A full licence is the final step of the three-stage process to get a full driver licence.
If you’re under 25, to get a full licence you must:
If you’re 25 or over, to get a full licence you must:
You should spend many hours driving on your restricted licence in a variety of weather and traffic conditions.
If you can, get a professional driving instructor to take you for a tidy-up lesson before your full licence test.
The key difference between the restricted and the full licence test is hazard perception. During the test you’ll be asked to describe:
Prepare for the test by practising these skills.
You’ll be assessed on the following items throughout the test, so make sure you practise:
Throughout the test, the testing officer will also be looking for critical errors and immediate failure errors.
These are the same as in the restricted test but with one exception. During your restricted test, if you didn’t come to a complete stop at a Stop sign, that was a critical error. But in your full licence test, not coming to a complete stop at a Stop sign is an immediate failure error.
You’re allowed to make 1 critical error during your full licence test. If you make a second, you fail the test. For more information on critical errors and immediate failure errors, as well as some common mistakes and skills to improve before the test, take a look at our information in the restricted licence section.
Skills to work on before the test
When you feel you’re ready, you can book and pay for your test online:
Book a practical driver licence test – NZTA
You also need to go to a driver licensing agent to fill out the application form, even if you book the test online. Do this well before the day of your test.
Agents include most AA offices and some VTNZ stations.
You can download the application form and fill it out in advance, or get a copy from the driver licensing agent when you go in.
Make sure you bring proof of your identity, such as your restricted licence or a current New Zealand passport.
You’ll also need to:
Find a driver licensing agent in your area – NZTA
Identification requirements – NZTA
You need to provide the car or other light vehicle (for example, a van or ute) that you’ll sit the test in. If you don’t have a car, you’ll need to borrow one.
The testing officer will look over your vehicle before the test to make sure its roadworthy.
They’ll also check that your vehicle has a current warrant of fitness (WoF), licence (rego), and road user charges (RUC) label if it’s a diesel or electric vehicle.