19. 07. 2017.

New Zealand driver licence classes: what you can drive | NZ Transport Agency

New Zealand driver licence classes: what you can

drive
This page tells you what you can drive with each New Zealand driver
licence class.

What are the licence classes

These are the classes you could have on your New Zealand driver
licence.

1 Car licence

2 Medium rigid vehicle licence

3 Medium combination vehicle licence

4 Heavy rigid vehicle licence

5 Heavy combination vehicle licence

6 Motorcycle licence

If you have an L next to the licence number (eg 6L), this means you have
a learner licence for that class.

If you have an R next to the licence number (eg 1R), this means you
have a restricted licence for that class.

Keep reading for details of what you can drive with each class.

What does each class of driver

licence cover

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If you then you can drive a with a weight at a

have a of speed
class of

1L or 1R vehicle* GLW or GCW -

4500kg or less

Moped or all-terrain -
vehicle

Motorhome or GLW 6000kg -

tradespersons vehicle or less, but
with an on-
road weight
4500kg or less

1R Agricultural tractor GLW less than 40km/h

18,000kg or less

Agricultural tractor GCW 25,000kg 40km/h

towing an agricultural or less or less
trailer

1 Any vehicle* GLW or GCW -

6000kg or less

Moped or all-terrain -
vehicle

Motorhome or GLW 6000kg -

tradespersons vehicle or less

Combination vehicle GCW 6000kg -

which is not a or less
tractor/trailer or
agricultural
tractor/trailer

Tractor GLW 6001kg 30km/h

to 18,000kg or less

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If you then you can drive a with a weight at a

have a of speed
class of

Agricultural tractor GLW 6001kg 40km/h

to 18,000kg or less

Agricultural tractor GCW 25,000kg 40km/h

towing an agricultural or less or less
trailer

Tractor towing a GCW 25,000kg 30km/h

trailer, that is being or less or less
used in non-
agricultural land
management
operations

2 Rigid vehicle GLW 6001kg -

to 18,000kg

Combination vehicle GCW 12,000kg -

(that is not a or less
tractor/trailer
combination)

rigid vehicle (that is CLW of rigid -

not a tractor) towing a vehicle
light trailer 18,000kg or
less

Rigid vehicle with two GLW over -

axles or less 18,000kg

Tractor GLW 6001kg 30km/h

to 18,000kg or less

Any vehicle covered in Class 1

3 Combination vehicle GCW 12,001kg -

to 25,000kg

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If you then you can drive a with a weight at a

have a of speed
class of

Any vehicle covered in classes 1 and 2

4 Rigid vehicle GLW over -

(including a tractor) 18,000kg

rigid vehicle towing a GLW of rigid

light trailer vehicle over
18,000kg

Vehicles covered in classes 1 and 2 (but not class 3)

5 Combination vehicle GCW over -

25,000kg

Vehicles covered in classes 1, 2, 3 and 4

6L and Motorcycles acceptable under the learner approved

6R motorcycle scheme (LAMS)

Moped or all-terrain vehicle

6 Any motorcycle

Moped or all-terrain vehicle

*includes tractors and combination vehicles, but not a motorcycle.

Endorsements
You will need a current endorsement, as well as a driver licence class,
to operate some kinds of vehicles and services.

Check the endorsement requirements to drive special type vehicles

and services

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Vehicle weight: how to find it

All vehicles over 3500kg must have a certificate of loading, which is
usually displayed on the vehicles front windscreen. The certificate of
loading will tell you the vehicles gross vehicle mass (GVM) or gross
combined mass (GCM).

In most cases gross vehicle mass is the same as gross laden weight
(GLW), and gross combined mass is the same as gross combined weight
(GCW).

Dont use the vehicles unladen weight, tare weight, or the weight on
the road user charges (RUC) distance licence, as these are all di erent.

Towing a light trailer

A light trailer is a trailer with a GLW of 3500kg or less. If you have a class
2 or 4 licence, you can tow a light trailer behind your rigid vehicle. Dont
count the weight of the light trailer in any gross combined weight
calculations.

Traction engines
A person steering (or directing) a traction engine must hold a New
Zealand class 1 full licence and one of the following:

an NZQA unit standard 11157 or an equivalent unit standard, or

a qualification issued or certificate of competency granted under the
Boilers, Li s and Cranes Act 1950 that:
was current immediately before 16 January 2006 and has not
been revoked or suspended, and
allowed the holder to steer a traction engine, or

an equivalent foreign qualification recognised in writing by the NZ

Transport Agency.

A person driving (firing or operating) a traction engines pressure

equipment and managing the engines steam pressure levels must hold

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19. 07. 2017. New Zealand driver licence classes: what you can drive | NZ Transport Agency

a New Zealand class 1 full licence and one of the following:

an NZQA unit standard 21754, 21755, or an equivalent unit standard,

or
a qualification issued or certificate of competency granted under the
Boilers, Li s and Cranes Act 1950 that:
was current immediately before 16 January 2006 and has not
been revoked or suspended, and
allowed the holder to fire or operate a traction engines pressure
equipment, or

an equivalent foreign qualification recognised in writing by the NZ

Transport Agency.

Overseas licence for agricultural

vehicles
If you have a valid overseas agricultural motor vehicle licence (eg a UK
tractor licence) you may be able to drive some of the same agricultural
vehicles as the holder of a class 1 New Zealand licence. Call our contact
centre for more information.

Definitions
Gross weight means the weight of a rigid or combination vehicle,
together with any load it is carrying (including equipment and
accessories).

Gross laden weight (GLW) is the greatest of the following:

any weight specified (following the latest modification, if applicable)

as a vehicles gross laden weight by the vehicles manufacturer

any weight specified as the gross laden weight of a particular

vehicle (or a vehicle of its kind) by the Transport Agency
the weight of a vehicle together with any load it is carrying,
including any equipment and accessories.

Gross combined weight (GCW) is the sum of the gross laden weights of
the vehicles that make up a combination vehicle.
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Tare weight means the weight of the vehicle without any load.

On-road weight means the total weight of the vehicle and load at any
particular time.

Mass means the quantity of material contained in or on that vehicle

which, when subjected to acceleration due to gravity, will exert
downwards on a level surface a force that can be measured as the
weight of the vehicle.

Gross vehicle mass (GVM) is the greater of:

the mass specified as the gross vehicle mass of a particular vehicle,

by the vehicles manufacturer

the mass specified as the gross vehicle mass of a particular vehicle

(or a vehicle of its kind) by the Transport Agency.

Light trailer means a trailer with a GLW which does not exceed 3500kg.

Download Factsheet 11: Driver licence classes [PDF, 94 KB]

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