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Driving in New Zealand
The rules of the road as our desk recorded them, native unit first.
Driving side
Left
Speed limits
50 / 100 / 110 km/h · 31 / 62 / 68 mph
urban / rural / motorway
International permit (IDP)
Recommended · Both accepted
English-language licences are accepted for 12 months; an IDP or certified translation is required otherwise.
Blood alcohol limit
0.05% (0.5 g/l)
Tolls
Three tolled roads in the North Island, paid online or at kiosks.
Headlights
Not required by day.
Child seats
Compulsory for under-7s and strictly enforced.
Left-hand traffic. Roads are narrow, winding and slower than the map suggests - add 50% to any estimate. One-lane bridges are common and signed with priority arrows. Overseas drivers are over-represented in crashes; take the extra day rather than the long push.