About Limited Licences
If your New Zealand driver’s licence has been suspended or you’ve been disqualified, you may still be able to legally drive under certain conditions with a Limited Licence (commonly known as a Work Licence).
A Limited Licence is a court-approved licence that allows you to drive again - but only under strict conditions set by the court. These typically include:
- Specific hours you can drive
- Approved vehicles
- Set routes or locations
- Approved reasons for driving (usually work or essential responsibilities)
It’s not a full licence - it’s a carefully controlled legal exception designed to balance accountability with real-life needs like employment and family responsibilities.
Who Can Apply?
You may be eligible if losing your licence causes extreme hardship to you, or undue hardship to someone else. Common examples include:
- Losing your job because you can’t drive
- Being unable to run your business
- Your employer being impacted by your absence
- Caring responsibilities for children or dependents
However, not everyone qualifies. The court may decline an application if the offence is too serious, there are recent or repeat drink-driving offences, or public safety could be at risk. Eligibility is assessed under the Land Transport Act 1998, specifically sections 103 and 105.
Stand-Down Periods
In some cases, you must wait before applying:
- If your disqualification is 6 months or more, there is usually a 28-day stand-down period
- If it’s due to demerit points or shorter disqualifications, you may apply immediately
We can prepare everything during the stand-down so your application is ready to be heard as soon as possible.
How We Help
We take care of the entire process, including:
- Preparing all legal documents
- Drafting affidavits, court orders and driving boundary maps
- Liaising with police
- Filing your application with the court
- Guiding you through each step
- Making any variations required once it has been granted
This avoids common mistakes that often lead to declined applications - like incorrect paperwork or insufficient evidence of hardship. You don’t need to navigate this alone or spend thousands. We specialise in Limited Licences and know exactly what the court expects.