New Zealand traffic rules and self driving car rental tips

The Complete New Zealand Driving and Rental Guide

With a territory as large as the United Kingdom but with only a population of 4.5 million inhabitants, New Zealand has always been a popular travel destination thanks to its beautiful and diverse natural sceneries. Here is a driving and rental guide we prepare especially for you aiming at helping you have a smooth road trip.

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

In New Zealand, driving is on the left with overtaking on the right. New Zealand has the same system of signs and road code as you would find in the United Kingdom. During winter, especially in the mountains or on South Island, driving can be tricky. Therefore snow chains are highly recommended when renting a car at this season.

Speed Limit

There are speed limits of 100 km/h on highways and 50 km/h in urban areas unless signs say otherwise.

Traffic Signs

There are three major types of signs in New Zealand: compulsory, warning and information signs. Here are some of the regulatory signs that you may often see in New Zealand.

Stop

Give Way

No U-turn

30 km/h Speed Limit

No Stopping

Warning signs are diamond-shaped with yellow or green background.

60 km/h Speed Limit Ahead

Merging Traffic from Right

Road Bump

Watch for Large Animals (Cattle)

Railway Crossbuck

Information signs are in rectangular shape with a white background.

Left Turn at Any Time With Care

Cyclists Cross Here With Care (to the Left)

Further information on signs for driving in New Zealand can be found in this booklet.

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers under 15 years wear seat belts. Passengers aged 15 and over are responsible for putting seat belts on themselves.

Booster Seat Laws

All children under 7 must use an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and size.

You must correctly secure children aged between 7 and 8 in an approved child restraint if one is available in the vehicle. If not, in any child restraint or safety belt that is available.

For children aged between 8 and 14, a safety belt must be used. If not available, they must travel in the back seat.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

· Forbidden Parking

You cannot park your car in the following spots:

- Along the broken yellow lines along the side of the curb, since it means that parking is not permitted

- Near a corner, curve, hill, traffic island or intersection, if it will stop other people from seeing along the road

- On, or closer than 5 metres to a fire hydrant, unless somebody who can move the vehicle stays with it

- In front of or closer than 1 metre to a vehicle entrance

- On or closer than 6 metres to an intersection, unless there are parking spaces or a notice telling you that you can park there

· Parking Signs

Parking signs in New Zealand are marked with numbers indicating how long you can park the car and an arrow to indicate directions. Some are specified with the date of the week as well.

New Zealand Parking With Specified Time And Arrow

New Zealand Parking With Specified Time And Dates And Arrow

· Paid Parking

All machines accept New Zealand coins, and some of them have been introduced with credit cards and TXT-a-Park payment methods. Currently, you still need to go for Pay-and-Display parking. However, all machines will be upgraded by March 2018 to include Pay By Plate technology, which allows you to enter your vehicle’s registration plate number directly on the machine and pay for it by credit card, debit card, coins or TXT-a-Park. Note that there is a 50-cent fee for credit card or TXT-a-Park transaction.

New Zealand Paid Parking Metre (Image from Stuff.co.nz)

Fuel Prices

The average gasoline price in New Zealand in November 2017 is $2.22 per litre, while it is of $1.47 for diesel.

Toll

There are three toll roads in New Zealand: the Northern Gateway Toll Road north in Auckland, the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road and the Takitimu Drive Toll Road in Tauranga.

New Zealand Toll Road (Image from nzta.govt.nz)

How much you should pay depends on your car type. You can pay the tolls by debit or credit cards, POLi, and cash.

Debit or credit card

You can use your Visa or Mastercard to buy or pay a Pay & Go toll.

POLi

If you have Internet banking with ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, TSB Bank, Westpac or Bank Direct, then you can buy or pay a Pay & Go toll (external link) using Payment Online (POLi).

Note: POLi is not available for business internet banking customers.

Cash

If you prefer to pay with cash (or by debit/credit card) you can pay your tolls at selected service stations (a transaction fee of $1.20 per transaction will apply).

Be aware that as a car renter, not paying for the toll fee will result in the car hire company paying it for you and collecting the toll fee along with an add-on of management fee (note that it can sometimes be costly) from your credit card.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

If you are 20 or over, you must not drive if you have consumed more than the legal alcohol limit, which is 250 micrograms per litre of breath or 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood (0.05%). There is a zero tolerance for alcohol if you are under 20.

