Builders

A Limited Licence for builders

Reviewed by Guy Hollister, Director, 16 October 2026

Owner operator builders with or without staff, employed builders and apprentices can all apply. A building business runs on the road, and the court needs to see exactly how.

Builders and our numbers

Builders make up 7.5% of the applications we prepare, about 1 in 13.
That makes builders the most common trade we see.
We know a builder off the road holds up jobs, staff and clients, so we do what we can to move builders' applications through our process as fast as we can.

Is this you?

Owner operator builders working on their own.
Owner operator builders with staff or subcontractors on site.
Employed builders, carpenters, joiners and site foremen.
Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs).
Apprentice builders and carpenters who need to get to sites.

What the court needs to see

Saturday driving to meet clients, measure up and quote, if that is when you quote.
Weekday driving to supervise the jobs your staff are working on.
Keeping several jobs going at the same time, on different sites.
Visiting suppliers to source timber, materials and gear to complete jobs.
For apprentices, getting to the site each day when there is no other way there.
Why someone else cannot simply do the driving, and the specific days, times and places you need.

How the law works

A District Court can make a Limited Licence order under sections 103 to 105 of the Land Transport Act 1998.
The court has to be satisfied that the suspension or disqualification has caused, or will cause, extreme hardship to you (through work or otherwise) or undue hardship to someone else, and that making the order is not contrary to the interests of public safety.
The order spells out why you can drive, the days and times, the vehicle and the area.
The licence covers the vehicles designated for your employment, even if they are your own vehicle.
The court grants the least driving needed to deal with the hardship, so ask for what you really need.

Evidence checklist

Your business name, and the company number or NZBN if it has one.
Your role: owner operator, director, employed builder or apprentice.
Your LBP number, if you hold one.
A list of current jobs and their site addresses.
Your suppliers: timber yards, merchants and hire companies you use.
Staff and subcontractor numbers, and who depends on the work for their wages.
A typical week: quoting, site visits, supervising and supply runs.
Recent GST returns, invoices or job sheets showing the business is trading.
For employed builders and apprentices, an Employer Affidavit about the driving the job needs.
The vehicles you need to drive for work, and who owns them.
Your suspension notice, or the court disqualification details.

We draft your affidavit around your own jobs, staff and suppliers. You swear it at court when you file, never before.

Demerit suspension or drink driving?

Demerit suspension: there is no stand down, so you can apply once your suspension notice has been served on you.
Drink driving (EBA) disqualification: there is a 28 day stand down from the start of the disqualification before an application can be heard, and some people cannot apply at all.
Your driving history matters in both. Police see it, so tell us everything at the start.
Not sure which applies to you? Check the eligibility guide.

What the Limited Licence can cover

Driving for work during set days and hours, which can include Saturday quoting if you need it.
Driving between sites, suppliers and clients.
The vehicles designated for your employment, even if they are your own vehicle.
An area that matches where your jobs and suppliers really are, often shown on a boundary map.

The exact purposes, days, times, vehicle and area are up to the court, and you must keep to them.

How it works with us

You tell us your situation and send what you have.
We prepare your affidavit, application, draft order and boundary map, plus any supporting affidavit you need.
You read everything carefully. Nothing gets signed until you are at the court.
You sign and swear your affidavit at the District Court when you file, then serve a copy on Police yourself.
If the court makes an order, you apply to NZTA for the actual Limited Licence.

Common mistakes

Asking to drive whenever a job needs you. The court wants real days, times and places.
Leaving out Saturday quoting, then finding the order does not cover it.
Forgetting a supplier or a site you really drive to.
Ignoring the obvious question: why can't a staff member drive?
Forgetting a vehicle you really use for work.
Driving before the order is made and NZTA issues the licence.

Questions

Can a self-employed builder get a Limited Licence?

Yes. Owner operator builders, with or without staff, can apply. You show the need to drive with your own business evidence instead of an Employer Affidavit.

Can a Limited Licence cover Saturday quoting?

It can if you show the court you need it. Ask for the days and times you really quote, and explain why.

Can I drive to suppliers for timber and materials?

You can ask for it. List the suppliers you use and why you need to collect from them yourself.

Can an apprentice builder apply?

Yes. Apprentices can apply, usually with an Employer Affidavit showing how they get to site and why there is no other way there.

Can I use my own ute or van for work?

Yes, if it is designated in the order for your employment, even though it is your own vehicle.

Other situations

Ready to start?

Documents from $645 + GST. We prepare your application documents for any District Court.

Start your application Or call 0800 437 005

NZ Limited Licence prepares application documents. We are not lawyers and do not give legal advice. Every application is decided by the court on its own facts. Source: Land Transport Act 1998, sections 103 to 105.