Has anyone had any experience with applying for a limited license?

**pyrocam** · 20th March 2006, 12:10

some people have said its piss easy to get one apparently but

Originally Posted by howtolaw.co.nz

You will also need to provide affidavits, both from you and from some other person in support of your application, explaining how not being granted the licence would cause you extreme hardship or cause some other person undue hardship.

I have a gaggle of lawyers who can help me with the easy stuff (although getting one to come to court with me may be tricky since we don't do this stuff normally)

so, uhhh, yeah. has anyone applied and gotten / failed to get a limited license? what did you use for your proof?

I commute 10k's or so in from a point that I 'could' technically take a bus or train albeit that is quite inconvenient. My only redeeming factor is its necessary for me to travel to and from work at strange hours when they will not be busses/trains due to my 24/7 callout contract.

fake edit: and how long after receiving your 100 demerits did you get served? if I am never home then I can never be served right?

**UPDATE MAY 07**

I called LTSA

demerits go on when you pay the fine or when it goes to courts.
so i'll pay it next payday (thurs) demerits apply
up to 4-6 weeks later I will served by a document 'server' who comes to my door ANYTIME day/night/weekends whenever

from that point my license will be taken off me (or it will be 'lost' so I cant hand it over) and at the end of the term (if I had handed it over) a new one will be issued and posted to me free

I have to pay the fine before my lawyer (or myself with my prepared documents) can goto court and apply for the license

**bugjuice** · 20th March 2006, 12:13

*deleted*
cos i didn't know any better.

**DemonWolf** · 20th March 2006, 12:14

Sorry can't really offer any advise.. Let us know how you get on.

**2much** · 20th March 2006, 12:27

Yep been there done that after losing my license for 3 months due to 135 demerits.

Wasn't all that hard (although my old man's a legal exec which made it piss easy for me).

Your lawyer should write up the affidavits. One you'll have to sign that includes the a map of your intented route, times and vehicle details, etc. One for your boss confirming that you're fucked if you don't have a license, ie. he's gonna fire your arse or something.

It ain't cheap, can't tell you how much cause I didn't have to pay legal fees but I think it still ended up costing me about a grand. Unless there's special circumstances then you're pretty much guaranteed to get it.

Your lawyer should explain it to you and take care of all the hard stuff. I didn't even have to go to the court, it was presented in the Hawera court while I was in tauranga.

Edit: It was about 6-8 weeks before I got te knock on the door if I remember right. However it does vary, I know a guy who went over 100 points on xmas and still hasn't heard anything. And another that's been over 100 for a couple of years but moves around so much that they've never caught up with him.

**Jonty** · 20th March 2006, 12:44

Cost depends on the lawyer and the time taken (you shoudl be able to get an estimate). You should budget on at least $1500 to $2000, but I have heard of them costing up to $5000. The rules are fairly stringent in that if there is an easy way for you to get to work (e.g., bus), then you will struggle.

Best thing to do in your position is get convincing affidavits that explain that your employment will be in jeopardy if you do not have a licence. As you mentioned that you are close to trains/buses etc, you will need your deponent to explain that you are required during hours which mean you are unable to use public transport or you are require to use the vehicle during work hours for work (e.g as a courier). Be aware that your deponent will be swearing the affitdavit so they will have to be truthful.

The application can be made for you by your lawyer on you behalf (i.e., without you standing in the dock

)

Remember that this licence will be very limited and you won't be able to use it during tiems when you are not requried to use it for work. If you get caught outside these times the consequences are not good.

**Squeak the Rat** · 20th March 2006, 13:26

Originally Posted by Jonty

you will need your deponent to explain that you are required during hours which mean you are unable to use public transport or you are require to use the vehicle during work hours for work (e.g as a courier).

A good friend of mine was told by his lawyer to not even bother if he couldn't get a signed affidavit (sp?) from his employer. He got one and it cost around $1500 for the process.

I think a lot does depend on the lawyer and/or judge.

