Driving Licences - Clearing it up once and for all

[dilanium]

hrm... mine just says class 1. I hope it's not an issue as all we have is a manual.

[JandM]

That's what it said in the NZTA Driver Licence Agency Manual

I'm puzzled. That sounds different from what you said in Post #20.

[dawn]

I'm puzzled. That sounds different from what you said in Post #20.

Post #20 is correct. My reply about that's what it said in the manual, was not referring to the text I quoted, it was referring to the text I wrote in post #20.

[dawn]

hrm... mine just says class 1. I hope it's not an issue as all we have is a manual.

I is a sub class of class 1, will check on Monday for you.

[Big Puku]

Must have changed very recently then? The LTSA website doesn't mention it and my son passed his full recently in an auto and there's no restriction on his licence saying no manuals? (i.e. not the same as in the UK)

[Jo Jo]

I'm still not sure that the information given in this thread about automatics is correct, so please don't rely on it until it has been confirmed.

[urban78]

My partner (who is still to get her license ) called LTSA today and was told that the restriction only applies if you sit your Restricted License with an automatic. But once you pass your full license that restriction is removed.

Hope this helps,

Jen

[Jo Jo]

I did look into this, and contacted LTSA's driving licensing contact centre, who said that once you pass your full test you can drive a manual car or an automatic car, regardless of the type of car you took your test in.

This is the response I got from them:

Good morning,

Thank you for your email dated 20 February 2009

Regardless of whether a full licence practical test is sat in a manual or automatic vehicle, there will be no automatic condition imposed on the licence holder once the test is passed.

I hope this information is helpful

Regards

Senior Customer Service Representative
NZ Transport Agency

I also checked the following:

If you take your restricted in an automatic, you can only do your full in an automatic. You can only drive automatics.

If you do your restricted in a manual, you can do your full in either. If you choose automatic, you will only be able to drive automatics on a full licence, but manuals on a restricted.

Again, I don't think this is correct.

If you pass your restricted in an automatic, your license will have an automatic vehicles condition attached to it, which means, according to LTNZ's website that you will only be allowed to drive automatic vehicles unless you are accompanied by a supervisor. I can't find any reference anywhere (on LTSA's website, in the road code, on the AA website, or in the legislation) to there being any restrictions on the type of car you can take your full test in if you passed your restricted test in an automatic.

[peebles16]

I did look into this, and contacted LTSA's driving licensing contact centre, who said that once you pass your full test you can drive a manual car or an automatic car, regardless of the type of car you took your test in.

This is the response I got from them:



I also checked the following:



Again, I don't think this is correct.

If you pass your restricted in an automatic, your license will have an automatic vehicles condition attached to it, which means, according to LTNZ's website that you will only be allowed to drive automatic vehicles unless you are accompanied by a supervisor. I can't find any reference anywhere (on LTSA's website, in the road code, on the AA website, or in the legislation) to there being any restrictions on the type of car you can take your full test in if you passed your restricted test in an automatic.

From my research this is totally correct - basically if you do your test in an automatic you'll get restrictions applied to your type of license I've got a restriction on my restricted license cos I'm a specky and can only drive an automatic.... There is nothing to stop you doing the restricted license test in an automatic and then going on to do full test in a manual car but, what they heck, both our cars are automatics as are the work cars so I'm going to stick with what I know

Karenx

[Waters9944]

By the way...for all the Americans in NZ now:

How do you find the change to driving on the left?

And FYI to non-Americans: most Americans these days drive automatics, the cars come standard that way (work vehicles and sports cars are usually manual, though).

I remember a long time ago people paying extra to get an automatic transmission in your new car. These days, it's the opposite!