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Drive Smart Driving School

Overseas Licence Conversion Lessons

Overseas licence conversion lessons help experienced drivers from other countries pass the New Zealand practical test. For most people the problem is New Zealand's give-way rules and the amount of observation a testing officer expects to see, not car control.

Price
$75 / lesson
Duration
1 hour
Vehicle
Dual-control automatic
Based in
Papakura

What you'll be able to do

  • Apply New Zealand give-way rules correctly at every intersection type
  • Take New Zealand roundabouts in the right lane, with the right signal
  • Adjust to driving on the left if you are coming from a right-hand-drive country
  • Show the observation a New Zealand testing officer is looking for
  • Handle conditions you may not have met before, like one-lane bridges and school zones

How the lessons work

  1. 1

    Gap assessment

    We start by finding the difference between how you were taught and how New Zealand marks driving. For most overseas drivers that gap is observation and give-way rather than vehicle handling.

  2. 2

    NZ rules in practice

    Give-way rules and roundabout conventions practised on real roads instead of read from a book.

  3. 3

    Habit correction

    Habits carried over from driving overseas are what usually costs people the conversion test. We find yours and work on them specifically.

  4. 4

    Mock test

    A full simulation of the conversion test with written feedback.

Common questions

Do I need to convert my overseas licence to drive in New Zealand?

It depends on which country issued your licence and how long you have been in New Zealand. Some licences convert without a practical test and others need one. Check the rules for your country at nzta.govt.nz before booking lessons.

I have driven for 15 years overseas. Why would I fail a NZ test?

Experienced overseas drivers usually come unstuck on New Zealand's give-way rules and on observation. Both are habits rather than skills, so a few targeted lessons are often enough to fix them.

Do you teach drivers coming from left-hand-drive countries?

Yes. If you have only driven on the right, the early lessons work on road position and how you approach intersections, until driving on the left stops taking conscious effort.

Do you speak languages other than English?

Lessons are taught in English. Our instructor has spent years teaching learners who came to New Zealand from other countries, so being taught in your second language is familiar ground. Get in touch and we can talk through your situation.

★★★★★
Shaila gave me a great lot of confidence when I recently had to go for my International Driver's License Conversion. She taught me how to navigate through the New Zealand roads in a simple and easily understandable manner. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone who is learning to drive or just want to polish up their driving skills.
David Mugadza, Google review · read all reviews

Where we teach

We run these lessons from Papakura across South Auckland:

Other lesson types

Prices and licence information last reviewed .

Ready to get behind the wheel?

No contracts. No pressure. Lessons at the pace that suits you.