Last Updated on March 7, 2024 by snaphappytravel
New Zealand is best explored by road-tripping, so it is a good idea to rent a car if you are visiting from overseas. Doing so enables you to travel around at your leisure and go to places you otherwise would not be able to get to.
That said, before you rent a vehicle and start touring around Aotearoa, you probably have a few questions in your head – especially if you are not from the land of the long white cloud.
For this reason, we’ve put together this list of 12 things you must know before hiring a car in New Zealand. Hopefully, it will make the process much easier for you.
1. Is it worth renting a car?
Overall, it is well worth renting a car in New Zealand. It might be costly to do so, and you will have to be mindful of topping up petrol or electricity, depending on the type of vehicle you get. However, you will be able to go wherever you want, whenever you want, without being constrained by timetables or other people.
Aside from transportation, having access to rental cars also provides you with a place to store your belongings, meaning you won’t have to lug backpacks around with you everywhere. Moreover, it can give you shelter, which can be very handy if the rain, wind or even snow picks up when you are out and about, and a safe place to have a quick 40 winks, should the exertions of touring around take its toll.
2. Where can you go?
If you rent a car, it is fair to say the world is your oyster. Well, at least the North or South Island is, depending on which one you are currently on.
Both islands have several epic drives you can embark on that showcase the country’s incredible natural beauty and rich heritage. On the North Island, the coastal drive from Auckland to Paihia in Northland will have you in a constant state of goosebumps. FYI, the beaches in Northland are some of the best in the country. Similarly, the route from Taupo to Rotorua is full of stunning landscapes which include some of the nation’s best hot springs.
On the South Island, a road trip from Queenstown to Christchurch will take you to places like Lake Tekapo, where you can see the Southern Lights and the magnificent Lake Pukaki. Likewise, driving from Wanaka to Franz Josef along the wild west coast reveals some of the country’s most impressive waterfalls.
3. Requirements for renting a vehicle in New Zealand
The most important thing you will need if renting a vehicle in New Zealand is a valid driver’s licence, as no company will allow you to do so without one. If you are driving with an American licence or hold one from the UK or Australia, make sure the licence number and photo are clearly visible. However, if you are travelling from a non-English country, you might want to procure an international driver’s licence to make the rental process easier.
It is worth noting that while the official driving age in New Zealand is 16, you will find it difficult to find a car hire company that will rent a vehicle to anyone under the age of 21. Infact, most would rather you be over the age of 25, so often add a fee for drivers younger than this. Each company has different T&Cs, so it would be prudent to make yourself fully aware of them.
Additionally, you might also need a valid credit card if you don’t take out full coverage car insurance, as rental companies will want to keep one as a holding deposit.
4. How to reduce costs of renting a car in New Zealand
In New Zealand, the cost of hiring a car can be expensive. However, there are some ways you can save money. We tend to always book our rental car through Discover Cars – which is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after.
You should always try to rent your vehicle from major cities such as Auckland, Wellington, or Hamilton on the North Island or from Queenstown, Christchurch, and Dunedin on the South Island. Generally speaking, car hire companies in more remote towns and locations tend to have fewer, yet more expensive options and often include extra fees.
As you would expect, hiring a car in the low tourist season months of June to August will be cheaper than if you book one in the height of summer – between December to February. You will also find cheaper prices for accommodation, tours and activities at this time.
Another good way to save money is to book a small, manual car. They tend to be cheaper than electric cars or 4WD. You should also try, as much as you can, to return the car to the same location in which you picked it up, as it tends to be more expensive to drop it off at another.
5. Driving and Roads in New Zealand
Just like in the UK and Australia, they drive on the left-hand side In New Zealand. So, it follows that the steering wheel sits on the right-hand side of the car. (Don’t be surprised if you try and get into the wrong door for much of the first day!). Moreover, if you are driving a manual, the gear stick will be on the opposite side. So it will take some time to get used to it.
