Have they closed the Raro license loophole?

[skipah]

I've searched and only found threads about this that are about a year old, is it still possible to convert the raro bike license into a full class 6 NZ one?
Every time someone asked this in the threads I read someone got on the preachy band wagon, no preachy answers about how one should do the whole 9 month thing please, I've been on all sorts of motorbikes for years don't need to hear it, just would like some good advice or recent experience with this.

Thanks heaps.

[CookMySock]

no.

Steve

[p.dath]

Check out the Wiki article on Overseas Drivers Licence Conversion.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/wiki/Over...nce_conversion

And then post the answer back here for everyone else to read.

[skipah]

Is that a no, they haven't closed the loop hole or no you can't take it in and do the tests and get a full license?

p.dath, thanks for the link, from what I can gather from reading the Land Transport pages, is that the Cook Islands are not on the list of recognised countries where you can be exempt from taking the theory or practical test. Therefore if you have a license from another country not on the list (ie. Rarotonga) you can take it in and convert it but you have to do the theory and practical test, and so long as you pass job done. ???

This is my take, anyone is welcome to correct if I'm wrong.

[CookMySock]

No, you can't your full that way.

Steve

[peasea]

Is that a no, they haven't closed the loop hole or no you can't take it in and do the tests and get a full license?

p.dath, thanks for the link, from what I can gather from reading the Land Transport pages, is that the Cook Islands are not on the list of recognised countries where you can be exempt from taking the theory or practical test. Therefore if you have a license from another country not on the list (ie. Rarotonga) you can take it in and convert it but you have to do the theory and practical test, and so long as you pass job done. ???

This is my take, anyone is welcome to correct if I'm wrong.

Just a suggestion; ring the local AA or whatever authority does the license tests these days. I'm picking they'd have the answers.

[Road Guardian]

After returning from Rarotonga over autum, I went for my Restricted Licence, casually I asked if my Raro licence can be converted over to a Full 6 licence, the answer is......

No!

[90s]

After returning from Rarotonga over autum, I went for my Restricted Licence, casually I asked if my Raro licence can be converted over to a Full 6 licence, the answer is......

No!

Whoever told you this is incorrect. As I have posted here before there is no "loophole", just the usual process of overseas licence conversion. But the confusion might be over the fact that you cannot "exchange" one for the other.

If you have a full Cook Islands motorbike licence you can convert this to a full NZ licence, but will need to take both the NZ practical and theory. The benefit to a new rider (no preaching) is you skip waiting however long with just your learners / no licence / restricted and jump straight to full testing.

You can still fail these tests.

You have 1 year from entering the country to convert your licence, and as I have discussed in previous threads after speaking with the AA and LTNZ on this issue, this year is reset every time you enter the country. As Cook Island licences are for specific times (ie. 1, 2 or 5 years) they can expire quite quickly.

And yes, I have done this process myself as I choose to convery my CI licence to a NZ rather than my old UK licence as I had misplaced it.

[Lucy]

Just a suggestion; ring the local AA or whatever authority does the license tests these days. I'm picking they'd have the answers.

Unfortunately, you'd be wrong. They'd have answers alright, but different ones depending on who you talk to, which way the wind is blowing, and how good their reading comprehension is.

[Lucy]

Whoever told you this is incorrect. As I have posted here before there is no "loophole", just the usual process of overseas licence conversion. But the confusion might be over the fact that you cannot "exchange" one for the other.

If you have a full Cook Islands motorbike licence you can convert this to a full NZ licence, but will need to take both the NZ practical and theory. The benefit to a new rider (no preaching) is you skip waiting however long with just your learners / no licence / restricted and jump straight to full testing.

You can still fail these tests.

You have 1 year from entering the country to convert your licence, and as I have discussed in previous threads after speaking with the AA and LTNZ on this issue, this year is reset every time you enter the country. As Cook Island licences are for specific times (ie. 1, 2 or 5 years) they can expire quite quickly.

And yes, I have done this process myself as I choose to convery my CI licence to a NZ rather than my old UK licence as I had misplaced it.

I've done it too. Skipped the restricted part. It's not a straight conversion like 90s says, you still have to do the practical test, (and the scratchy if you don't already have your learners). If you had a licence from one of the approved countries, you wouldn't have to do a test.

Makes sense really, when I did my BHS in Auckland, there was a guy on the course who had a full motorbike licence from Mexico (from memory). I was wondering why he was bothering doing the BHS, till he said he couldn't ride, got his licence from an automatic moped.

[sportsbabe]

As the last post was in Jan this year, I was just wondering if anyone has converted their Rarotongian License recently? I called the LTA and was advised that they had to receive a letter from the Cook Islands describing what tests were used to determine whether I could receive a license over there & only once received by the LTA would they consider converting my license. I have had my NZ learners for 16 months now & would like to convert the CI one to the full. My Rarotongian license expirers in August so slowly running out of time & I would be very appriciative if someone could please confirm whether I can still convert the Rarotongian to NZ full.

[Swoop]

I called the LTA and was advised that they had to receive a letter from the Cook Islands describing what tests were used to determine whether I could receive a license over there & only once received by the LTA would they consider converting my license.

You have answered your own question. The LTA want a letter that states what actual test you took over there.

If visiting Rarotonga and alread holding a licence, you only need to take a simple test. If you have no riding skills and need a licence, their test will be more involved and probably represent a "full" licence.

I guess you need to provide the letter which clarifies your situation.

[Retep5]

Has anyone gone or been through this process of late.
If so what happened?

Since I may be going to Raro for holiday and while I'm there I may as well get my raro license.
So I can cut off some of my time waiting to pass my full motorcycle test.

[strata]

Has anyone gone or been through this process of late.
If so what happened?

Since I may be going to Raro for holiday and while I'm there I may as well get my raro license.
So I can cut off some of my time waiting to pass my full motorcycle test.

Hi, I recently made a thread asking this same question and also checked it out myself. It sounds like they're trying to force people to have the Cook Islands police send documentation that isn't legally required (This started in 2009 according to some threads). I suppose you might be able to get around it depending on what agent you get at the AA, but I wouldn't bank on it. Not worth losing a potential couple of thousand on an off chance in my books, but if you're going anyway.....

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...e?p=1130255965

Edited to add that the actual law is here.

[GingerMidget]

There is no way around it, and don't bother wasting your time. Trust me.

This is the most useful thing I can post right now.
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/fa...-licences.html

If your licence is not in english, it must be translated by an official translator approved by NZTA (internal affairs is best) and all documents must be original, and photocopies provided for conversions too as we keep the copies.

Any more questions, PM me.