Class 5 Theory Test study guide
Class 5 Theory Test · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Class 5 licence is New Zealand's heaviest general driver licence class, and this theory test page is an independent study resource for candidates working towards it. It is written for drivers who already hold a lower licence class and want to move up to the class that covers the heaviest rigid trucks and combination vehicles, and for people converting an overseas truck licence who need to refresh New Zealand-specific rules. The material is organised into four study domains of equal weight: licence requirements and eligibility; licensing classes and what each class lets you drive; safe driving of heavy vehicles and sharing the road with other users; and heavy vehicle standards, certificates of fitness and operation. Expect multiple-choice questions that test precise knowledge rather than general road sense - vehicle class boundaries, inspection and certification obligations, and the practical safety consequences of a heavy vehicle's mass, length and blind spots. The Class 5 Theory Test study guide has 4 sections and about 1,553 words.
01Class 5 Heavy Vehicle Licence Requirements and Eligibility
The Class 5 theory test checks whether you understand the eligibility path to a heavy combination licence, not just vehicle handling. In New Zealand, Class 5 is the top heavy-vehicle class.
402 words, about 2 min02Heavy Vehicle Licensing, Classes and What You Can Drive
Class 5 is about combinations, so the exam tests gross laden weight (GLW) of a rigid vehicle versus gross combined weight (GCW) of a vehicle plus trailer or trailers. The classes build up: Class 1: light vehicles up to 4,500 kg GLW or GCW.
385 words, about 2 min03Safe Driving of Heavy Vehicles and Sharing the Road
The safe-driving questions test whether you can translate mass into time and space. A loaded heavy combination has much longer stopping distances than a car, and the gap must be measured in seconds, not metres.
413 words, about 2 min04Heavy Vehicle Standards, Certificates of Fitness and Operation
Heavy vehicles must hold a current CoF, not a warrant of fitness. The CoF is issued after an inspection by an NZTA-approved inspecting organisation and normally lasts six months.
353 words, about 2 min