Last updated: . Clarified rental and driving guidance, child restraints, one-lane bridges, passing, phone use and freedom camping while preserving the family’s earlier New Zealand road-trip experiences. Date information added October 31, 2026.
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Have you ever driven in a foreign country? Many of us haven’t. With shuttle busses, public transport, and resorts, not many people venture out and drive themselves in a foreign country.
With our style of travel and moving around with five kids, driving is a must-do for us anywhere outside of Asia. During our seven months in Asia, we managed not to drive at all aside from a quick weekend in Japan, and even that we wound up regretting.
For our family, driving was the best way to explore New Zealand. The destinations we wanted to visit were spread out, with several hours of driving between some stops. Your route, comfort behind the wheel, and transport options will help you decide whether a rental car is right for your trip.
When driving in New Zealand, there are several things you should be aware of and we are here to break them down:
Before renting, check NZTA’s current rules for overseas drivers, including your licence class, how long you may drive after arrival, and whether an approved English translation or international driving permit is needed. Requirements can change, so check NZTA’s official guide for the date you arrive in New Zealand.
Let’s start with the first step, which will happen before you arrive. #1 Renting a car.
We used Rentalcars.com to compare options. That older link contains past search dates, so enter your own dates and check the current total price, insurance, and rental conditions.
It’s easy to book a car in New Zealand online. We booked a mini-van for three months to start out and ended up extending it to seven when Covid hit.
The cars in New Zealand are more outdated than you might expect, but you’ll find that is the case for New Zealand in general. Outside of Auckland, the entire country feels like you’ve stepped back in time a decade or two in the United States. If you need an example, our car had a tape deck!
Our car rental agent was friendly and gave us a quick introduction to driving in New Zealand, including speed enforcement and some general road rules. That conversation was helpful, but I would read the official Road Code before picking up a car, too.
The most important thing to know when driving in New Zealand: you’ll be on the left side of the road!
I’ll be upfront, this was more difficult to adapt to than I expected it to be. Even after 6+ months in the country, I would still have to check myself while driving to make sure I wasn’t turning the wrong way. I never reached a point where I could zone out and have the turns be second nature.
Another funny thing to get used to is remembering to get into the car on the opposite side. There were so many times I hopped into the passenger side of our van, thinking I was getting into the driver’s side. That made for some embarrassing moments when I had to get back out of the car because no steering wheel was in front of me.
If you are used to driving on the right, allow time to learn New Zealand’s road rules before you drive. Keep left, take particular care after turns and breaks, and plan a gentle first day instead of treating everything as a simple reversal of driving at home.
Everyone needs to use the appropriate seatbelt or restraint. Before booking, check NZTA’s child-restraint requirements and confirm that the rental company can supply suitable, correctly fitted restraints for your children.
You’ll cross one-lane bridges on some New Zealand roads. Slow down and read the signs: the round sign with a red border tells you to give way to traffic coming toward you. Even if you have priority, wait for vehicles already on the bridge to clear it. Review NZTA’s one-lane bridge signs before your trip.
Is this Normal in New Zealand? · Earlier family ferry film
Playback isn’t available here. Open the full film on Vimeo ↗
Filmed during an earlier family trip. Follow current ferry-operator instructions and use approved child restraints while the vehicle is moving. Family dialogue in this film is personal experience, not safety guidance.
Speed limits are posted in kilometres per hour and vary by road. Follow the signs and drive at a speed suitable for the conditions; a posted limit is a maximum, not a target. Rural roads, bends, traffic, and weather can make a slower speed necessary.
I’m not entirely sure how many tickets we ended up within all our time there, but it was certainly more than two! We got several from radar cameras alone. Our rental car company would just charge our card on file when the tickets came through.
I got pulled over once for going only 5 km/h (about 2+ mph) over the limit. The officer told me it was an area with lots of accidents so they were extra strict. I think the ticket was for about $12 USD.
All in all, don’t speed in New Zealand; you aren’t likely to get away with it!
You may find yourself behind a truck, campervan, or another slower vehicle on a two-lane road. A dotted centre line alone does not make passing safe. Check the markings and restrictions, and only pass when you can see at least 100 metres of clear road for the whole manoeuvre. Read NZTA’s passing rules and wait for a safe opportunity.
There will be some short passing lanes on large inclines, but just don’t be reckless when overtaking other vehicles.
After returning from our time in NZ, we seriously missed roundabouts. They make driving more efficient and once you get the hang of the right-of-way, they are easy to navigate.
Brush up on the right-of-way laws for roundabouts in NZ here before you arrive.
Do not use a handheld phone while driving, except to call emergency services on 111 when it isn’t safe to stop. Hands-free or mounted use has conditions, so check NZTA’s mobile-phone rules, set your route before leaving, and stop somewhere safe if you need to change it.
It’s worth the investment to purchase a car charger and a cell phone holder (if your rental doesn’t come with them). You might also want to rent a GPS or bring your wifi hotspot to navigate with your phone.
We didn’t run into a ton of wildlife on the roads during the day. Animals can be on rural roads, so stay alert, especially after dark, and allow room to slow down safely.
I don’t know what else to call these other than the “brown signs”, but you’ll find some of your best sightseeing options on these occasional signs as you drive. The best way to see NZ and all its glory is to be flexible and willing to stop when you see these signs! They truly hold some of New Zealand’s most magnificent sights.
You might find a waterfall, a glow-worm cave, or a cool hike on these brown signs. There are so many amazing attractions throughout NZ that are not marked in any way. Following recommendations from these brown signs will give you a head start.
We found visitor-information stops useful for questions, local recommendations, and tour bookings. Look up the current iSite locations and opening hours along your route here.
Gas stations are fairly frequent, but we did have a couple of times we were nervous about running out of gas. Because the country is so large and spread out, I recommend filling up anytime you go under half-full to just be safe.
We had good experiences with rest-stop toilets during our trip, although facilities and cleanliness will vary. Plan breaks along your route rather than assuming every stop will have what your family needs.
As inherent night owls, we packed our days full and drove a lot at night to maximize our time. However, because the country shuts down fairly early, it can make it tricky to get gas, find food, or secure somewhere to sleep. We encountered some stressful nights when we couldn’t get gas with our foreign credit cards. In fact, there was one night that we had to ask people in a nearby bar to buy our gas and we paid them cash.
Check fuel-station opening hours and payment options before a late drive. Our experience taught us not to assume that a nearby station would be staffed or accept our card when we arrived.
New Zealand has holiday parks and campgrounds, but sleeping in your car is not automatically permitted wherever you park. Check the rules for the exact site, including any self-containment requirements, council restrictions, and DOC prohibitions. Start with DOC’s freedom-camping guidance and choose a permitted place before stopping for the night.
Some Auckland parking garages use number-plate recognition instead of issuing an entry ticket. Read the instructions for the particular garage, including how to pay and any time limits.
Thankfully, parking in Auckland is relatively easy as there are many parking garages around the city.
New Zealand’s climates are very versatile and ever-changing. Because of this, you’re sure to encounter some wind and rain as you drive around the country. In certain elevations, you may even experience snow and ice.
The South Island can be quite windy, which we even felt in our minivan. If you are driving a camper van, be aware and cautious of this as it can be dangerous.
If it’s dark out and the rain is strong, it’s best that you stop your drive until it passes the next morning. Roads are winding and curvy and can be especially slick when wet. Be careful and use caution if you opt to continue on in these conditions.
Driving gave our family the flexibility to explore so many places we loved in New Zealand. Take time to adjust, plan manageable days, and avoid rushing yourself into confidence. You can find more of our places to visit while in New Zealand as you plan your route.
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