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If you have moved to New Zealand from India, your Indian driving licence keeps you legal on the road for a limited time – but India is on NZTA’s list of non-exempt countries, which means converting to a New Zealand licence is not a paperwork swap. You will need to pass both a theory test and a practical driving test. This guide walks through the official process, the fees, the documents (including the India-specific validity evidence), and one deadline change that takes effect within days. Last checked: 28 October 2026.
First: how long can you drive on your Indian licence?
You can drive in New Zealand on a current and valid overseas car licence for up to 18 months from your last date of entry into the country. The 18-month setting is temporary: the underlying rule amendment is revoked on 1 November 2026, when the limit returns to 12 months – but only for people who arrive on or after that date. Under the transitional provision in the Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Amendment Rule 2024, anyone who arrived between 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2026 keeps their full 18-month window. (Overseas motorcycle and truck licences already carry a 12-month limit.)
While driving on your Indian licence, these rules apply:
- Your licence must be current and valid, and you must not have been disqualified or suspended in New Zealand.
- If the licence is not in English, you must also carry an accurate English translation or an international driving permit (IDP). For car licences, an IDP can be current or expired by up to 6 months – but you must always carry your physical overseas licence with you.
- You can drive the vehicles your Indian licence covers. A full overseas car licence maps to New Zealand’s class 1 – a car or light vehicle up to 6,000kg gross laden weight.
Once any of these stop being true – or the time limit runs out – you must hold a New Zealand licence to keep driving.
The conversion process, step by step
Conversions from non-exempt countries like India must be done in person at a specialist overseas conversion site (NZTA lists these on its website – check for the one nearest you; not every AA or VTNZ handles overseas conversions). Here is what the application involves:
- Fill out the application form (DL5), available from NZTA as a PDF.
- Present evidence of your identity.
- Prove your eyesight meets the required standard (done at the agent, or via certificate).
- Provide a medical certificate if required.
- Present your physical Indian driver licence – and an English translation if it is not in English. You cannot convert using only an international driving permit.
- Provide evidence of validity for your Indian licence (details below – this step is specific to licences from India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tonga).
- Let the agent take your photo and signature.
- Pay the application fee.
- Pass a theory test, then a practical driving test.
- Bring high-quality colour photocopies of every original document listed above, including translations.
India-specific: evidence of validity
Because Indian licences require verification, you must supply documentation from the issuing authority confirming your licence is valid, printed out and taken with you to the conversion site. For most states this can be generated online through the Government of India’s Parivahan portal (parivahan.gov.in). NZTA also lists state-specific portals for Andhra Pradesh/Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. Get this before you book your visit – the application cannot proceed without it.
What it costs
| Item | Fee (NZD) |
|---|---|
| Overseas conversion application fee | $52.10 |
| Theory test fee | $45.70 |
| Full practical test fee | $59.90 |
| Total if you pass both tests first time | $157.70 |
If you miss, fail or have a test terminated, you pay another test fee when you rebook. (Converting to a restricted licence instead costs $86.60 for the practical; converting to a learner licence carries no practical test fee.)
The supervisor condition – the part that surprises people
After you pass the theory test, NZTA issues you a New Zealand driver licence with a supervisor condition. Important: this New Zealand licence overrides your overseas licence from that moment, and you may only drive with a supervisor beside you in the front seat until you pass the practical test. A supervisor must hold a current full New Zealand licence for the class you are learning, have no supervisor condition themselves, and have held a full New Zealand licence (or equivalent overseas licence) for at least 2 years.
You can book the practical test online or at a driver licensing agent once you have passed the theory. Pass it, and the supervisor condition comes off – you then hold a full New Zealand car licence.
Preparing for the tests
The theory test covers the New Zealand road rules, road signs and safe driving practice. NZTA’s official study material is the New Zealand road code, free to read online – do not rely on your Indian driving experience alone, because give-way rules, signs and intersection priorities differ. The practical test assesses safe driving on New Zealand roads; if you have driven here for a while on your overseas licence, a couple of sessions with a local driving instructor can be worthwhile for test-specific habits.
Warnings worth taking seriously
- NZTA audits overseas conversions. Using a fraudulent overseas licence or providing false or misleading information is an offence under s44 of the Land Transport Act 1998 – fines can reach $10,000 and your New Zealand licence can be revoked.
- Age limits apply. The minimum ages are 16 for a learner licence, 16 and a half for restricted, and 18 for a full licence (17 and a half with an approved course certificate). Under-18s can only convert to the age-equivalent class.
- Motorcycle and truck licences are separate. Each requires its own set of tests.
- The Government has announced changes to the car graduated licensing system from 25 January 2027, but NZTA confirms these do not change the overseas conversion process described here.
Settling in? More guides
If you are newer to New Zealand, our moving to New Zealand checklist covers the arrival essentials, and our guides to renting your first home and choosing a bank as a new immigrant cover two other early hurdles.
Sources
- NZTA Waka Kotahi, “Converting a car licence from a non-exempt country” – nzta.govt.nz
- NZTA Waka Kotahi, “Driving on New Zealand roads” (including the 18-to-12-month time limit change from 1 November 2026) – nzta.govt.nz
- NZTA Waka Kotahi, “Evidence of validity for licences from non-exempt countries” – nzta.govt.nz
- Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Amendment Rule 2024 (SL 2024/222), including the 1 November 2026 revocation and transitional provision – legislation.govt.nz
Fees and rules verified against NZTA on 28 October 2026. Check nzta.govt.nz for your nearest specialist overseas conversion site before you apply.
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