Getting a heavy vehicle licence

Resources

Heavy vehicle driver licences - Factsheet covering Class 2, 3, 4 and 5 driver licences. Explains how to work out which class you need, what each class covers and how to get a heavy vehicle licence.
Endorsements - The types of endorsement, when you need an endorsement, how you can get one.
Driver licensing courses - Factsheet outlining approved courses for heavy vehicle classes and endorsements.
Approved course providers for occupational drivers.
Accelerated courses for heavy vehicle licences - Information about courses for people 25 years of age or over, who want to waive the requirement to hold a full class 2, 3, or 4 licence for 3 months before applying for the next stage of learner licence.
The official New Zealand road code for heavy vehicle drivers - You'll need a copy of this to pass your licence. You can buy it from most bookshops, and some libraries have it.

The graduated driver licensing system

New Zealand has a graduated driver licensing system. This is designed to help you progressively build your driving and road safety skills as you move through the system.

First time applicants wishing to obtain a heavy trade licence (Class 2 and above) must first obtain a Class 1 (light motor vehicle) licence.

You need to have held a full Class 1 licence for at least six months before you can apply for and obtain a learner licence for Class 2 vehicles and above. You also need to pay the appropriate licence application and test fees.

Heavy vehicle driver licence classes

Heavy vehicle driver licences are needed to drive a wide range of vehicles including trucks and trailers, buses, large mobile homes, mobile cranes, fire engines, forklifts, heavy tractors, self-powered agricultural and construction machines and vehicles with pivot steering.

There are four different heavy vehicle driver licences (Classes 2-5), each based on the type of vehicle (rigid or combination) and the weight of the vehicle:

Class 2 and 2L - Medium rigid vehicles
Class 3 and 3L - Medium combination vehicles
Class 4 and 4L - Heavy rigid vehicles
Class 5 and 5L - Heavy combination vehicles.

Details of the vehicles covered by each of the licence classes can be found in Factsheet 11 - Driver licence classes.

Information about how to obtain each heavy vehicle licence class can be found in Factsheet 70 - Heavy vehicle driver licences.

Licence application and test fee for a new class of licence

For a new class of licence, the following fees apply:

Learner licence application	$39.30
Learner licence theory test	$39.70
Full licence application	$44.30
Full licence test for Classes 2, 3, 4, 5	$48.90

Penalties you may incur

Penalty for not carrying your licence

You must carry your licence with you at all times when you're driving on public roads.

If you're found driving without your licence, you could be ticketed and face an infringment fee of $55.

Penalties for not keeping to your licence conditions

It's important that new drivers develop driving skills in a safe environment - safe for themselves and others. As a result, you'll face fines and demerit points if you break the conditions of your learner licence. (These measures are designed to encourage new drivers to drive by the rules at all times.)

If you break the conditions of your learner licence, you'll face:

a $400 infringement fine
a penalty of 25 demerit points.

Other penalties

Traffic enforcement measures are used to help make our roads safer.

Factsheet 55 Driving offences and their penalties explains driving penalties, including fines and being disqualified or suspended from driving. It gives you an overview of driver licence suspension at the roadside and vehicle impoundment at the roadside.

For more detail, see:

Factsheet 62 Suspension of your licence at the roadside
Factsheet 63 Impoundment of your vehicle at the roadside
Factsheet 50 Driver licence disqualifications and suspensions.

Last updated: 30 January 2007

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