Sit your NZ driver licence tests

Unlike a UK or Australian licence (both exempt from testing after 2+ years held), your overseas driver licence isn't on NZTA's exempt-country list, so you'll need to sit the New Zealand theory test and, in most cases, a practical test before you can drive unsupervised on a full NZ licence. This matters earlier than it might seem -- most jobs, school runs, and even grocery shopping in New Zealand assume you can drive, since public transport outside the main centres is limited.

What to do:

1. Check how long you can legally drive on your overseas licence after arriving, and don't let it lapse before you've converted -- the grace period is shorter than many people assume.
2. Book your theory test through an AA Driver Licensing Agent as soon as you have a fixed address to book against.
3. Study the official road code -- NZ's give-way rules, one-lane bridge etiquette, and speed limits genuinely differ from many countries' conventions, and the theory test specifically checks for this, not just general road sense.
4. Book your practical test once you've passed the theory test, and budget for both sets of fees plus any lessons if you want them.
5. If your household has more than one adult, plan who converts first -- one licensed driver is enough to get everyone else around in the meantime.

Common mistakes: assuming a longer grace period than actually applies, leaving the practical test until you urgently need to drive somewhere, and not realising the theory test content is NZ-specific rather than general driving knowledge.

See NZTA: converting to a NZ driver licence for the current process and timeframes.