What class of Driver Licence do you need for your next hire?

We aim to make it easy for you to pick up your machine hire. If you’re hiring a truck we’ve specified exactly which type of licence you need to hire each model. For other products you can review the type and size of the machine on our site and cross-reference it to the Waka Kotahi factsheet.

The Allways Hire product range includes lots of machines such as trucks, rollers, loaders and diggers that you can operate on a standard Class 1 Driving Licence. If you need special instructions or help to get the most out of the controls, contact our team in advance of your hire and we’ll be happy to share tips and tricks before you drive the machine away.

If you do need a specific Class of Licence or Transport Service Licence to hire a machine, we will need to see evidence of your licence before you take your hire. Not sure what the requirements are? Feel free to ask our team and we’ll be happy to help, or browse our machines for more details on exactly which licence you may need.

What type of licence do I need?

Vehicle Licencing in New Zealand is categorised based on the type of vehicle and the weight of vehicle. To understand which type of licence you need – you will need to know more about the vehicle you’re going to drive.

You can find out which Drivers Licence you need in this Waka Kotahi factsheet.

The Waka Kotahi website has factsheets that makes it easy to work out which licence you need.

What type of vehicle do you want to drive?

For the purpose of licensing, vehicle types are categorised as rigid or combination.

What is a rigid vehicle?

A rigid vehicle has a single rigid chassis with at least two axles, a driver’s position, steering system, and either pedals or a motor to drive the wheels.

An example of a rigid vehicle with 2 axles, driver’s position , steering system, and a motor.

Rigid vehicles come in two classes – light rigid vehicles and heavy rigid vehicles.

Light rigid vehicles have a maximum gross vehicle mass (GVM, usually specified by the manufacturer) of 3500 kilograms or less.

Heavy rigid vehicles have a maximum gross vehicle mass (GVM, usually specified by the manufacturer) of more than 3500 kilograms.

If you’re hiring a rigid vehicle, the Class of Drivers Licence you need can be identified by the Gross Laden Weight (GLW) of the vehicle. You can drive a rigid vehicle with a GLW of up to 6000kg on a full Class 1 Drivers Licence. Bigger, heavier machines require Class 2 licences or above. Check which size of rigid vehicle each licence class covers here.

What is a combination vehicle?

A combination vehicle is a towing vehicle in combination with one or more trailers or other vehicles that are being towed.

Find out more about the restrictions that apply to combination vehicles on the Waka Kotahi website.

For combination vehicles, the class of drivers licence required will depend on the Gross Combined Weight (GCW). You can drive a combination vehicle with a GCW of not more than 6000kg (this includes a tractor towing a trailer) on a full Class 1 Drivers Licence.

Check which class of licence you need for different combination vehicle sizes here.

Special Endorsements

Certain vehicles, including some types of construction machinery, may have special features that could affect your drivers licence requirements. To drive these vehicles or in certain situations you may need a licence endorsement or additional qualifications to verify you have the skills to operate your vehicle safely.

Certain types of vehicles, like rollers, require an endorsement on the relevant class of driver licence before you drive them on the road.

If you plan to drive a special-type vehicle on the road you must hold an F, R, T or W endorsement on the relevant class of driver licence.

1. The F endorsement is for vehicles that are forklifts.
2. The R endorsement is for vehicles that run on rollers.
3. The T endorsement is for vehicles that run on self-laying tracks.
4. The W endorsement is for vehicles that run on wheels that aren’t forklifts, passenger vehicles, tractors, fire engines, trade vehicles or vehicle recovery service vehicles.

Find out what class or endorsement of drivers licence you might need.

Do I need a Transport Service Licence as well as a Driver’s Licence?

A Transport Service Licence is required if you’re planning on moving goods or people from one location to another. You will need a Transport Service Licence (TSL) to hire from Allways Hire if you’re hiring a truck with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) over 6000kg. Get the details on when you need a Transport Service Licence in our helpful blog.

Are you ready for your next hire?

If you’re planning to hire from Allways Hire, the easiest way to make sure you have the right driver’s licence is to talk to our team. Give us a call or take a look at our product pages on the Allways Hire website where there’s plenty of information about the size and weight of our machines, including details about exactly which kind of licence you need.

Allways Hire provides a wide range of construction and roading equipment to customers across Hawke’s Bay. We specialise in hire equipment that’s well maintained and new, so you can rely on the best performance on the job. Allways Hire is the exclusive stockist of Master Equipment in Hawke’s Bay – a range of machines designed to overcome operational challenges with smart design solutions. Explore the Master Equipment difference here.