Factsheet 58 – November 2009

Full licence test for driving a car

This factsheet outlines the requirements for getting a full Class 1 licence, which allows you to drive a light vehicle (ie a vehicle weighing up to 4500 kg). Cars, vans and utes are light vehicles.

If you want to get your full motorcycle licence, the requirements are different – see Factsheet 59, Full motorcycle licence (Factsheet 28, Motorcycle licences: How to get a Class 6 licence may also be useful).

What you'll do in the full licence test

The full licence test is an on-road driving test that restricted licence holders must pass before 'graduating' to a full New Zealand driver licence.

In the test you'll have to demonstrate safe driving behaviour across a wide range of traffic situations and road conditions.

The things that you'll be asked to do in the test are designed to see if you can safely handle the driving situations that present the greatest crash risk to you in your first five years of driving.

If you can't show the testing officer that you can handle these situations safely, you won't pass the test and you'll stay on a restricted licence.

Overseas conversions

People who are converting driver licences from some overseas countries also need to complete the full licence test.

If your driver licence comes from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland the United Kingdom or the United States of America, you may not have to sit the practical driving test. See Factsheet 56, New residents and visitors - driving in New Zealand for more information.

Booking your test

To book your full licence practical driving test you must either:

• visit a driver licensing agent (participating outlets of the Automobile Association, Vehicle Testing New Zealand and Vehicle Inspection New Zealand) and:
  • present evidence of your identity, see Factsheet 20, Identification for driver licensing for more information
  • present evidence of your address, see Factsheet 20
  • book a time to take the full licence practical driving test
  • pay for the full licence practical driving test and the full licence application
  • meet the eyesight requirements (see below)
  • present a medical certificate if required
  • provide a signature
  • have your photograph taken.

OR

• book your full licence practical driving test over the phone (0800 822 422) or internet (transact.nzta.govt.nz). If you choose this option you must allow an extra 20 minutes prior to your test, or visit a driver licensing agent prior to your test, to complete the requirements listed above.

Check what time the licensing agent opens on the day of your test. If your test is early in the morning and the agent is not open you will not be able to complete the requirements listed above. This means you will need to visit an agent on a day prior to your test.

Check the location of your test. Not all test sites have driver licensing agents. This means that if your test is booked at a testing only site, you will need to visit a driver licensing agent at another location to complete the requirements listed above before you sit your test.

Eyesight requirements

You must prove that your eyesight meets the required standard each time you apply for a new licence class or endorsement or renew your licence. To do this you can:

• present a satisfactory eyesight certificate issued by a New Zealand-registered optometrist (this certificate must be no more than 60 days old)
• present a satisfactory medical certificate issued by a New Zealand-registered medical practitioner (this certificate must be no more than 60 days old and must specifically cover eyesight)
• pass an eyesight screening check at a driver licensing agent.

Note: the agents' eyesight screening machines eliminate the need for many drivers to be tested by an optometrist or medical practitioner. However, if you don't pass the screening check then you must provide one of the certificates listed before your application can proceed. Some drivers choose to supply a certificate instead of taking a screening check. If you have vision in only one eye you must present an eye certificate from a doctor or optometrist.

How much does the test cost?

The application fee for a full licence is $44.30 (including GST). The test fee is $70.80 (including GST). Should you fail the test and wish to re-sit, a new test fee must be paid.

What if I have hearing, speech or language difficulties?

If you have hearing or speech difficulties, or you can't understand or speak English well, you can complete the alternative full licence test. This test is the same as the standard full licence test except for a variation in parts 2 and 3. See your driver licensing agent for more details.

Preparing for the full licence test

The purpose of part 1 of the test is to confirm that you have the necessary basic driving skills.

To prepare for parts 2 and 3 of the test, you may need to practise talking about what hazards you see and how you respond to them when driving. You could ask a friend or relative who is an experienced driver to help you practise. They must have held a full New Zealand driver licence for more than two years, and must sit in the front passenger seat while you drive.

You should practise until you can confidently and clearly describe what traffic hazards you can see and what you are doing about them, and you can safely and legally perform the manoeuvres required in parts 2 and 3.

What does the test involve?

The full licence test takes about one hour. This allows time for a vehicle check before the test, the test itself and time for the testing officer to give you feedback on your performance at the end of the test.

You'll need to provide the car or other suitable light motor vehicle (eg a van or a ute) that you'll sit the test in.

The full licence test has three parts:

• Part 1: Basic driving (about 10 minutes).
• Part 2: Detecting and responding to driving hazards in built-up areas (about 15 minutes).
• Part 3: Detecting and responding to driving hazards in higher speed zones (about 20 minutes).

