Driving with Parkinson's in New Zealand — the declaration, the 75 rule and the OT assessment

Of everything that follows a Parkinson’s diagnosis, the licence is often the thing people worry about first and ask about last. The fear is that mentioning it to a doctor ends it. What actually happens is a process, and the most common outcome of that process is not losing the licence.

New Zealand handles it as a medical review of fitness to driveA process, separate from routine licence renewal, for assessing whether a medical condition affects someone's fitness to drive. The outcome may be continuing to drive with conditions attached, or losing the licence.Learn more, run by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi with your health practitioner at the centre of it. Checked in August 2026.

The declaration you already sign

NZ Transport Agency’s baseline rule:

You have to confirm that you are medically fit each time you apply for, renew or replace your driver licence. This may simply involve signing the declaration on the licence application form. But you may need to present a medical or eyesight certificate.

The declaration asks about specific conditions — diabetes, strokes, “locomotive joint or limb problems”, “seizures, fits, convulsions, epilepsy”, “cognitive impairment”, “visual disturbances” — and then closes with a catch-all:

Any other condition that may affect your ability to drive safely, including fatigue, disabilities and conditions such as dementia.

When a medical certificate is required

You will need one when:

The certificate itself:

• “A New Zealand-registered health practitioner must complete your medical certificate.” That can be “your usual doctor (GP), a registered nurse or nurse practitioner, or a specialist if appropriate.”
• It “must be no more than 60 days old”.
• It will “either state that you are safe to drive, or set out the conditions under which you can drive safely.”
• “You are responsible for the cost of getting your certificate. The cost varies between medical centres.”

The 60-day rule is the practical trap. Getting a certificate months in advance of a renewal wastes the appointment and the fee. Work backwards from the renewal date.

The occupational therapy assessment: what it actually tests

If your health practitioner is not satisfied about your fitness to drive, they can refer you for a driving assessment with an occupational therapist. NZ Transport Agency describes it as “a medical check, requested by your health practitioner or Waka Kotahi.” It has two parts.

The off-road assessment, up to two hours in the therapist’s office, is “a thorough check of”:

The on-road assessment follows, “approximately 40-60 minutes of driving”, accompanied by the occupational therapist and sometimes a specially trained driving instructor. It covers “driving on both the open road and urban roads”, “driving through controlled and uncontrolled intersections”, “parking” and “manoeuvring”.

Note one procedural detail that catches people: “If you don’t have a current driver licence, make your assessor aware of this at least one week before the assessment, so they can get one on your behalf. Without a temporary licence, you’ll be unable to sit the on-road assessment.”

Afterwards, “the occupational therapist will write a report outlining their observations and providing a professional recommendation. This report will be sent back to the health practitioner who asked for you to be assessed.” The practitioner then decides on the certificate. So the therapist recommends; your doctor decides.

Preparing for it, with a fluctuating condition

This is the part that no guidance covers, and it is the one that matters most with Parkinson’s.

The outcomes, including the ones that are not a ban

If NZ Transport Agency runs a medical review, the process is: “We receive information about your medical condition. We review that information against safety legislation and the medical guidelines for fitness to drive. We let you know if you can continue to drive or not.”

There are four possible outcomes, and only one of them is losing the licence.

And there is a right of appeal: “If we’ve given you driver licence conditions or we’ve revoked part or all of your driver licence, you do have the right to appeal. If you wish to appeal our decision, we recommend you talk to a lawyer.”

Vehicle modifications and assessment services

For people whose difficulty is physical rather than cognitive, NZ Transport Agency notes that “almost any standard production vehicle can be modified”, listing “steering and secondary control aids”, “left-foot accelerators”, “clutch conversions”, “additional car mirrors” and “wheelchair stowage equipment”. Some modifications require inspection and certification to be safe.

For finding a driving assessment service, it points to Accessable and Enable New Zealand — the same two organisations that handle equipment and modification services. Funding for vehicle modifications runs through the same EMS route as other equipment; see equipment and home modifications.

Planning for the day it does end

For most people with Parkinson’s, driving ends eventually. Deciding in advance rather than in a crisis is the difference between a plan and a shock. NZ Transport Agency also has a path for people who “decide on their own, without having a medical review, that they don’t want to drive anymore.”

Do one thing early: apply for Total Mobility before you stop driving, not after. The assessment takes time, and the gap between the last drive and the first subsidised taxi is where people become isolated. See Total Mobility and getting to appointments.

If this applies to you

This page is not medical or legal advice and does not decide your fitness to drive. That is decided by your health practitioner and NZ Transport Agency. Everything here was checked in August 2026 — confirm the current requirements with NZ Transport Agency and your care team.