The Government is taking further action to tackle the unacceptable wait times facing people trying to sit their driver licence test by temporarily extending the amount of time people can drive on overseas licences from 12 months to 18 months, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

“The previous government removed fees for re-sits of theory and practical tests which led to a huge demand on driver testing officers and unacceptable wait times. People applying to sit their licence tests were left waiting for more than 60 days, and a backlog of over 70,000 waiting to sit a practical licence test soon developed,” Mr Brown says. 

“The Government has taken several actions to reduce wait times and progress is taking place, but there is still more work to do. Through these actions, the wait times have eased to an average of 35 days for a full driver licence, and to 46 days for a restricted driver licence test. However, there is still more work to do as this is above the target of 90 per cent of practical tests being taken within 30 days of booking.

“One of the challenges alongside the unlimited free re-sits, has been the surge in the number of overseas licence conversions with overseas licence conversions outnumbering domestic tests since November last year.

“Cabinet has agreed to temporarily extend the time that people can drive on their overseas driver licence from 12 months to 18 months from the date of their last entry into New Zealand. After that time, they will need to convert to a New Zealand licence or stop driving altogether.”

This change will help to reduce demand for practical driver licence tests to help NZTA get through the backlog of tests, and builds upon the actions the Government and NZTA have already taken to reduce driver licence wait times by:

Introducing a limit of one free re-sit for Class 1 driver licence tests. Putting a 10 day stand down in place following a second failed theory test attempt on the same day. Removing free re-sits for overseas licence conversions. Recruiting 52 additional Driver Testing Officers and 19 temporary Driver Testing Officers to increase the number of tests able to be completed each week.

“Getting a driver licence makes a big difference in a person’s life, is a critical step in supporting safety on our roads, and helps people access employment opportunities. The changes the Government is making are aimed at helping to reduce this backlog and ensure people can sit their driver licence test without undue delays.

The extension for converting an overseas driver licence from 12 months to 18 months requires a change to driver licensing rules and will take effect from November 2024. It will be in place for two years before reverting to the 12-month requirement.