Limited Licence Christchurch

Lost your licence in Christchurch and need to keep driving for work? A limited licence (often called a work licence) is a court order that lets you drive for set purposes, at set times, while you are suspended or disqualified. NZ Limited Licence prepares the application documents: your affidavit, the application, the draft order and the supporting affidavit or declaration. We are a document preparation service, not a law firm.

Applications filed at the Christchurch District Court come from across the city and nearby towns, including Rolleston, Lincoln, Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Banks Peninsula. Further south, see the Ashburton District Court or Timaru District Court page.

Filing at the Christchurch District Court

• Address: Justice & Emergency Services Precinct, 20 Lichfield Street, Christchurch
• Counter hours: 8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday
• Registry email: christchurch.dc@justice.govt.nz

Court details from the Ministry of Justice court finder (page updated 8 September 2026). These are the court's details, not ours.

Where you file depends on how you lost your licence. If a court disqualified you, your application should be filed at the court that disqualified you. If you were suspended for demerit points, you can file at your local District Court. You sign and swear your own affidavit in front of court staff when you file.

Christchurch Central Police Station

Filing your application at the Christchurch District Court is not the last step. Once your documents are filed with the court, they must also be served on the New Zealand Police Prosecution Service, who have the opportunity to oppose the application before it is granted. The nearest station for this purpose is Christchurch Central Police Station at 40 Lichfield Street, Christchurch Central - approximately 0.1 km from the court.

We serve your documents on Police for you. You file them at the court.

What it costs

All our prices include GST.

• Demerit point suspension application: $799 incl GST
• Court disqualification, including drink driving (EBA): $999 incl GST
• High-level drink driving disqualification (breath over 650 mcg/L or blood over 130 mg/100mL): $1,199 incl GST
• Same day priority preparation: add $349 incl GST

Government fees are paid by you, straight to the court and NZTA:

• Court filing fee: $175 after a court disqualification, or $275 after a demerit suspension
• Court sealing fee: $69 if a demerit order is granted
• NZTA limited licence fee: $48.70 (more, plus tests, if you were disqualified for over 12 months)

A typical demerit application comes to $1,191.70 all up: our fee, the court filing and sealing fees, and the NZTA fee. A court disqualification comes to $1,222.70 all up, or $1,422.70 for a high-level drink driving disqualification (the NZTA fee is higher, and tests apply, if you were disqualified for over 12 months). Government fees are not refunded if an application is declined.

Government fees checked 8 October 2026: Ministry of Justice, NZ Transport Agency.

How long it takes

A demerit point suspension has no stand-down, so you can apply straight away. After a court disqualification there is generally a 28 day stand-down: you can file during it, but the limited licence cannot start until it ends.

Once Police consent to your application, the court can grant your limited licence without a hearing in most cases. If the court grants the order, you then apply to NZTA for the licence itself.

Who can apply

You may be able to apply if a court has disqualified you, or NZTA has suspended you for demerit points, and not being able to drive causes extreme hardship to you (not just inconvenience) or undue hardship to someone else, such as your employer or people who depend on you.

Who usually cannot

• You were disqualified for repeat offending involving alcohol or drugs, or you are required to use an alcohol interlock
• You were disqualified for driving while disqualified or suspended, or for driving outside the conditions of a limited licence
• You were disqualified for dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, or careless or inconsiderate driving causing injury or death
• You have a Driver Licence Stop Order in effect

Source: Ministry of Justice, Get a limited licence. Not sure where you stand? Check eligibility or start your application and we will tell you straight.

What a Christchurch client said

"I would describe the process as efficient, easy and economical. Guy was a lot more confident than the others that we could make it work."

Andrea, Christchurch District Court. Read her story

Questions about limited licences in Christchurch

Where do I file a limited licence application in Christchurch?
At the Christchurch District Court, Justice & Emergency Services Precinct, 20 Lichfield Street, Christchurch, if a Christchurch court disqualified you or you live in Christchurch and were suspended for demerit points. If a different court disqualified you, the application goes to that court instead.

Do I need to go to court in Christchurch?
In most cases, no. Once Police consent to your application, the court can grant your limited licence without a hearing. If a Judge does want to see you, you attend in person. NZ Limited Licence prepares documents and does not appear in court.

How much does a limited licence cost in Christchurch?
Our fee is $799 incl GST for a demerit point suspension application, $999 incl GST after a court disqualification, or $1,199 incl GST after a high-level drink driving disqualification (breath over 650 mcg/L or blood over 130 mg/100mL). Government fees are separate: a court filing fee of $275 (demerit) or $175 (court disqualification), a $69 sealing fee if a demerit order is granted, and NZTA's $48.70 licence fee.

Which Police station are Christchurch applications served on?
Documents are served on the NZ Police Prosecution Service. The nearest station to the court is Christchurch Central Police Station, 40 Lichfield Street, Christchurch Central. We serve them for you.