Your own business

A limited licence when the vehicle is the business

Reviewed by Guy Hollister, Director, 16 October 2026

Running your own business does not stop you applying. You just have to show the court how the business depends on you driving.

Is this you?

Tradies and contractors driving to jobs, suppliers and sites. Builders, see a Limited Licence for builders.
Couriers, delivery drivers and owner drivers.
Farmers and rural contractors.
Sole traders who quote, sell or service on the road.
Company directors and shareholders who do the driving the business relies on.

What the court needs to see

What the business does, and that it is real and trading.
Why the business needs you, personally, behind the wheel.
Why someone else cannot simply do the driving.
What losing your licence would do to the business, and to anyone who works for you.
The specific days, times, places 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 business name, and the company number or NZBN if it has one.
Your role in the business: owner, director or sole trader.
What the business does, in a few plain lines.
A typical week: the jobs, sites, suppliers and clients you drive to.
Recent GST returns or income figures showing the business is trading.
A few recent invoices or job sheets that show the driving involved.
Staff numbers, and who depends on the business for their wages.
The vehicles you need to drive for work, and who owns them.
Your normal working days and hours, including early starts.
Your suspension notice, or the court disqualification details.

There is no employer to back you up, so the business evidence does that job. We draft your affidavit around your own numbers and documents. 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 the business during set working days and hours.
Driving to and from jobs, sites, suppliers and clients.
The vehicles designated for your employment, even if they are your own vehicle.
An area that matches where you really work, 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

Saying you need to drive whenever the business needs you. The court wants real days, times and places.
Sending no proof the business is trading.
Forgetting a vehicle you really use for work.
Ignoring the obvious question: why can't a staff member drive?
Not mentioning an earlier suspension or disqualification.
Driving before the order is made and NZTA issues the licence.

Questions

Can I get a limited licence if I am self-employed?

Yes. Business owners, sole traders and company directors can apply. You show the need to drive with your own business evidence instead of an Employer Affidavit.

What business documents help most?

Things that show the business is real and how much driving it involves: GST returns or income figures, invoices, job sheets and a typical week of jobs.

What if staff could do some of the driving?

Say so. The court looks for the least driving needed, so explain clearly what only you can do.

Can I use my own vehicle for the business?

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.