Defensive Driving Course at the AA

The AA is a provider of the NZTA Waka Kotahi approved Advanced Driving Course in New Zealand.

  • Achieve your full licence up to 6 months earlier
  • Increase your chances of passing your driving tests
  • Become a safer driver
  • Learn to identify hazards

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From $245 per person / Available nationally

About the Defensive Driving Course:

The Defensive Driving Course will give you the knowledge and confidence to be a smarter and safer driver. You’ll learn important defensive driving skills, such as assessing and identifying hazards to reduce the risk of being in a crash.

Whether you’re on your learner or restricted licence, you can reduce the time it takes to get your full licence by six months when you complete an NZTA Waka Kotahi approved AA Defensive Driving Course. This means you could apply for your full licence as early as 17½ years old.

If you have a learner licence:

  • You can attend a Defensive Driving Course once you have your learner licence and you are confident enough to complete a 1-hour drive.
  • If you complete a Defensive Driving Course, you reduce the time you're required to spend on your restricted licence by 6 months.

If you have a restricted licence:

  • If you complete a Defensive Driving Course, you reduce the time you're required to spend on your restricted licence by 6 months.
  • If you're over 25, the time on your restricted licence is reduced from 6 months to 3 months.

If you have a full licence:

You can still benefit from the defensive driving course, particularly if you:

  • want to refresh your driving knowledge and skill base
  • are a police recruit
  • have a court referral or completing a Police Diversion programe

Defensive Driving Course vouchers

You can also buy vouchers for the Defensive Driving Course which you can use at a later date or gift to someone else. The voucher is not a booking but can be redeemed when making a booking.

Vouchers are for courses provided by the AA and cannot be used for other licensed course providers.

View list of AA licensed course providers

Buy a voucher

Redeem voucher

Defensive Driving Course content:

The course takes 9 hours to complete and includes:

  • 4 classroom sessions (2 hours each - 8 hours total)
  • 1 in-car session (1 hour)
  • Access to online learning (eDrive)

Classroom sessions

We learn with real-life driving situations filmed on New Zealand roads during interactive theory group sessions.  In the course we discuss various scenarios, observations and hazards to improve understanding.

These sessions need to be completed in order. 

If you feel the need to bring a support person or reader-writer with you to the course, please contact us prior to your course date.

In-car session

This session helps you identify bad habits and teaches you how to address them before you take your practical driving test. The assessment drive will fine-tune your driving skills and raise your awareness of hazard detection and appropriate responses to those hazards. The in-car session needs to be completed within 60 days of the last in-classroom session. This drive is completed in your own vehicle.

Online learning (eDrive)

The online learning and test focus on visual search and situation awareness that are directly linked to crash risk. eDrive shows real-life driving situations filmed on NZ roads with you right in the driver’s seat.

Your account is valid for 28 days from the day you register online. There is no limit to the number of attempts on the test.  However, you will need to have a minimum score of 80% or greater to receive your certificate of completion. This must be completed prior to your in-car drive.

You are required to show a copy of your eDrive certificate to your tutor, when you attend your in-car practical drive. This can either be shown to the tutor on your mobile device or a printed copy.

Completing the Defensive Driving Course 

Once you finish all the coursework, preparation tasks, and the practical drive within 60 days after the last classroom session, you will receive your certificate.

Bookings & refunds

The classroom sessions can be booked for and paid online. We recommend that once you have started your classroom sessions, you discuss and make your practical drive booking in advance with the tutor to ensure it is completed within 60 days.

Refunds for cancellations will only be made if we receive notification of cancellation at least 14 days prior to commencement of your course. For full details: Defensive Driving Course terms and conditions

