Employment

A limited licence to keep your job

Reviewed by Guy Hollister, Director, 16 October 2026

If you will lose your job without a licence, this page is for you.

Is this you?

You work for someone else and need to drive to get to work or to do your job.
Your shifts start or finish when there is no bus or train.
Your workplace is somewhere public transport does not reach, like a site, farm, port or industrial area.
Driving is part of the role itself: sales calls, deliveries, site visits, a company vehicle.
Your employer has told you, or would tell you, that the job cannot continue without a licence.
You are an employed builder or apprentice. See a Limited Licence for builders.

What the court needs to see

That you are genuinely employed, and in what role.
Why you need to drive for that job, in plain facts.
That other options, like public transport, lifts or cycling, do not realistically work.
What happens if you cannot drive: lost hours, lost income or losing the job.
Exactly which days, times, routes and vehicles 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 employer's full legal name, address and phone number.
The name and position of the person at work who can confirm your role, usually a manager or owner.
Your job title and how long you have worked there.
Your normal hours, and your roster if your hours change week to week.
Your home address and work address, so we can map the route.
Any work addresses or areas you drive to during the day.
The vehicle you drive for work, and who owns it.
Payslips or an employment agreement showing you are employed.
Bus or train timetables for your route if they do not fit your start or finish times.
Your suspension notice, or the court disqualification details.

Your employer usually supports the application with an Employer Affidavit. We draft it from the details you give us, and it is sworn at court like every other affidavit. Nobody signs anything in advance.

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 to and from work on the days you are rostered.
Driving during work hours for work purposes, if your job needs it.
Set start and finish times that match your real hours, with sensible travel time either side.
The vehicles designated for your employment, even if they are your own vehicle.
A set route or area, 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 for any time, any day. The court grants the least driving needed.
Forgetting overtime, call outs or weekend shifts that really happen.
Leaving out a second job.
Giving a vague employer contact who cannot confirm your role.
Not mentioning an earlier suspension or disqualification. Police will see it.
Driving before the order is made and NZTA issues the licence.

Questions

Does my employer have to be involved?

Usually, yes. The court wants independent confirmation of your job and why you need to drive for it. That is normally an Employer Affidavit, which we draft for your employer.

What if my hours change every week?

Give us your roster pattern and real start and finish times. We draft hours that cover how you actually work, without asking for more than you need.

Can I drive a work vehicle?

Yes, if it is designated in the order for your employment. That can include your own vehicle.

Do I have to tell my employer why I lost my licence?

Your employer confirms your job and your need to drive. How much else you share is up to you, but the application itself must be honest and complete.

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.