Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Land Transport Act 1998

Driver licensing

24: Director may issue temporary driver licences

You could also call this:

“The person in charge can give you a short-term driver licence if you need one”

The Director can give you a temporary driver licence if you meet the requirements for the licence you want, but there might be a delay in giving you the actual licence. This temporary licence will have specific details and will only be valid for up to 21 days. It works just like a regular driver licence of the same type.

If your licence has expired or been taken away, the Director can give you a temporary licence that lasts up to 1 year. This is to let you keep driving while the Director or someone they choose checks if you’re still fit to drive.

The temporary licence must follow certain rules about what information it includes and how it looks. When you have a temporary licence, you can drive just like you would with a regular licence of the same type.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM434553.

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23: Issue of driver licences, or

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Part 4 Driver licensing

24Director may issue temporary driver licences

  1. If an applicant for a driver licence meets the requirements for the issue of a licence of the class sought and the Director is satisfied there will be some delay in issuing the licence, the Director may issue to the person a temporary driver licence which—

  2. must be in such form and contain such details as may be specified in the rules; and
    1. is valid for such period, not exceeding 21 days, as may be specified on the temporary licence.

      1. A temporary driver licence issued under this section has the same effect as a driver licence of the same class issued under section 23.

      2. Despite subsection (1), in the case of a person whose licence has expired or been revoked, the Director may issue a temporary licence, valid for a period not exceeding 1 year as specified on the temporary licence, as necessary to enable the person to continue to drive while his or her fitness to drive is assessed by the Director or a person authorised by the Director.

      Notes
      • Section 24 heading: amended, on , by section 30(1) of the Land Transport (NZTA) Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 48).
      • Section 24(1): amended, on , by section 30(2) of the Land Transport (NZTA) Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 48).
      • Section 24(3): added, on , by section 12 of the Land Transport Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 77).
      • Section 24(3): amended, on , by section 30(3) of the Land Transport (NZTA) Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 48).