Class 2 heavy vehicle licence
Class 2 is the first heavy-vehicle step and principally covers medium rigid vehicles. You must hold a current full class 1 for at least six months before class 2 learner. Apply at a driver licensing agent and pass the applicable theory test. To gain full class 2, either hold the learner for six months and pass the practical test, or complete an approved class 2 course, which removes that learner-period and practical-test requirement.
The heavy-vehicle overview maps the whole ladder. Class 2 is where it begins, but “truck licence” is too vague to confirm a vehicle. The legal scope uses gross laden weight, gross combined weight, axle configuration, trailer weight and some special-type rules. Start with the vehicle record and NZTA's live class table, not the job title in an advertisement.
Get the learner class
Hold a current full class 1 for at least six months. Then apply for class 2 learner at a driver licensing agent, meeting the current identity, eyesight, medical, photograph and fee requirements and passing the applicable heavy theory test.
A class 2 learner is not the same as full class 2. Learning must take place under the official learner conditions with an eligible instructor or supervisor and an appropriate vehicle. Anyone charging to instruct needs a current I endorsement for that class.
Choose the full-licence route
The time-and-test route requires holding the learner for at least six months, then passing the class 2 practical test. The approved-course route removes that minimum learner period and the separate practical-test requirement for the class, because the approved course assesses the specified knowledge and skills.
Ask a provider to name the exact NZTA-approved full class 2 course, the assessment vehicle, unit standard, prerequisites and what the quoted price excludes. A private truck lesson is not automatically the approved licensing course.
Plan the next class from the job
Full class 2 is the prerequisite for both medium combinations (class 3) and heavy rigid vehicles (class 4). If the job ultimately needs a heavy combination (class 5), the usual chain goes through full class 4. Map the target fleet before paying for a class that does not cover it.
Also map endorsements. A class 2 bus can need P; a dangerous-goods load can need D; a forklift over the applicable weight boundary can need F. The class and endorsement must both be current before the work begins.
Frequently asked questions
What can I drive on class 2 in NZ?
How long must I hold class 1 first?
Do I need a medical certificate?
Does class 2 include a P or D endorsement?
Sources and verification
- NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. Heavy vehicle full licence, checked 2026-08-12.
- NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. Heavy vehicle learner licence, checked 2026-08-12.
- NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. Approved heavy vehicle courses, checked 2026-08-12.
- NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. New Zealand driver licence classes — what you can drive, checked 2026-08-12.
Checked against the sources above. If something has changed, tell us.