What is an insurance excess?

The excess is the amount you'll only be liable for in case of damage (under Collision Damage Waiver) or theft (under Theft Protection) of the vehicle. Information about the excess will be clearly stated in the price inclusion when you reserve a car on QEEQ.

How can I add an additional driver?

You are advised to make a request upon your arrival at the rental counter. Additional charge per day will incur unless '1 Additional Driver Included' is stipulated on the rental. Please note that the same licence and age requirement applies to the additional driver. The additional driver is supposed to present the required licence document along with the main driver at pickup.

New Zealand traffic rules and self driving car rental tips

The Complete New Zealand Driving and Rental Guide

With a territory as large as the United Kingdom but with only a population of 4.5 million inhabitants, New Zealand has always been a popular travel destination thanks to its beautiful and diverse natural sceneries. Here is a driving and rental guide we prepare especially for you aiming at helping you have a smooth road trip.

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

In New Zealand, driving is on the left with overtaking on the right. New Zealand has the same system of signs and road code as you would find in the United Kingdom. During winter, especially in the mountains or on South Island, driving can be tricky. Therefore snow chains are highly recommended when renting a car at this season.

Speed Limit

There are speed limits of 100 km/h on highways and 50 km/h in urban areas unless signs say otherwise.

Traffic Signs

There are three major types of signs in New Zealand: compulsory, warning and information signs. Here are some of the regulatory signs that you may often see in New Zealand.

Stop

Give Way

No U-turn

30 km/h Speed Limit

No Stopping

Warning signs are diamond-shaped with yellow or green background.

60 km/h Speed Limit Ahead

Merging Traffic from Right

Road Bump

Watch for Large Animals (Cattle)

Railway Crossbuck

Information signs are in rectangular shape with a white background.

Left Turn at Any Time With Care

Cyclists Cross Here With Care (to the Left)

Further information on signs for driving in New Zealand can be found in this booklet.

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers under 15 years wear seat belts. Passengers aged 15 and over are responsible for putting seat belts on themselves.

Booster Seat Laws

All children under 7 must use an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and size.

You must correctly secure children aged between 7 and 8 in an approved child restraint if one is available in the vehicle. If not, in any child restraint or safety belt that is available.

For children aged between 8 and 14, a safety belt must be used. If not available, they must travel in the back seat.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

· Forbidden Parking

You cannot park your car in the following spots:

- Along the broken yellow lines along the side of the curb, since it means that parking is not permitted

- Near a corner, curve, hill, traffic island or intersection, if it will stop other people from seeing along the road

- On, or closer than 5 metres to a fire hydrant, unless somebody who can move the vehicle stays with it

- In front of or closer than 1 metre to a vehicle entrance

- On or closer than 6 metres to an intersection, unless there are parking spaces or a notice telling you that you can park there

· Parking Signs

Parking signs in New Zealand are marked with numbers indicating how long you can park the car and an arrow to indicate directions. Some are specified with the date of the week as well.

New Zealand Parking With Specified Time And Arrow

New Zealand Parking With Specified Time And Dates And Arrow

· Paid Parking

All machines accept New Zealand coins, and some of them have been introduced with credit cards and TXT-a-Park payment methods. Currently, you still need to go for Pay-and-Display parking. However, all machines will be upgraded by March 2018 to include Pay By Plate technology, which allows you to enter your vehicle’s registration plate number directly on the machine and pay for it by credit card, debit card, coins or TXT-a-Park. Note that there is a 50-cent fee for credit card or TXT-a-Park transaction.

New Zealand Paid Parking Metre (Image from Stuff.co.nz)

Fuel Prices

The average gasoline price in New Zealand in November 2017 is $2.22 per litre, while it is of $1.47 for diesel.

Toll

There are three toll roads in New Zealand: the Northern Gateway Toll Road north in Auckland, the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road and the Takitimu Drive Toll Road in Tauranga.

New Zealand Toll Road (Image from nzta.govt.nz)

How much you should pay depends on your car type. You can pay the tolls by debit or credit cards, POLi, and cash.

Debit or credit card

You can use your Visa or Mastercard to buy or pay a Pay & Go toll.

POLi

If you have Internet banking with ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, TSB Bank, Westpac or Bank Direct, then you can buy or pay a Pay & Go toll (external link) using Payment Online (POLi).

Note: POLi is not available for business internet banking customers.

Cash

If you prefer to pay with cash (or by debit/credit card) you can pay your tolls at selected service stations (a transaction fee of $1.20 per transaction will apply).

Be aware that as a car renter, not paying for the toll fee will result in the car hire company paying it for you and collecting the toll fee along with an add-on of management fee (note that it can sometimes be costly) from your credit card.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

If you are 20 or over, you must not drive if you have consumed more than the legal alcohol limit, which is 250 micrograms per litre of breath or 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood (0.05%). There is a zero tolerance for alcohol if you are under 20.

Traffic Fines

In New Zealand, exceeding the speed limit results in an infringement fine range from $30 to $630. The amount of the infringement fine will depend on the difference between the actual and legal speed limit.

