Factsheet 54 – June 2009

Upgrading driver licences from paper to photo

Photo driver licences are one of the best ways to catch unlicensed and disqualified drivers and, along with tough roadside penalties, get them off our roads.

Licences with photos also help the Police to check that new and inexperienced drivers (those in the graduated driver licensing system) do not break the conditions under which they're allowed to drive.

You should carry your driver licence with you at all times when driving, as drivers are required by law to produce their driver licence immediately on request to a Police officer.

When do I have to get a photo driver licence?

If you haven't upgraded from a paper driver licence to a photo driver licence, you are strongly advised to do so as soon as possible. If you drive, you're driving on an expired licence.

If you're caught driving on an expired licence you could face a $400 fine and, if summonsed to court, you could be fined up to $1,000. Driving on an expired licence could also affect your ability to get car insurance, delay any insurance claim or result in a claim being declined.

If you've been in hospital, overseas or in prison and haven't had any opportunity to upgrade to a photo driver licence, you must do so within 90 days of your discharge, return or release. You must take a signed statement explaining your situation to the driver licensing agent and submit this with your application.

Where do I go to get my photo driver licence?

Go to any NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) driver licensing agent. These are selected branches of:

• the Automobile Association (AA)
• Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ)
• Vehicle Inspection New Zealand (VINZ).

What do I take with me?

Make sure you have the following with you:

• Your completed application form (available from any NZTA driver licensing agent).
• Identification, which can be any one of the following:

• your New Zealand paper driver licence
• your New Zealand or overseas passport, which must be current or expired within the last two years
• your full New Zealand birth certificate*
• other acceptable evidence of your identity; refer to Factsheet 20, Identification for driver licensing for a full list.

* Note that older-style birth certificates that do not include your parents' details are no longer accepted by government agencies (including the NZTA) as evidence of identity.

• Evidence of your address, which can be any one of the following:

• an account statement issued by your bank, building society, credit union or credit card company within the last 12 months, which has your name and current address on it
• a telephone, gas, or electricity account, issued within the last six months, which has your name and current address on it
• another form of identity, issued within the last 12 months, which has your name and current address on it.

  For more information read Factsheet 20, Identification for driver licensing, or phone our driver licensing contact centre on 0800 822 422.

• A medical certificate, if you need one. The following people need to present a medical certificate from a New Zealand registered medical practitioner:

• drivers turning 75 or older
• anyone who has a medical condition that affects their ability to drive safely.

• If the name you want on your photo driver licence is different from the name on the driver licence register, or either of the two forms of identity you provide, you will also need to bring one of:

• your marriage or civil union certificate
• a dissolution of marriage (or civil union) order
• change of name by statutory declaration, issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
• a deed poll of change of name, issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
• other suitable evidence of name change (eg adoption papers).

The upgrade process

Upgrading from a paper licence to a photo driver licence takes about 10 minutes.

• Your application form and the documents you bring along will be checked against the driver licence register.
• You'll pay the fee. You can pay with cash, by EFTPOS or cheque. Some of the NZTA's agents will accept credit cards.
• Your eyesight will be checked. If the check shows a problem you'll have to have a professional eye examination and, if necessary, have your eyesight corrected. You'll have to meet these costs yourself.
• Your photo will be taken. This is done with a digital camera, which allows your photo to be printed onto your licence. Your photo will be stored, so if you lose your licence you won't have to have your photo taken again when your licence is replaced.
• You'll write your signature on to an electronic pad. This enables it to be included on your licence as a security feature. Your signature will be stored, so if you lose your licence you won't have to provide a signature again when your licence is replaced.

When these steps have been successfully completed, you'll be given a temporary licence. Until your photo driver licence arrives in the mail, you must carry your temporary licence with you whenever you drive. It will be valid for 21 days.

Your new photo driver licence will arrive within two to three weeks.

Medical declarations

The photo driver licence upgrade application form contains medical questions that need to be answered by all drivers.

If your ability to drive safely has been adversely affected by a medical condition or conditions in the last five years, you must present a medical certificate with your application.

Examples of medical conditions that can adversely affect your ability to drive include diabetes, double vision, Alzheimers, epilepsy, fits, head or spinal injuries, high blood pressure, amputations, mental illness, joint or limb problems, strokes and convulsions. See our index of medical factsheets for further information.

Medical certificates must:

• be the original
• be no more than 60 days old
• be issued by a New Zealand-registered medical practitioner or optometrist, or, if appropriate, a specialist or occupational therapist
• state that you can drive safely, or set out the conditions under which you can drive.

Eyesight screening checks

Your eyesight will be checked:

• when you upgrade to a photo driver licence
• each time you renew your licence
• when you apply for a licence, a new licence class or a new licence endorsement.

If you can produce an eyesight certificate, you won't need to have your eyesight checked by the driver licensing agent. Eyesight certificates must be from either a New Zealand-registered medical practitioner or New Zealand-registered optometrist, and must be no more than 60 days old.

How much will the upgrade cost?

If you're upgrading from a paper driver licence, the cost of your photo driver licence depends on your age. If you hold a full licence, you'll only need to pay for the number of years needed to take you up to the year you turn 35, 45, 55 or 65, or until your 75th birthday.

Fees – upgrading to a photo driver licence

Years	Costs
10 years	$29.50
9 years	$27.50
8 years	$25.00
7 years	$23.00
6 years	$21.00
5 years	$18.50
4 years	$16.50
3 years	$14.50
2 years	$12.00
1 year	$10.00

Drivers aged 75 and over: Your licence renewal requirements mean slightly higher costs. For more information see Factsheet 57, Older drivers: Licence renewal .

If your paper licence allowed you to operate special-type vehicles, these will be automatically upgraded to the appropriate forklift, rollers, tracks or wheels endorsement/s.

If your paper licence allowed you to operate a taxi, bus or tow truck, these are not automatically upgraded. You will need to apply for these separately.

Where you can find out more

• Email us: info@nzta.govt.nz.
• Phone our driver licensing contact centre on 0800 822 422.
• Write to us:  Driver Licensing, Transport Registry Centre, NZ Transport Agency, Private Bag 11777, Palmerston North 4442.