated and a new licence has been issued. Any licence card held by you at the time of your suspension or disqualification will have been permanently cancelled.

You will need to visit an NZTA driver licensing agent and apply to have your licence reinstated. You will need to:

• Complete an Application for reissue of driver licence form (DL7).
• Provide acceptable evidence of identity and evidence of address (see factsheet 20 Identification for driver licensing).
• Prove your eyesight meets the required standard.
• Have your image and signature captured.
• Pay the reinstatement fee of $66.40.
• If you served more than 12 months of your disqualification before the Courts authorised you to obtain a limited licence, then you will also need to resit the appropriate test/s or courses/s to regain the licence class/es previously held.
• If you only hold an overseas driver licence, you won't be allowed to drive again in New Zealand until you have obtained a New Zealand driver licence.

If you drive after your suspension or disqualification has ended but before your licence has been reinstated you could be fined and forbidden to drive. If you then continue to drive without reinstating your licence, you could be charged with driving while forbidden and your vehicle impounded. For more information see factsheet 63 Impoundment of your vehicle at the roadside.

Where you can find out more

• Email us: info@nzta.govt.nz.
• Call our driver licensing contact centre: 0800 822 422.
• Write to us: NZ Transport Agency, Palmerston North Office, Private Bag 11777, Palmerston North 4442.

About factsheets

The information in this factsheet is a general guide only. It is not the source of the law.