As for parking, an infringement notice can be issued if a vehicle is parked illegally on public land, or in breach of what a parking sign says. In some circumstances, the vehicle can also be towed away if it is obstructing traffic.

Normally, there will be a website or hotline number on the front or back of the ticket as well as the reason for the violation fine and the relevant voucher number. Please be aware that you can log onto the website or call the hotline and follow the guidelines to pay the ticket.

Failure to pay tickets will result in the car hire company paying them on the renter’s behalf, and debit the renter credit card for the fine amount plus an administration fee. Please note that you can always contact QEEQ’ 24/7 customer service team for help if you have questions concerning this matter.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

At the time of rental in New Zealand, all drivers must present a full and valid driving licence from the renters country of residence and the licence should be held for at least 1 or 2 years ( policies may vary depending on car hire companies). An International Driving Permit is highly recommended for international drivers. If your domestic driving licence is not printed in English (Arabic, Japanese, Cyrillic etc), an International Driving Permit (IDP/IDL) or an official translation in English is required when you drive in New Zealand.

Minimum age in New Zealand is 21 years (age may vary depending on car category) and the maximum is 80 years of age. If you're 21-25, you are likely to have to pay a young driver fee. If you're 65 or older, you may have to pay a senior driver fee.

Guest reviews

1 /

Anonymous

December 19, 2025

Destination: Christchurch

8Very good

Very professional, super friendly and the whole pick-up and drop-off process was really straightforward.

P.Elliott

December 17, 2025

7Good Value!

Car was average but suitable for the price

December 15, 2025

Destination: Auckland

10Excellent

The car was pretty much brand new.

The whole process was pretty quick, and even though our English isn’t great, the staff were really patient with us.

December 13, 2025

Destination: Queenstown

Just gave them my booking number and they handed over the car in no time.

Thanks to all the staff, and especially for the car being in such great condition—it was the perfect companion for our trip.

December 12, 2025

Really appreciate it, thank you so much.

Super satisfied with the whole experience.

Super efficient – just grab the key and you’re off, and when you swap cars you just hand the key back and go. Really cheap and great value for money.

December 10, 2025

10Unbeatable Superb Experience

I was drawn to EZU by their positive reviews, and I found the entire rental process surprisingly smooth in summary Everything worked out even better than I hoped. They even helped with some local tips, which was a nice bonus. The staff provided a child seat as requested. Thank you for the great service.

10Hassle-Free Experience Quick Adventure

I wanted a stress-free trip, so the car was ready on time and in perfect condition, I enjoyed the trip thanks to the reliable car. I was amazed by the efficiency, The car had a great sound system. The staff provided a child seat as requested, I enjoyed the trip thanks to the reliable car. I felt like a valued customer. Loved the experience.

I was planning a road trip, so I'm really glad I went with EZU Car Rental because the pickup instructions were clear and easy to follow because I felt completely at ease the whole time. I appreciated the free additional driver option. Returning the car took less than five minutes, which I appreciated. A+ service.

I was a bit nervous at first, but the car was ready on time and in perfect condition, they had a great selection, and I found exactly what I needed. The car was perfect for my needs to sum up I would absolutely rent from them again. Best rental experience ever.

I was pleasantly surprised by the whole process, the return process was fast and simple, the car was fuel-efficient and easy to drive. The car was ready even though I arrived early because I enjoyed the trip thanks to the reliable car. EZU is my go-to rental company now.

10Fantastic Clean Comfortable Convenient Adventure

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I got a free upgrade, which was a nice surprise. The drop-off location was right next to the airport — super convenient. The car was spotless inside and out so That kind of smooth experience is rare these days. Loved the experience.

10Superb Experience

I was looking for a good deal, and the staff were knowledgeable and helpful, the car was spotless inside and out. The car was great for sightseeing because It really made my trip so much easier. Appreciate the smooth ride!

Booking with EZU was a last-minute decision, but I was hoping for a smooth process, and the staff explained everything clearly, I felt completely at ease the whole time. I was pleased with how easy everything was. The GPS and Bluetooth were super handy, especially for long drives. I didn't run into a single issue during the whole rental. I was grateful for the helpful staff. I was amazed by the efficiency. Keep up the great service!

10Easy Superb Customer Service Service

EZU Car Rental surprised me in the best way — I appreciated the flexibility they offered. I felt like everything was designed for my convenience. the car was perfect for our family trip. The staff provided a child seat as requested. This is exactly the kind of service that earns loyalty. They truly made it easy from start to finish. A+ service.

10Quick Fast Friendly Efficient Deal

I was just looking for a quick rental, and the car was exactly as described on the website, I would absolutely rent from them again. They even helped with some local tips, which was a nice bonus. I really appreciated that kind of reliability. I was genuinely impressed. Keep up the great service!

10Easy Fast Pickup Easy Return Value

I wasn't sure what to expect, but Booking with EZU was a last-minute decision, but the car I got was clean, modern, and comfortable to drive. The car was great for sightseeing. The car looked brand new and ran smoothly the whole time overall I left feeling like a valued customer. EZU is my go-to rental company now.

