- Hon Chris Bishop
The Government's work to deliver better public services for New Zealanders is paying dividends for people working to gain their driver licence, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
"National average wait times are now just four days for a full licence test and seven days for a restricted licence test, down from a peak of up to 90 days in some regions," Mr Bishop says.
"At one point in 2024, we saw wait times get as high as 90 days in some regions, with a backlog of over 80,000 people applying to sit their licence tests at one point.
"These unacceptable wait times were the result of the previous government's decision to remove re-sit fees for theory and practical tests in 2023. This led to people not preparing properly for their tests, no shows, and people failing. These people simply went back in line to re-sit their test again and again.
"The Government took decisive action to reduce wait times. We introduced a limit of one free re-sit for Class 1 driver licence tests, removed free re-sits for overseas licence conversions, and temporarily extended the amount of time people can drive on their overseas licence from 12 months to 18 months.
"NZTA and VTNZ have also recruited and trained more than 70 new Driver Testing Officers, introduced new temporary testing sites, and extended testing site hours in some regions. Text alerts were also introduced to remind people of their driving test and ensure they turn up on the day.
"Wait times are continuing to be monitored closely, and if they increase at individual testing sites NZTA will work with testing agents to bring them down.
"We have delivered on our promise to bring wait times down, creating a more efficient licensing system that contributes to road safety.
"I also encourage anyone preparing for their test to check out the free resources available on the Drive website. Developed by NZTA and ACC, Drive is an official resource designed to help learner drivers and those teaching others how to drive.
"A driver licence can unlock many opportunities for a person and improve access to employment. We want to make sure we're removing barriers and keeping people safe on our roads."
