On 25 January 2027, New Zealand will move to a new car licence system.
On that date, if you already have a learner or restricted licence, the new rules will apply to you.
Overview of all changes to car licences
If you're under 25, your learner period will increase from 6 months to 12 months.
If you already have a learner licence on 25 January 2027, you'll have to wait until you've held it for 12 months before you can move onto your restricted licence.
You'll be able to do an approved practical driving course or log supervised driving hours from 25 January 2027 to reduce your learner period back to 6 months.
If you're 25 and over, you still need to hold your learner licence for 6 months before you can move to your restricted licence.
If you're under 25, your restricted period will decrease from 18 months to 12 months.
If you've held your licence for more than 12 months on 25 January 2027, and your restricted period hasn't been extended by any demerit points, you'll be able to get your full licence right away.
If you've done an advanced driving course, that won't reduce the restricted period anymore.
If you're 25 and over, your restricted period stays at 6 months.
If you've held your licence for more than 6 months on 25 January 2027, and your restricted period hasn't been extended by any demerit points, you'll be able to get your full licence right away.
If you've done an advanced driving course, that won't reduce the restricted period anymore.
In the new system, each time you get demerit points, your restricted period will extend by 6 months.
Once the new legislation comes into effect, if you get demerits on your restricted licence, time will be added to your restricted period on 25 January 2027.
The new legislation is expected to be passed in late March 2026, and will then come into effect 28 days later.
For example: the legislation comes into effect in April 2026. You get demerit points in June 2026 while on your restricted licence. When the new car licence system starts on 25 January 2027, 6 months will be added to the time you have to hold a restricted licence before you can move to a full licence.
We'll update our website with more information when the legislation is about to be passed.
Once you've held your restricted licence for long enough, you'll be able to get a full licence without doing a practical driving test or getting an eyesight check.
Even if you've failed a full licence practical test before 25 January 2027, once the new system comes into place you can get a full licence without having to pass a test.
NZTA is still working through the process to get a full licence under the new system.
We'll add more information to our website closer to the time.
You can check the issue date on the back of your photo driver licence, and then count the months that you need to hold the licence.
Any time you were suspended or disqualified doesn't count towards time you hold your restricted licence.
If you have the NZTA app, you can also check the app for your issue date, or log in online through RealMe.
Check your licence issue date through RealMe(external link)
NZTA will have a tool available online for you to check when you're eligible for your next stage by January 2027.
Until 25 January 2027, you still need to follow the current process to get your learner, restricted or full licence.