You must successfully complete part 1 before progressing to parts 2 and 3. The testing officer will tell you the result of part 1 as soon as you've completed it.

There are no fixed test routes. You must be able to drive on all types of road and in all traffic situations.

Taking a support person

When you sit the practical driving test you can choose whether or not to have a support person accompany you during the test.

This is a decision for you as the driver to make and you should not be pressured by any other person in making this decision.

If you choose to have a support person in the vehicle with you, the support person:

• must be a person over 20 years of age
• must not be accompanied by any other person or animal (except a guide dog)
• must supply their name and contact details to the testing officer prior to the test beginning.
• must not talk, offer assistance to, or distract the driver or testing officer at any stage during the test (should this occur, the testing officer will terminate the test and you would need to book and pay for another test)
• must not interrupt the testing officer as they are providing feedback at the end of the test.

The testing officer may refuse to accept any person as a support person if the testing officer believes on reasonable grounds that:

• his or her personal safety could be, or is, threatened or endangered, or
• the support person appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs or is noisy or violent, or
• there is no suitable seating available in the rear of the vehicle presented for the test.

How is the test scored?

If you perform a driving skill to the required standard, you'll score a 'yes'. If you don't perform the skill to the required standard, you'll get a 'no'.

To pass the test you will need to get 80 percent 'yes' scores in part 1 and then 80 percent 'yes' scores across parts 2 and 3.

If you have scored less than 80 percent in part 1, you have failed the test and won't progress to parts 2 and 3.

When might I fail the test?

You will fail the test if you score less than 80 percent on part 1 of the test, or less than 80 percent across parts 2 and 3 of the test.

You could also fail the test (with the test being terminated) if you:

• drive recklessly, dangerously or inconsiderately
• are involved in a crash for which you are wholly or partly responsible
• are unable to carry out the instructions given by the testing officer because of lack of driving ability
• exceed the speed limit
• fail to comply with give way rules or Give Way signs
• fail to comply with traffic signals or Stop signs
• use a hand held cellphone while driving during the test
• send or receive a text message while driving during the test.

The pre-test vehicle roadworthiness check

The testing officer will look over your vehicle before the test. They'll check the tyres and wheels, indicator and brake lights, headlights (if conditions require them to be used), wipers, horn, body work etc, and make sure your vehicle has a current warrant of fitness (WoF) or certificate of fitness (CoF), a valid licence label and a road user charges (RUC) label (if it runs on diesel).

If your vehicle isn't roadworthy, the test won't proceed (even if it has a current WoF or CoF). You'll have to book and pay for another test. (The test fee won't be refunded.)

Before your test, make sure your vehicle is roadworthy and has enough fuel in it to last for the 45-minute drive.

Note: a vehicle displaying trade plates cannot be used for the purpose of sitting a practical driving test.

Carry your driver licence

On the day of your test, make sure that your driver licence is current and that you have it with you (you must always carry your driver licence with you when you drive). If you arrive for the test and your licence isn't current or you don't have it with you, you won't be able to sit the test. You'll need to rebook – and pay the test fee again.

Make sure you're on time

Don't be late for the test. If you are more than five minutes late your test will be cancelled – you'll have to book and pay again to sit the test at a later date.

If you can't make the appointment, or need to change it, please contact your driver licensing agent. If you don't advise your driver licensing agent of a cancellation or change at least two working days (excludes weekends and public holidays) before the date of your appointment, the fee will not be refunded.

Note: remember that if you made your test booking using the telephone or on-line booking system, you must complete the application process at a driver licensing agent before you can sit your practical test. You should allow 30 minutes before your test appointment and check the licensing agent's opening hours, as they may not be open in the 30 minutes prior to your test appointment.

The full licence test

During all parts of the test, the testing officer will check the following aspects of your driving:

Search:  That you search forward and to both sides to identify potential hazards.

Mirror use:  That you check your mirrors before and after turning, stopping or slowing down, pulling out of or returning to the kerb, changing lanes and when driving straight, as appropriate (about every 10-15 seconds).

Signal use:  That you signal in the appropriate direction for at least three seconds before turning, changing lanes, merging, negotiating a roundabout, and pulling out of or returning to the kerb.

Head checks:  That you check over your shoulder in the appropriate direction before turning (where appropriate), leaving the kerb, parking, merging with other traffic or changing lanes.

Speed:  That you adopt a safe and legal speed throughout the test. (Safe driving doesn't necessarily mean travelling at the speed limit – it means driving to suit the conditions. During the test where it is safe to do so you must travel within 5 km/h of – but never exceeding – the speed limit.)

