Learning to drive

Last Updated on Thursday, 25 February 2010 11:57

Attention: open in a new window.

Article Index
Learning to drive
Restricted Licence
Full Licence
All Pages

Page 1 of 3

Learning to drive can be an exciting and scary experience! But practice makes perfect, and by the time you are ready to go for your restricted licence, you should be feeling comfortable with driving.

So what’s the process?

Learner Licence

The first step is to get your hands on a copy of the Road Code (which you can buy or access online) and make sure you know all the road rules. This will give you an idea of exactly what questions will be asked (the test is comprised of 35 questions that are in the Road Code book), and there are even websites where you can take a practice test online.
You can sit your licence test at the Land Transport New Zealand driver licensing agents, so look in the Yellow Pages to find your nearest agent.

You will need to fill out an application form and take along your birth certificate or passport, evidence of your current address, pass an eyesight check, pay the required fees, have your photo taken and provide a signature, and then pass the test! Sound confusing? So long as you remember to take along all the right documents, then it should be a breeze!

Cost:
The cost of applying and sitting your learner licence is $79.

So you passed your test, now what?

Now that you have your learner licence you are legally allowed to start learning to drive on the roads. There are a few rules to remember though:

You can’t drive on your own. While you have your learner licence, you must always drive with a supervisor (someone who has had their full licence for two years) and they must sit in the front seat beside you.

While you are driving, the car must display learner plates.

You must always have your licence on you when you are learning to drive. After you pass your test you will be given a paper licence which acts as a temporary licence until you are sent your actual photo licence about 2-3 weeks after you pass your test.

Uh- oh... I failed! When can I resit the test?

If you have failed it means that you have gotten more than three questions wrong. No one likes to fail, especially when you have handed over a large sum of cash to sit the test! Make sure that you study up and know all the answers before you resit the test. The good thing is that you have had a chance to see what the test is like, and will know what to expect the second time around.

Prev - Next >>