Christchurch full drivers license tests are fully booked up until next year, leaving Kiwis no choice but to head elsewhere if any last minute dates don’t show up.
On October 1st, 2023, Waka Kotahi NZTA altered driver license fees, consolidating them into a single fee for each stage of obtaining a license. They also got rid of the fees for retaking a driver test, or for canceling or changing a test appointment.
Since then, both AA and VTNZ, the providers of driver licensing services for Waka Kotahi, have noticed an increased demand for driver license tests, leading to longer wait times for these tests.
On January 8th of this year, Waka Kotahi introduced a mandatory 10-working day stand-down period for learner driver license tests following a second unsuccessful attempt on the same day. This measure aimed to manage the heightened demand and alleviate the wait times for learner tests. VTNZ responded by augmenting its pool of practical testing officers and anticipates a return to normal wait times by late May this year.
A Waka Kotahi spokesperson recognised the frustration around licensing wait times in a statement.
“We are monitoring wait times, which vary day-to-day, week-to-week and between locations.We know it’s frustrating to have to wait for a test and we are working closely with AA and VTNZ who are working very hard to mitigate effects of increased demand” they said.
Rangiora, Lichfield Street, Jipcho Road, and Northwood VTNZ have no availability between now and past March 2025, the furthest date that they are showing on their website as of April this year.
Christchurch resident Ayla Abraham, a 17-year-old restricted license owner, is anxiously waiting to sit her full. The kicker is, in order for her to take it this year, she has to sit it in Ashburton.
In January this year she booked the earliest time slot, which was April 16th. She said she knows plenty of people who are waiting around four months and longer to take their test.
Ayla feels pressured to pass, otherwise she will be forced to drive her moped everyday to and from work in the winter, and as she starts at 7am and finishes at 6pm, it will be very cold outside. Having never driven the roads that she will be driving on for her test, she feels as if she had no choice but to bite the bullet and hope she passes. Paying around $160, she says this test will be one of the most important ones she will sit.
Aylas advice to anyone who wishes to sit their test in Christchurch this year is to keep looking on the website.
“Your best bet is to check online every day for a cancellation.”
