Tourists hire cars in New Zealand not just for comfort: a car is often the only way to reach remote attractions. Public transport and taxis tend to operate only within major towns and along popular tourist routes.
With your own car, you can plan your route freely between cities, national parks, small coastal villages and lookouts far from the main highways. You’ll also be able to fit far more interesting places into your trip.
Why Book Car Hire with Localrent
Localrent works only with verified rental companies that meet our high quality standards. Every partner undergoes thorough vetting, and reliable service is what keeps customers coming back to us and recommending us to their friends.
Why choose Localrent:
- Transparent prices. There are no hidden fees. You pay exactly the amount shown when you place your booking.
- Car hire without a credit card. You don’t need a credit card to hire a car. Simply select the “No credit card” option in the filters, and the system will show suitable vehicles.
- Small upfront payment. When booking, you pay only an advance of 15–20% of the booking total. The remaining balance is due when you collect the car.
- Convenient filters. You can sort offers not only by vehicle size and deposit payment method, but also by make and year, engine type and size, and the availability of optional extras such as an additional driver on the contract, a child seat or unlimited mileage.
- Reliable support. We care about our customers’ comfort and always step in to help resolve any issues that arise during the rental, whether it’s a puncture or a dispute with the rental company.
What You Need to Hire a Car in New Zealand
Each rental company may set its own requirements for the renter’s age and driving experience. These are listed in the details of each offer. To avoid wasting time on unsuitable options, simply enter your age and driving experience in the filters, and the system will show only the cars available to you.
Documents required to hire a car in New Zealand:
- passport;
- valid driving licence;
- voucher.
Once your advance payment has been made, we’ll email the voucher and the rental company’s contact details to the address provided in your booking. You’ll need to present it to the rental company along with your other documents, either digitally or as a printout.
Road Rules in New Zealand
Traffic in New Zealand is calm and unhurried. Local drivers generally follow the rules and rarely make sudden manoeuvres. Vehicles drive on the left.
The driver and all passengers must wear seatbelts at all times. Children under 7 must travel in a child restraint suited to their height and weight. Older children may use the car’s standard seatbelt; however, the New Zealand authorities strongly recommend using a booster seat up to the age of 12 (until the child is tall enough for the seatbelt to fit correctly).
Dipped headlights must be switched on at night and in rain or fog. Mobile phones may only be used hands-free while driving.
New Zealand has many single-lane bridges. Before driving onto one, always check the sign in front of it: if the red arrow points in your direction, you must give way to oncoming traffic.
Speed limits are enforced by safety cameras, which record speeding by as little as 2 km/h and pass the details on to the police database. Fines are issued automatically by email or via a dedicated online service.
The standard speed limits are:
- outside built-up areas: up to 100 km/h;
- in built-up areas: up to 50 km/h;
- near schools: up to 30 km/h;
- near uncontrolled pedestrian crossings and school bus stops: up to 20 km/h.
Drink-driving laws in New Zealand are very strict, and the legal alcohol limit depends on the driver’s age. As it’s virtually impossible to gauge your alcohol level without special equipment, the safest way to avoid trouble is not to drink at all if you’re driving.