Rail licence

Rail operators and access providers must hold licences where the railway has one rail or a set of rails having a gauge of 550 mm or greater between them. Rail licences are handled through Land Transport NZ Rail Regulation Office.

If you are not sure whether or not you require a rail licence, or have any other questions, please contact the NZ Transport Agency.

Essential reading before applying

In order to obtain a rail licence you should first obtain a copy of the Land Transport NZ publication Rail safety licensing and safety assessment guidelines. This document describes the requirements and contains the application form you will need to submit.

To obtain a copy select the link above or contact the Land Transport NZ Helpdesk (0800 699 000).

You should allow a minimum of six weeks for your application to be processed.

• More about rail regulation in New Zealand

Last updated: 20 July 2006