Choosing between right-hand drive (RHD) and left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles when importing to New Zealand significantly impacts costs, compliance, and resale potential. NZTA lets a car 20 years or older register in left-hand drive with no permit. A newer car either converts to right-hand drive with LVV certification or qualifies for one of up to 500 category A permits a year. Here is how each route works for classic and modern imports.
For rates, transit times and the full import steps, see our New Zealand car shipping guide.
A left-hand drive car under 20 years old must convert to right-hand drive before it can register in New Zealand, unless it holds a category A permit or fits one of NZTA's specialist categories. The finished conversion has to be inspected and certified by an LVV certifier authorized for right-hand drive conversions.
Neither NZTA nor LVVTA publishes conversion prices. The cost depends on the car, so get a written quote from a workshop that works with an LVV certifier before you buy.
Key Components Replaced:
Steering rack/column
Dashboard and instrument cluster
Pedal assembly
Wiring harnesses
Airbag systems
Ask for one quote that covers all of these parts plus the LVV certification itself.
No official source publishes NZ resale prices that compare the same model in right-hand and left-hand drive, so check current NZ listings for your model before you decide. In a right-hand drive country, daily-driver buyers expect right-hand drive. Older and rarer cars are a different market:
Exceptions:
Classic Cars (20+ years): LHD often preferred for authenticity (e.g., 1969 Camaro Z/28)
Motorsport Vehicles: NZTA category C5 covers class MA or MC cars used in motor sport under a valid motor sport authority card
Rare Collectibles: LHD Ferraris/Porsches maintain value
New Zealand’s Land Transport Rule: Steering Systems 2001 lets light vehicles 20 years or older register in left-hand drive without a permit (NZTA category B) if:
The car is class MA, MB, MC or NA (passenger cars, passenger vans, off-road passenger vehicles and light goods vehicles)
Gross vehicle mass is 3,500 kg or less
Benefits:
No Conversion: the car keeps its original steering, so there is no conversion or LVV certification to pay for
Authenticity Preservation: Original LHD configuration retains collector value
No permit: category B needs no NZTA permit, only the standard entry certification
One Condition: NZTA bars category B cars from use in a transport service.
NZTA can issue up to 500 category A permits a year for passenger cars (class MA) under 20 years old that stay in left-hand drive. The criteria:
Eligibility Requirements:
You are a NZ citizen or resident, and the car is registered in your name
Vehicle not sold or leased within 4 years of NZ registration
No category A permit issued to you in the previous 2 years
Meets 3/4 special interest criteria
Special Interest Criteria:
Identified as a collector's item in a commercially produced motoring publication
Annual production ≤20,000 units
Two-door coupe/convertible
High-performance designation
Application Cost: NZTA charges $39.77 NZD to process each application.
Validity: the permit lapses if the car isn't inspected at the border or certified for entry within 6 months of issue.
| Factor | RHD Conversion | Category A Permit | Category B (20+ Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Under 20 years | Under 20 years | 20 years or more |
| Vehicle Class | Any | MA (passenger cars) | MA, MB, MC or NA up to 3,500 kg |
| Paperwork | LVV certification of the conversion | NZTA permit, $39.77 NZD fee, 500 a year | No permit |
| Conditions | None from the LHD rules | No sale or lease for 4 years | No transport service use |
Daily Drivers: Convert to RHD, the only route for most cars under 20 years old
Collector Cars: Preserve LHD under 20+ year exemption
Special Interest: Apply for category A if the car meets 3 of the 4 criteria and you plan to keep it at least 4 years
20+ Year Verification: Confirm vehicle eligibility for exemption
Door to Door: we ship from the seller's address to New Zealand by ocean or air
Our Own Team: our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey cover all of the US for exports, and our own team loads every car and handles every document
Rates and transit: see our car shipping to New Zealand page.
Yes, if you import it temporarily. Clear it through NZ Customs with a Carnet de Passage en Douanes, a Triptyque or the Customs temporary import form, then register it as an overseas vehicle and pass a warrant of fitness. You can then drive it on overseas plates for up to 12 months.
The same rules apply as for any car. Under 20 years old, it converts to RHD with LVV certification or needs a category A permit.
Solo motorcycles, no. Motorcycles with a sidecar have their own NZTA category (G).
The conversion must be inspected and certified by an LVV certifier authorized for right-hand drive conversions before the car can register. Talk to a certifier before any work starts.
The 20-year line decides most of it. A car built 20 or more years before entry certification registers in left-hand drive with no permit. A newer car converts with LVV certification, unless it wins one of NZTA's 500 category A permits a year.
Won a left-hand drive classic at a US auction, or bought one at an event abroad? We ship it door to door to New Zealand by ocean or air. Get instant rates on our New Zealand shipping page or contact our team.
It's your dream car. Let's bring her home.