What can I drive for on a Limited Licence?
A Limited Licence isn't a normal licence. You can only drive for what the court writes into your order. Nothing more.
What your order spells out
The law says the order must set out [1]:
- Why you can drive: for example to and from work, or for your job
- What: the particular vehicle or type of vehicle
- When: the days of the week and the times
- Anything else needed to keep it to the hardship you proved
The District Court practice note adds that the area you can drive in should be clearly defined, by a route or an area with clear boundary points, not a radius from a point. If a map is attached, it must match the order [2].
What that means day to day
If your order says Monday to Friday, 6:00am to 6:00pm, to and from work, then a Saturday trip to the supermarket is not allowed. Neither is a detour to pick up a mate, or staying late for overtime outside your hours. NZTA says you must always carry your Limited Licence and your court order when driving, and follow every condition in the order [3].
Common conditions
The practice note says conditions must be specific to your case and enforceable [2]. Examples it gives include:
- not driving if another licence holder is in the vehicle, unless it is unsafe or impracticable for them to drive
- complying with speed limits, used where the suspension came from speeding demerits
- keeping a logbook, where the court includes one
Ask for what you really need
The court can only allow the least driving needed to deal with the hardship [1]. So think carefully about your real days, times, vehicles and places before you apply. Ask for too little and you may not be covered for a genuine trip. Ask for too much and it can count against you.
Vehicle class rules
You can only be allowed to drive a class of vehicle you held a licence for immediately before you lost it [1]. An order cannot let you conduct driving tests or work as a driving instructor [1]. It cannot let you drive in a passenger service unless demerit points were the only reason for your suspension [1], and NZTA adds that no more than 20 of those points can be from driving in a passenger service [3].
Breaking the conditions
Driving outside your order is driving contrary to a Limited Licence, which is an offence [1]. A first or second offence means a disqualification of 6 months or more, and up to 3 months in prison or a fine of up to $4,500 [1]. If you are disqualified again while you hold a Limited Licence, it is revoked [1][3].
Not sure what to ask for? Call us on 0800 437 005, or start at nzlimitedlicence.co.nz/apply. Our document preparation starts from $645 + GST.
Read why you need a logbook and whether you can drive a work vehicle. Our Limited Licence for work page explains the work side.
Sources
- Land Transport Act 1998, sections 32, 82A, 90, 91, 103, 104 and 105, New Zealand Legislation, https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1998/0110/latest/whole.html (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Practice Note: Applications for a Limited Licence, District Court of New Zealand, https://www.districtcourts.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Publications/2024/Limited-Licence-Practice-Note-FINAL.pdf (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Limited Licence, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, https://www.nzta.govt.nz/driver-licences/driving-offences-and-penalties/driving-offences/limited-licence (accessed 21 October 2026)
Checked by Guy Hollister, Director, NZ Limited Licence, on 12 Sep 26