**madboy** · 20th March 2006, 13:31

From previous experience it took four months for the LTSA to catch up with me over excess demerits. And that was without trying to hide. Difficulty with trying to hide is that sooner or later you'll get pulled over, or for some other reason you'll come into contact with the police who will do a roadside check and discover you're wanted to service of a suspension letter. Then you are entirely at the mercy of the good officer as to whether they serve you then and there (therefore making you instantly disq on the side of the road) or whether they follow you home and serve you there. I'd rather it was served on me at home by some LTNZ gimp who doesn't care where I live, doesn't care what's parked in the driveway, doesn't care what I look like, and will not drive past me two weeks later wondering why I (or my bike/car) look familiar.

I didn't bother with a work license (although I could have got one). A fast car registered in someone else's name works. Both times.

**madboy** · 20th March 2006, 13:34

Originally Posted by Squeak the Rat

I think a lot does depend on the lawyer and/or judge.

Ain't that the truth. The difference between a good and a bad lawyer (or one that just doesn't know the area of law they're dealing with) is blindingly obvious and worth it's weight in gold. So's a prayer for the judge to be in a good mood!

**crashe** · 20th March 2006, 13:38

Pyrocam - chat to Speedmedic..... He got a special license to get to and from work on.... he should be able to answer all your questions.

So how long have you lost your license for...??????????

So the Lady in Red is now gonna be parked up for a little while... Time to give her a really good wash and polish....and a tidy up...

**bugjuice** · 20th March 2006, 13:40

ahh.. you lost your license?
then forget what I said.

how did that happen dumbarse?

**marty** · 20th March 2006, 14:07

you can't even apply for one until 28 days has passed. you WILL need a letter from your employer.

3 guys at my work (out of 17) are disqualified and on limted licences with no problems getting them due to the shift pattern and location of work.

**Lou Girardin** · 20th March 2006, 14:20

Never needed one personally, but I used to know lots of guys who did.

**pyrocam** · 20th March 2006, 14:26

Im not so much worried about legal fees, I'm more worried about going through the process (after sweet talking one my nice users/lawyers) only to get denied because of lack of sufficient hardship or whatever.

Originally Posted by bugjuice

how did that happen dumbarse?

ahhh im innocent, lawyer fucked me.

Originally Posted by crashe

Pyrocam - chat to Speedmedic..... He got a special license to get to and from work on.

I think an Ambo officer would probably have a better chance of getting an excemption due to shifts than a lowly IT support person, but ta anyway.

Originally Posted by crashe

So how long have you lost your license for...??????????

3 months

Originally Posted by crashe

So the Lady in Red is now gonna be parked up for a little while... Time to give her a really good wash and polish....and a tidy up...

Gareth just cleaned her for me, and please stop with the 'lady in red' I somewhat dont like that name no offence babe.

Originally Posted by Squeak the Rat

A good friend of mine was told by his lawyer to not even bother if he couldn't get a signed affidavit (sp?) from his employer. He got one and it cost around $1500 for the process.

I think a lot does depend on the lawyer and/or judge.

Signed affidavit wont be a problem I dont think (

aye boss

)

**Madness** · 20th March 2006, 16:08

I had to get a limited licence some years ago due to Demerits. Back then the Police were pretty good about it all, I told the Cop that knocked on my door one morning that if he served me then & there I would have been unemployed half an hour later. He told me to contact a lawyer & I ended up getting served with the disqualification notice as I walked into the courtroom on the day my Limited Licence application was being heard. I think the 28 day thing may have been introduced since.

My advice to anybody going for a L/L is to list more than one vehicle on the Licence application. My L/L had my company vehicle rego listed as the one & only vehicle I could drive (within a set geographical area & certain times).

It all turned to shite when I was rammed up the Jixie by another car on the motorway. My car was in the panel shop for a month almost & if I took my bosses car, or any other for that matter, it was technically Driving While Disqualified, and required another visit to Mr Judge.

ALWAYS LIST MORE THAN ONE VEHICLE ON A LIMITED LICENCE
'coz if you dont some 98 year old chinaman will wipe your car out - Murphy's Law!!