10Best Choice for Car Rental Loved the Car Will Recommend to Friends

I needed a car for a weekend trip, so I was traveling solo, and booking only took a minute and the instructions were clear, I felt like a VIP customer. The car was comfortable for a long drive. The car had a great sound system. I was grateful for the helpful staff. Best rental experience ever.

December 8, 2025

Picked the Outback for Subaru’s AWD, but the branch said the model I booked was in for repairs so I couldn’t have it (no idea if that was actually true). They said I could “upgrade” to a pickup, which made no sense since we had huge suitcases, so the only SUV option left was to upgrade to a Ford Everest. The price wasn’t crazy, about 60 RMB per day. They ended up giving us the Platinum version – great spec, V6 diesel with full-time 4WD, perfect for all the different road conditions on the South Island – so we didn’t bother arguing at the counter, but it still felt like a bit of a sneaky upsell. In terms of driving, the Everest was totally fine: RWD on tarmac, switchable 4WD off-road, more than enough. The paint was tough too, all those flying stones didn’t leave any visible scratches. Only downside: it guzzles fuel – 80L of diesel for about 650km of range.

December 7, 2025

The whole rental process was super smooth and fast, the car was really new and drove great. It carried us through more than ten amazing days in New Zealand—absolutely loved it!

December 5, 2025

Super fast and smooth, they just walked us through the basic car details and we were good to go.

December 4, 2025

December 3, 2025

Extremely satisfied

December 1, 2025

The car pickup was very smooth. However, the car was a bit old, lacked cruise control, and the positions of the wiper and light controls were swapped, so it took some getting used to. The restrictions that changed midway were a bit too much, but luckily the ferry ticket remained unaffected.

November 28, 2025

The service was pretty good, although the insurance fees were a bit high. The car was in great condition, and the deposit refund was processed quickly. Overall, I'd recommend it, but as a first-timer, it was a bit challenging to find.

Absolutely satisfied.

They upgraded us to an SUV, and the counter staff were bilingual in Chinese and English, so even if your English isn't great, it's no problem! The car was in excellent condition, and the service was super friendly—absolutely fantastic!

The car was brand new and in great condition, and both renting and returning it were super easy.

November 27, 2025

They're great! I'll definitely choose them next time.

November 23, 2025

Very satisfied, communication was smooth.

November 22, 2025

Rented a car for 9 days and was greeted by the rental company's shuttle bus right after landing. The car had 130,000 kilometers on it, but it ran perfectly fine. Surprisingly, the small car came equipped with lane departure warning and collision alert features. It was fuel-efficient and easy on gas, though it struggled a bit on uphill mountain roads. Overall, the experience was fantastic!

November 13, 2025

The service was quite good, and they even upgraded my car. The vehicle was easy to drive. The only downside was that the seatbelt had a strong mix of body odor and perfume. Everything else was great.

November 9, 2025

Destination: Nelson

Extremely satisfied.

Very satisfied, quick and hassle-free.

November 5, 2025

Very satisfied.

November 4, 2025

Picking up the car just required filling out a form, and dropping it off was super quick—they just took a quick look and said everything was fine. Very efficient! The only downside was that the shuttle was a bit hard to find, but other than that, no complaints. The car was really fuel-efficient.

November 3, 2025

The car had plenty of space, a roomy trunk, and solid performance. It ran on diesel, which is more fuel-efficient than gas. Everything went smoothly, and the pick-up and drop-off process was super convenient.

Suzanne Clarissa

October 27, 2025

Great service, we arrived quite late and the staff was waiting for us.

October 24, 2025

10Quick and Convenient Affordable Support

I'm really glad I went with EZU Car Rental because I was hoping for a smooth process, and the return process was fast and simple, the drop-off was right next to the airport which I was impressed by the professionalism. The return process was contactless and quick. See you next time!

Actually, I chose EZU kind of last-minute, but Booking with EZU was a last-minute decision, but the process was much faster than I expected, the car was exactly as described on the website, I appreciated the flexibility they offered. I was pleased with the overall experience. The car was very fuel efficient. I enjoyed the trip thanks to the reliable car. I felt like I got more than I paid for. Would definitely rent again.

10Everything Went Perfectly

I was just looking for a quick rental, and I got a free upgrade, which was a nice surprise. The car was easy to connect to my phone. The car was perfect for our family trip to sum up That kind of smooth experience is rare these days. I left feeling like a valued customer. I'll be back for sure.

10Easy Memorable Trip

Actually, I chose EZU kind of last-minute, but the car was fuel-efficient and easy to drive, That kind of smooth experience is rare these days. The car looked brand new and ran smoothly the whole time. The staff offered to help with my bags. I was genuinely impressed. Thanks, EZU!

Fitch Euphemia

The vehicle provided was very new, and the pickup and drop-off processes were quick.

Soh Teck Chai

October 23, 2025

8Easy booking , pick up and return process.

Good car and service was great.

Len Carter

October 21, 2025

Satisfied

Penelope Charley

Excellent service attitude, quick car pickup, and most importantly, the car is quite new! Well-equipped, smart, and offers a great driving experience!

Y.Guo

October 20, 2025

10Good

Very helpful and smooth

New Zealand Car Rentals