Traffic Fines

In New Zealand, exceeding the speed limit results in an infringement fine range from $30 to $630. The amount of the infringement fine will depend on the difference between the actual and legal speed limit.

As for parking, an infringement notice can be issued if a vehicle is parked illegally on public land, or in breach of what a parking sign says. In some circumstances, the vehicle can also be towed away if it is obstructing traffic.

Normally, there will be a website or hotline number on the front or back of the ticket as well as the reason for the violation fine and the relevant voucher number. Please be aware that you can log onto the website or call the hotline and follow the guidelines to pay the ticket.

Failure to pay tickets will result in the car hire company paying them on the renter’s behalf, and debit the renter credit card for the fine amount plus an administration fee. Please note that you can always contact QEEQ’ 24/7 customer service team for help if you have questions concerning this matter.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

At the time of rental in New Zealand, all drivers must present a full and valid driving licence from the renters country of residence and the licence should be held for at least 1 or 2 years ( policies may vary depending on car hire companies). An International Driving Permit is highly recommended for international drivers. If your domestic driving licence is not printed in English (Arabic, Japanese, Cyrillic etc), an International Driving Permit (IDP/IDL) or an official translation in English is required when you drive in New Zealand.

Minimum age in New Zealand is 21 years (age may vary depending on car category) and the maximum is 80 years of age. If you're 21-25, you are likely to have to pay a young driver fee. If you're 65 or older, you may have to pay a senior driver fee.

Guest reviews

1 /

Bevis Motley

April 29, 2025

Destination: Auckland

10Excellent

Diesel car, very new and fuel-efficient. Our group of 6 people managed to fit 4 28-inch suitcases, 2 24-inch suitcases, and several bags. One of the 24-inch suitcases was placed in the middle of the second row.

Maxwell Daniell

Destination: Christchurch

8Very good

Reasonable rental price and excellent service.

Bruno Reynolds

April 28, 2025

Very satisfied

Jennifer Wood

6Average

The reservation stated it was a 2019 car, but the actual car provided was a 2017 model (with mileage already at 190,000 km). The vehicle was in poor condition, with visible wear and tear, and the left rear light was slightly damaged. The front left headlight didn’t work either. The counter staff were indifferent—after completing the paperwork, they merely pointed to the car outside without any explanation or walkthrough. The car didn't have a phone holder, the wipers made strange noises. Fortunately, this trip was mainly within urban areas; if we had driven it to more rural places, the experience would have been nerve-wracking and stressful.

Mamie Jonah

Pretty good.

Ingemar Katrine

April 26, 2025

They provided the Mitsubishi Outlander I booked. The car was in excellent condition, very new, and I am extremely satisfied.

Winifred Raglan

Destination: Wellington

The vehicle provided was very new and in excellent condition. Returning the car was very simple – just handing over the keys was enough. Overall, very satisfied.

Ronald Paul

Quite satisfied, the procedures were handled quickly, and the deposit was refunded promptly.

Avery Morris

Extremely satisfied! The staff are highly efficient.

Lewis Bartholomew

Destination: Queenstown

The staff had a great attitude, no upselling, and handled the procedures very efficiently. The process of car return, inspection, and shuttle to the airport was seamless. Wonderful experience! The car was a 2025 model with only 5,600 kilometers driven.

Beverly Meredith

April 25, 2025

The rental company staff provided excellent service, customer support responded promptly, the store made pickup and drop-off convenient, and they offered free airport transfers. Highly recommended.

Montague Clare

Very good.

Hunter Pollitt

April 24, 2025

Michell Pullman

April 23, 2025

Very satisfied.

Joyce Funk

My English is nearly non-existent, and I quit my job to come to New Zealand with my three kids to study. The challenges I faced at the beginning were overwhelming. I really appreciate the store's Chinese-language service—the staff were so warm and friendly. It gave me such comfort in a foreign country. This was my first time driving a right-hand drive car, and I arrived safely at my destination with sweaty palms. Just a reminder to everyone: safety first and drive with extra caution.

Griffith Anderson

It's okay.