Braking:  That you brake smoothly and effectively. You don't drive with the vehicle in neutral or coast unnecessarily with your foot on the clutch.

Position:  That you put the vehicle in a safe and legal position on the road at all times.

Gap selection:  That you select an appropriate gap in traffic before changing lanes, moving into traffic flows (including from the kerb and intersections) and when merging with other traffic.

Part 1: Test of basic driving

Part 1 confirms that you have basic driving skills. You'll be tested on:

• driving straight (tested once in part 1)
• turning left at 90° intersections (tested twice in part 1)
• turning right at 90° intersections (tested three times in part 1).

You'll be asked to perform these driving skills on roads with and without painted centre lines, at intersections with and without Give Way and Stop signs, in speed zones up to 60 km/h, and in all types of traffic.

Part 2: Detecting and responding to driving hazards in built-up areas

A hazard is anything that is moving, or has the potential to move, that could pose a clear and direct threat to you in carrying out the driving manoeuvre. Some examples of hazards include: other vehicles, pedestrians, children playing on the side of the road, cyclists.

As well as observing your driving performance, the testing officer will also ask you to observe and remember the hazards that you detect as you perform each driving manoeuvre. As soon as possible after each of these situations, the testing officer will ask you to pull in to the kerb (or a safe area on the side of the road). You'll then be asked to describe the hazards you saw and where those hazards were in relation to you. This will indicate your awareness of driving hazards.

You will be marked on how well you performed the manoeuvre, plus how well your description of the hazards matches those noted by the testing officer.

During part 2 of the test, you'll be required to perform each of the following driving manoeuvres at least once while looking for hazards in speed zones up to 60 km/h:

• crossing intersections when facing Give Way or Stop signs
• driving straight ahead at roundabouts
• turning left at intersections when facing Give Way or Stop signs
• turning right at intersections when facing Give Way or Stop signs
• turning right at intersections when not facing Give Way or Stop signs.

Part 3: Detecting and responding to driving hazards in higher speed zones

Part 3 of the test requires you to show that you can detect and respond to driving hazards starting in speed zones of up to 60 km/h before moving to higher speed zones (eg, on highways, major roads and motorways) — areas where the speed limits range from 70 to 100 km/h.

Your ability to detect and respond to hazards will be assessed in a variety of traffic situations, including:

In a speed zones up to 60 km/h:

• crossing an intersection when facing a Give Way sign
• turning right at an intersection when facing a Give Way sign

In a speed zones 70 to 100 km/h:

• driving straight on highways, major roads and/or motorways
• driving around curves on highways, major roads and/or motorways
• making a U-turn on a highway or a major road
• merging with other traffic on highways, motorways and/or major roads (lane merge, entering from the side of the road).

As you perform each manoeuvre (while the vehicle is moving), the testing officer will ask you to verbally describe the hazards you are seeing and what action you as the driver are taking in relation to those hazards.

In addition to the types of hazards identified in part 2, hazards in part 3 will be extended to include the road features that you will be negotiating, such as intersections, curves, merge lanes.

You will be marked on how well you perform each manoeuvre, plus how well your verbal description of the hazards and how you are responding to them, matches those noted by the testing officer.

Example

The testing officer will be looking for the following things when you make a U-turn:

• searching well ahead and behind for vehicles, selecting safe gaps in both directions
• signalling your intention to move right, before and as you move back onto the roadway
• making a final check over your shoulder, and either waiting or commencing the manoeuvre
• quickly and smoothly turning the wheel to the right and coordinating smooth and gentle acceleration
• checking clearance with the road edge, looking in the direction of intended travel and smoothly straightening steering as the U-turn is completed
• searching behind for following traffic and quickly resuming normal road position and speed.

Also, as you perform this manoeuvre you must describe any hazards you see and what you as a driver are doing about them in your driving actions. For example: 'There are vehicles approaching ahead and behind, I am waiting until they pass.'

What happens if I pass the test?

At the end of part 3, the testing officer will tell you whether or not you have passed the test. They will also go over any errors you may have made and give you advice on what you can do to correct these in the future.

If you pass the test, you will earn your full licence. The testing officer will keep your restricted licence and issue you with a temporary licence. The temporary licence will be valid for 21 days. It will show your new full licence status and allows you to drive until your photo driver licence arrives in the mail.

Where you can find out more

• Read our driver licensing factsheets.
• Call our driver licensing contact centre: 0800 822 422.
• Write to us: Transport Registry Centre, NZ Transport Agency, Private Bag 11777, Palmerston North 4442.