Nelson Car Rental Guide
The current page gives you information about car rental in Nelson airport. The page also presents a short overview of the car rental and driving restrictions valid in New Zealand.
Rental Restrictions
To rent a car in New Zealand, you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category) and have held your license for one year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge.
Rented cars are not allowed to travel outside of New Zealand. Cars must stay on the island where the car was rented. Automobiles are not allowed on ferries.
Driving Restrictions
In New Zealand, traffic is on the left and overtaking on the right. All passengers are required to use seatbelts. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.8‰ and drunk driving is severely punished.
At a roundabout, signal if you wish to turn, then give way to traffic on the right and turn left into the roundabout. Do not overtake near a pedestrian crossing, railway crossing or an intersection.
A “No passing” line area is indicated by a solid yellow line on your side of the road.
When moving in or out of a parking space, always signal your intention before starting. In most cities in New Zealand, parking meters are available. Do not park within 6 metres of an intersection, pedestrian crossing or a broken yellow line. Illegally parked cars can be towed away.
Speed limits:| Area | Speed |
| Built-up areas | 50KM/H |
| Open road | 100KM/H |
Emergency Numbers
Police/ambulance/fire: 111
Road Tolls
There are no toll highways in New Zealand.
About Nelson
Nelson is a city with a mild climate, beautiful beaches and a sheltered harbour. The Nelson region is known for its sunshine, national parks, wineries and historical streets. The city is close to the mountains and to some lakes in the great Nelson Lakes National Park. Nelson is also home to Kahurangi, the second largest national park in New Zealand.
Nelson is a centre for arts and crafts and also has a good music scene. Many festivals and events are organised in the city all year round. For the sports fans, there are plenty of opportunities for river rafting, mountain biking, horseriding and much more.
Population: 56,200
Country: New Zealand
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +12 (+13 in summer)
Telephone Area Code: 3
Monetary Unit: New Zealand Dollar