Daniel Alfred

Kim Bennett

Highly satisfied

Marsh Price

April 22, 2025

2Poor

I frequently rent cars while traveling to places like the US, Europe, and domestically. This time, I went to New Zealand for a trip. I rented a car for 14 days on the South Island without any issues. However, my car rental experience on the North Island was the worst so far. When I encounter operations run by Chinese people abroad through platforms like BOOKING or others, I usually leave high ratings, but unfortunately, not this time. 1. The Toyota RAV4 is a common model on the rental car platform, with prices starting at RMB 260/day (platform rating 7.0, no Chinese-speaking staff). I chose this rental company, which charged RMB 383/day (platform rating 9.1, with Chinese-speaking staff), thinking the higher price meant better service or car condition. I was proven wrong. 2. (1) When selecting the car, I noticed it included an additional driver for free. However, at pickup, the rental company said their system didn't show this and wanted to charge NZ$10/day/person. My order clearly indicated the extra driver was included, leading to a dispute. I called the platform, and they resolved the issue. (2) At return, I confirmed via WeChat with the company that I would return the car at 9:00 AM. They replied that they start work at 9:30 AM. My order stated their business hours were from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. I sent them a screenshot, but they did not respond. With no other choice, I called the platform, which intervened and approved the 9:00 AM return. 3. Regarding the car condition, the vehicle I rented had 100,000 km on it (which I can understand). However, the tire condition was terrible. The tread was worn down to the wear indicators, and there were numerous cracks. Considering New Zealand's higher driving speeds compared to China, poor tire condition poses a serious safety risk.

Virgil Ted

Saxon Dulles

Overall service is good, very enthusiastic.

Raymond Moulton

April 21, 2025

Destination: Dunedin

Winston Doris

Terrible! The staff consistently treated us with sarcastic and intimidating remarks. After the vehicle was involved in a traffic accident, they were unwilling to provide assistance, showed an extremely negative attitude, and were very proactive in deducting money. To date, we have not received the damage report from the insurance company. Additionally, the deposit for another vehicle that we drove normally and returned has not been refunded. Their service falls far behind compared to the other two international companies we used during this trip.

Barry Bobby

Renting through the online platform was very convenient, and cancellations didn’t require worrying about extra charges. Although I encountered some scratches during this rental, which involved compensation, the overall service was quite good. Hence, a full score.

Egbert Eve

April 20, 2025

Abraham Bronte

April 19, 2025

The service attitude was excellent.

Destination: Napier

Very efficient service, and the car was in excellent condition. Communication at the location and over the phone was smooth.

Astrid Owen

The owner is friendly, and the pick-up and drop-off procedures are very quick.

Amelia Joel

April 18, 2025

The car was a bit small, couldn't fit all the luggage.

April 17, 2025

Doris Harvey

Hale Benson

Very satisfied, reasonable price.

Randolph Titus

April 16, 2025

Very good, the staff at the front desk was very patient.

Claude Peter

Very convenient

Jonas Wilson

April 15, 2025

Excellent service

Isabel Jim

April 13, 2025

Dolores Samuel

Thank you for accompanying us for 2600KM over more than ten days. The vehicle was quiet, handled well, and had great space. Although we originally booked a Prado, the rental company informed us that it wasn’t available and replaced it with the latest 2024 Everest Sport model, a brand-new car with only 3200 KM total mileage.

Maggie Barnard

April 12, 2025

Very satisfied. Quick pick-up, no additional insurance charges, smooth drop-off process, and will continue renting cars on the QEEQ platform. The actual car received was a Mitsubishi ASX, and its condition was excellent.

Noah Gus

Very satisfied, very friendly.

Amanda Veblen

April 11, 2025

Very convenient and easy to find.

Merlin Pearson

April 9, 2025

The store is clean, the car is in great condition, and the service is professional, enthusiastic, and thorough. Tianyi Car Rental's service and car condition exceeded our expectations, extremely professional, enthusiastic, and attentive. We will definitely rent from Tianyi Car Rental again if we get the chance and recommend it to friends planning a self-drive trip in New Zealand.

Sandra Edison

Very satisfied!

Brady Eugene

April 8, 2025

The car provided was not the same model, but the rental company stated it was of the same class. Overall, it was pretty satisfactory.

Alger Constance

April 7, 2025

Everything went smoothly, very satisfied.

Boyd Nichol(s)

April 6, 2025

Okay

Clement Sonmerfield

April 5, 2025

Wallis O'Casey

Pretty good, affordable and reliable!

G.Lee

April 3, 2025

9Auckland Rental with QEEQ

Car was fine. Staff member at checkin was distracted by a personal issue so process was not as smooth as it might have been.

Elma Ferdinand

Beacher Leigh

New Zealand Car Rentals