Most of the roads in New Zealand that link towns and cities are tarmacked, so you should find them easy to drive. However, in more rural areas, some of them can be quite narrow and twisty. Hence, it pays to drive cautiously when travelling on those.
It is worth noting that in some regions, particularly remote ones where hiking is a popular activity, you might experience gravel roads. Some companies don’t allow their regular cars to be driven along gravel roads. Therefore, you should consider hiring a 4WD if you plan to visit areas where you might encounter them.
6. Save money on insurance with your credit card
Car hire companies will try and get you to take out insurance to cover any potential damage that might happen to the vehicle. Before you do this, it is a good idea to check if your credit card already covers you. Many credit cards already offer certain types of rental coverage.
Likewise, you might also be safeguarded by your travel insurance provider. Therefore, you should refer to them to see what you are already protected for.
7. Take photos of the car during the inspection
Before hiring a car, most companies will do an inspection of it with you, which serves as a baseline to measure any dints or damage that might occur when you drive it.
At this time, you should take photos of the vehicle yourself and do a thorough once over of it, so you are aware of all the scratches, marks and bumps it currently has on them.
By doing this, you will be able to prove that they were already on the vehicle when you hired it, if they try to charge you for them.
It is also a good idea to take a photo of the mileage metre if you are driving a petrol car to make sure it matches the records you are given by the company.
8. What are New Zealand’s road rules?
New Zealand has some very strict road rules in place. Therefore, you should take the time to familiarise yourself with some of them to ensure you don’t break any rules that might cause you to be stopped by the police.
Speed limits are in kilometres, with 50 km/h being the limit in built-up and urban areas and 100 km/h outside of these areas and on motorways and expressways. Seatbelts are mandatory for all passengers in the vehicle, including those in the backseats. Additionally, all children aged 7 or under must be sitting in a car seat.
You are strongly recommended not to drink any alcohol and then drive. The limit is 0.05% for drivers over the age of 20. Using mobile phones while you drive is also illegal, so if you need to make a call, either pull over somewhere safe or use hands-free or Bluetooth.
9. Do they have Toll Roads in New Zealand?
Yes, they do have some toll roads in New Zealand, and the responsibility falls on you to pay it. Car hire companies are not obliged to remind you about toll charges, though most will give you a courtesy heads-up.
Thankfully, there are only three toll roads in the country, all of which are on the North Island. They are the Takitimu Drive Toll Road, Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road and Northern Gateway Toll Road, the latter of which is in Auckland.
You can pay the toll fees online by visiting the Transport Agency website.
10. How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car?
The cost of renting a car in New Zealand depends on a few factors including the company you are hiring from, the time of year you want to do so, what vehicle you want to drive and how long you want to reserve it for.
Generally speaking, you can expect to pay around NZ$150 – $180 to hire a basic, small economy car for one day in the low season. While it might cost you around NZ$400 to hire one for a week. In the high season, you would be looking at around NZ$200 a day and $600+ a week.
Overall, the longer you choose to rent a vehicle, the most cost-effective it will be for you. Therefore, it is a good idea to plan one big road trip or a few in clusters to reduce the amount you will have to fork out.
Too Tip: We tend to always book our rental car through Discover Cars – which is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after.
11. What Extras can you get with a car?
Like most countries in the world, hire cars in New Zealand tend to come with standard offerings. However, there are some optional extras you might want to consider.
They include child seats, snow chains, GPS and even the provision of additional drivers, which might be something for you to consider.
12. What Happens if you get in an Accident?
If you find yourself involved in an accident the first thing you should do is remain calm and not panic.
Should the accident be a minor one, try to move to a safe part of the road or parking area. Then if the other person is not being aggressive or intimidating, exchange details with them including their name, phone number and car registration. Once you have done that you will be able to continue on your way, although you should notify your car hire company immediately to keep them in the loop.
Should the accident be more serious and require emergency services like the police or ambulance to be called then you should phone 111 immediately. You should also let your rental company know as soon as possible as they will be able to advise you on what you will need to do next. (It will differ between companies).
Thanks for Reading!
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