Driving Instructors in New Zealand
Top 5 rankings across New Zealand
Anyone who teaches driving for payment must hold a driving instructor endorsement on their own licence under the Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Rule 1999, so ask to see proof of it before the first lesson. A one-hour lesson costs $80 to $100 at the four schools we checked, and AA members pay less. Work and Income can put you in touch with providers who help with lessons, test fees and a car for the test, and you do not have to be on a benefit to ask. The car licence rules are changing from 25 January 2027, and drive.govt.nz has the current steps.
Choose a location
Driving Instructors rankings in all 11 locations, each at its own latest check. Rows follow our fixed market order, with the areas of a larger city listed under it, so the table is not a ranking of cities. Ratings and shares cover the businesses listed in that location.
| Location | Reviews at #5 | Lowest rating | 1-star share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 261 | 4.9 | 0.4% |
| North Shore | 37 | 4.9 | 0.3% |
| South Auckland | 203 | 4.8 | 0.6% |
| West Auckland | 159 | 4.9 | 0.3% |
| Wellington | 37 | 4.4 | 2.6% |
| Christchurch | 85 | 4.7 | 1.3% |
| Hamilton | 36 | 4.5 | 0.9% |
| Tauranga | 18 | 5.0 | 0.2% |
| Napier and Hastings | 4 | 4.9 | 0.5% |
| Dunedin | 8 | 4.0 | |
| Nelson | 7 | 4.4 |
Across the 11 locations we assess driving instructors in, the 95 businesses listed have a median rating of 5.0, and one-star reviews are 0.7% of their total. The review count needed for 5th place runs from 4 to 261.