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There are speed limits of 100 km/h on highways and 50 km/h in urban areas unless signs say otherwise.
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.
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 LimitThere are speed limits of 100 km/h on highways and 50 km/h in urban areas unless signs say otherwise.
Traffic SignsThere 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 LawsThe 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 LawsAll 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· 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.
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· 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.
Fuel PricesThe average gasoline price in New Zealand in November 2017 is $2.22 per litre, while it is of $1.47 for diesel.
TollThere 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.
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.
DUI LawsIf 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 FinesIn 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.
Q1.What is an insurance excess？
Q2. How can I add an addtional driver?
Q3.What if I want to pick up or drop off my rental car out of office hours?
Q4. Can I take the hired car to another country or cross border?
Q5. Can I pick up my car at one location and return it at different location?
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Customer Service
April 8, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
The car provided was not the same model, but the rental company stated it was of the same class. Overall, it was pretty satisfactory.
View moreApril 7, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Everything went smoothly, very satisfied.
View moreApril 6, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Okay
View moreApril 5, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Very good.
View moreApril 5, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Pretty good, affordable and reliable!
View moreApril 3, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Car was fine. Staff member at checkin was distracted by a personal issue so process was not as smooth as it might have been.
View moreApril 3, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Very satisfied.
View moreApril 3, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Very good.
View moreApril 2, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Great service.
View moreApril 2, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Very satisfied
View moreApril 2, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Rented a 2019 new car, but was given a 2013 car with 200,000 kilometers on it.
View moreApril 1, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Easy to find, procedures are simple and fast.
View moreMarch 31, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Very good.
View moreMarch 30, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
The service is okay, but this Mitsubishi car is not great. The tire noise is too loud.
View moreMarch 30, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Excellent
View moreMarch 30, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
The female staff member was quite friendly, and the overall service was good.
View moreMarch 30, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
I had an excellent car rental experience this time. The pickup process was smooth, the service attitude was great, the vehicle was in good condition, and the airport shuttle was convenient. Truly deserving of a five-star review.
View moreMarch 29, 2025
Destination: Wellington
Satisfied with both pick-up and drop-off processes. Upon arriving at the return location, staff came over to inspect the car. Since there were no issues, they took the car keys, and the deposit was refunded the next day. The interior of the vehicle was clean, but the exterior was relatively dirty and hadn't been washed.
View moreMarch 29, 2025
Destination: Rotorua
Highly satisfied
View moreMarch 29, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Satisfied
View moreMarch 29, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Not bad.
View moreMarch 28, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Very satisfied.
View moreMarch 28, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Extremely satisfied, everything went smoothly. When picking up the car, the staff mentioned there was a one-year-old Prado available, but they also had a brand-new Endeavour that's only one month old. They asked if I wanted to switch, and I decisively chose the new car. I opted for the full insurance from the rental company. The car was in excellent condition, had no odor, featured a reversing camera, and could connect to a smartphone for navigation. It was the diesel version with strong power, seven seats, and the last row was already folded down to accommodate large luggage. On a rainy day, I drove the mountain roads and switched to four-wheel drive.
View moreMarch 27, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Clear instructions and highly efficient service.
View moreMarch 27, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
The experience of renting a car abroad was excellent.
View moreMarch 27, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Very good.
View moreMarch 27, 2025
Destination: Auckland
The car was adequate had some bumps and scraps on the back fender, no cruise control on the model I pick up, how the hybrid was good on fuel for the expense fuel prices in NZ
View moreMarch 26, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Very good
View moreMarch 26, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Excellent.
View moreMarch 26, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Acceptable
View moreMarch 26, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Very satisfied!
View moreMarch 26, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
The owner is very kind, extremely patient, and has excellent problem-solving skills.
View moreMarch 25, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Very satisfied, convenient and efficient.
View moreMarch 25, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
The process was smooth, and the car was in good condition.
View moreMarch 24, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Pretty good, quick check-in process, but the car model was changed.
View moreMarch 24, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
Convenient and efficient
View moreMarch 24, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
The process was seamless and trustworthy.
View moreMarch 24, 2025
Destination: Whangarei
予想以上に良いクルマでした。
View moreMarch 23, 2025
Destination: Queenstown
The service was quite satisfactory, and they seem to trust their customers.
View moreMarch 22, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Pickup process was a bit slow.
View moreMarch 22, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
I specifically chose Hertz to rent a Tesla, but I couldn't get the model I wanted. Everything else was great.
View moreMarch 22, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Satisfied.
View moreMarch 21, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
This was honestly the fastest car pick-up experience I've had across the country.
View moreMarch 21, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Provides service in Chinese and has shuttle buses at the airport and rental location for pick-up and drop-off, which is very convenient.
View moreMarch 20, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Very satisfied
View moreMarch 20, 2025
Destination: Auckland
There was a bit of waiting as one person was service and the customer before me had booking issues and wrong card. But when it was my turn every thing went quick and smooth.
View moreMarch 20, 2025
Destination: Christchurch
Efficient and convenient, fair practices when picking up and returning the car, excellent service.
View moreMarch 20, 2025
Destination: Auckland
The service was great with no unpleasant experiences. The car rental and return process was simple and efficient.
View moreMarch 20, 2025
Destination: Auckland
Pick and drop off were very fast and easy
View moreMarch 20, 2025
Destination: Auckland
At the collection for the car there was no upselling and no mention of insurance, which could have saved us a lot of money
View more