New Zealand · Theory testWhat can you drive on a class 1 licence?
A full class 1 licence covers:
- Any vehicle with a gross laden weight (GLW) or gross combined weight (GCW) of 6,000 kg or less, including tractors and combination vehicles but not motorcycles
- A moped or all-terrain vehicle
- A motorhome or tradesperson’s vehicle with a GLW of 6,000 kg or less
- A tractor or agricultural tractor of 6,001 to 18,000 kg GLW, at 40 km/h or less
- An agricultural tractor towing an agricultural trailer, or a tractor towing a trailer for non-agricultural land management work, up to 25,000 kg GCW, at 40 km/h or less
- A zero-emission vehicle with a GLW of 6,001 to 7,500 kg
On a class 1 learner or restricted licence
With an L or R after the 1 (1L or 1R), the limits are lower. You can drive:
- A vehicle with a GLW or GCW of 4,500 kg or less
- A moped or all-terrain vehicle
- A motorhome or tradesperson’s vehicle with a GLW of 6,000 kg or less, if its on-road weight is 4,500 kg or less
A 1R licence also covers an agricultural tractor under 18,000 kg GLW, and an agricultural tractor towing an agricultural trailer up to 25,000 kg GCW, both at 40 km/h or less.
Class 1 and class 2: the difference
Above those limits you need a heavy vehicle licence. Class 2 picks up rigid vehicles from 6,001 kg, and you need a full class 1 licence before you can learn for it.
Getting a class 1 licence
The car licence has its own theory test and its own stages. The NZ road code test pages cover them.
Sources: NZTA. Checked November 2026.
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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