Locations for Defensive Driving Course

Region - AreaStreet address
Northland - Kerikeri Kerikeri Sports Complex, Waipapa Road, Kerikeri
Northland - Moerewa Te Punawai Centre, 52-54 Main Road, Moerewa
Northland - Whangarei ASB Lounge, 97 Western Hills Drive, Kensington Park, Whangarei
Auckland North - Whangaparaoa Whangaparaoa Library, 9 Main Street, Stanmore Bay, Whangaparāoa 
Auckland North - Long Bay Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre, 1045 Beach Road, Long Bay
Auckland North - Mairangi Bay Windsor Park Baptist Church, 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay
Auckland North - Glenfield Glenfield Community Centre, 96 Bentley Avenue, Glenfield
Auckland North - Northcote / Takapuna YMCA Northcote, 5 Akoranga Drive, Northcote
Auckland Central - Parnell Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Road, Parnell
Auckland Central - Ponsonby Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 Ponsonby Terrace, Ponsonby (Gluepot Room)
Auckland Central - Meadowbank St Chads, 38 St John's Road, Meadowbank
Auckland Central - Mt Albert Marist College, 31 Alberton Avenue, Mount Albert
Auckland Central - St Heliers / Glendowie Sacred Heart College, Old Boys Lounge, Main gate opposite, 133A Crossfield Rd, Glendowie, Auckland 
Auckland Central - Mt Roskill AA Centre, 6A Carr Road, Mt Roskill
Auckland Central - Penrose / Ellerslie AA Penrose, 419 Great South Road, Penrose
Auckland East - Howick Uxbridge Arts & Culture, 35 Uxbridge Road, Howick
Auckland East - Pakuranga Te Tuhi, 21 William Roberts Road, Pakuranga
Auckland South - Manukau AUT South Campus, ME Block, 640 Great South Road, Manukau, Auckland 
Auckland South - Takanini Bruce Pulman Park, 90 Walters Road, Takanini, Auckland
Auckland South - Pukekohe The Franklin Centre, Allan Wilson Room, 12 Massey Avenue, Pukekohe
Auckland West - Henderson Hub West, 27 Corban Ave, Henderson
Auckland West - Hobsonville Hobsonville Community Trust, Headquarters Building, 214 Buckley Avenue, Hobsonville
Auckland West - Westgate Auckland Council, Te Manawa, 11 Kohuhu Lane, Westgate - Hinengaro room, Level 2
Auckland West - Kelston Kelston Girls' College, 1 Archibald Road, Kelston
Waikato - Te Kauwhata St Andrews Presbyterian Church, 11 Scott Road, Te Kauwhata 
Waikato - Hamilton West Good News Community Centre, 78 Breckons Avenue, Nawton, Hamilton 
Waikato - Rototuna, Hamilton Rototuna Library, 30 North City Road, Rototuna North, Hamilton 
Waikato - Cambridge Bridges Church and Community Centre, 28 Duke Street, Cambridge
Bay of Plenty - Rotorua AA Rotorua, 1121 Eruera Street, Rotorua
Bay of Plenty - Tauranga Greerton Library, Heremanuhiri Room, 139 Greerton Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga
Bay of Plenty - Papamoa Papamoa Community Centre, 15 Gravatt Road, Papamoa Beach, Papamoa
Manawatu-Whanganui - Palmerston North Hancock Community Centre, 77-85 King Street, Palmerston North
Manawatu-Whanganui - Palmerston North AA Centre, 227 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North
Manawatu-Whanganui - Palmerston North St Albans St Alban's Presbyterian Church, 339 Albert Street, Hokowhitu, Palmerston North. Car park behind church, off St Alban's Ave.
Masterton Chanel College, 26 Herbert Street, Masterton
Manawatu-Whanganui - Levin The Mahi Space, 10 Bath Street, Levin - Please access via doors at 10 Bath St
Hawke's Bay - Havelock North Taruna College, 33 Te Mata Peak Road, Havelock North
Wellington - Upper Hutt Orongomai Marae, 7 Railway Ave, Maidstone, Upper Hutt
Wellington - Lower Hutt Capital Training Limited, 20 Raroa Road, Lower Hutt
Wellington - Porirua Whitireia Community Polytechnic, 3 Wi Neera Drive, Elsdon, Porirua
Wellington - Wellington Central Multicultural Learning & Support Services, 39 Web Street, Mt Cook, Wellington
Wellington - Johnsonville Waiora Sport and Community Hub, Rothbury Insurance Brokers Lounge (Northern end), 17 Bannister Avenue, Johnsonville
Wellington - Karori Karori Community Centre, 7 Beauchamp Street, Karori
Wellington - Kapiti Coast - Paraparaumu Kapiti Impact Hub, 6 Tongariro Street, Paraparaumu
Wellington - Thorndon St Mary's College, Guildford Terrace, Thorndon
Nelson / Tasman - Nelson NMIT (meet at A Block), 322 Hardy Street, Nelson 
Marlborough - Blenheim REAP Marlborough, 65 Seymour Street, Blenheim
Canterbury - Kaiapoi Kaiapoi Library and Service Centre, 176 Williams Street, Kaiapoi
Canterbury - Sydenham, Christchurch AA Sydenham, Cnr Brougham Street and Buchan Street
Canterbury - Rangiora Classroom K4, Rangiora High School, 125 East Belt, Rangiora
Canterbury - Riccarton, Christchurch Harcourts, 88 Division Street, Riccarton, Christchurch
Canterbury - Parklands, Christchurch Parklands Baptist Community Church, 180 Queenspark Drive, Parklands, Christchurch 
Canterbury - Rolleston St John Ambulance, 7 Kidman Street (Cnr Kidman St and Norman Kirk Drive), Rolleston
Canterbury - Ashburton Ashburton Events Centre, 211 Wills Street, Ashburton 
Otago - Dunedin AA Centre, 450 Moray Place, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 
Southland - Invercargill 47-51 Gala Street, Avenal, Invercargill 

 

Locations for licensed providers of the Defensive Driving Course

These providers are licensed to facilitate the AA Defensive Driving Course, they provide the venue and will manage all arrangements directly with you including booking, payment and documentation. 

Once submitting your booking through the system, the provider will contact you directly to advise course dates and other details.

RegionCity/town
Auckland Orewa, Warkworth
Waikato Waihi, Thames, Morrinsville
Bay of Plenty Katikati, Whakatane
Gisborne Gisborne
Taranaki New Plymouth, Hawera
Wellington Carterton, Greytown
Canterbury Culverden, Rangiora, Timaru, South Canterbury

Check the availability for Defensive Driving Courses around New Zealand and book your place on the course.

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Buy a voucher for a Defensive Driving Course for yourself or for someone else. You can redeem voucher when booking.

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