Terms and Conditions

01 Customers and students

The student is the person receiving driving instruction or assessment. The customer is the person who makes the booking or is responsible for payment. The customer and student may be the same person.

If another person makes a booking or agrees to pay for a student, that person becomes the customer and accepts the payment and cancellation obligations under these terms.

02 Services, prices and payment

Current standard prices are $85 including GST for a 60-minute coaching lesson and $130 including GST for a 90-minute assessment and coaching session.

A 60-minute pre-test warm-up drive for a Restricted or Full practical test costs $85. It may be completed in the student’s own suitable vehicle. If the student then uses that vehicle for the test, the total CDS fee is $85. Anyone wanting to use the CDS vehicle for the practical test must book the complete $170 package, comprising the $85 60-minute pre-test warm-up drive and an additional $85 test-day vehicle-use block of up to 60 minutes. Test-day vehicle use cannot be booked separately. CDS sets package prices and payment terms at its discretion. Package inclusions, price, payment terms and validity will be disclosed before purchase or booking. CDS will not add compulsory fees that were not disclosed before a booking was confirmed.

Individual lessons are invoiced after completion and are payable within seven calendar days of the invoice date, unless otherwise agreed in writing. Package payment terms will be confirmed before purchase. Payment may be made by bank transfer or cash.

03 Booking confirmation

A booking is confirmed when CDS accepts it and provides confirmation by text message, email, telephone or through its booking system. Customers must check that the date, time, service, pickup location and contact details are correct and contact CDS promptly if anything is wrong.

04 Cancellations and rescheduling

A customer may cancel or reschedule without charge by giving CDS at least 24 hours’ notice before the scheduled start time. Notice may be given by telephone or text to 027 694 0405, or by email to alistair@countiesdrivingschool.co.nz.

Where less than 24 hours’ notice is given, or the student does not attend, CDS may charge a late-cancellation or no-show fee of up to $65. The fee is intended to reflect the reasonable loss caused by an unused appointment.

CDS will not charge the fee if it fills the cancelled appointment, caused the cancellation, or failed to provide the agreed service so that the customer was legally entitled to cancel. CDS may also waive the fee for a genuine emergency or exceptional circumstance. If a service was prepaid, any applicable fee may be deducted before the balance is refunded.

Appointment reminders are a courtesy. Not receiving a reminder does not change the cancellation deadline.

05 Late arrival

Students should be ready at the agreed place and time. A late student’s lesson will normally finish at the original scheduled time. The instructor will decide whether the time remaining permits a safe and useful lesson. If it does not, CDS may treat the booking as a late cancellation.

If the instructor is late, the student will receive the full booked time or another remedy agreed with the customer.

06 Fitness and safety

Students must be fit and legally able to drive. An instructor may delay, stop or refuse a lesson if they reasonably believe the student is impaired by alcohol, drugs, medication, fatigue or illness; is aggressive or dangerous; cannot safely control the vehicle; refuses a reasonable safety instruction; or presents another material safety risk.

If the situation was reasonably within the student’s control, the booking may be treated as a late cancellation and the normal fee of up to $65 may apply. CDS will not automatically charge more unless a greater amount represents a reasonable and demonstrable loss. CDS may make reasonable arrangements for a student with a disability or health condition.

07 Student responsibilities

At each lesson, the student must hold and carry a current licence appropriate for the vehicle, comply with its conditions, use any required corrective lenses, disclose relevant licence restrictions or medical limitations, follow lawful and reasonable safety instructions, and wear secure footwear that allows safe pedal control.

The student remains responsible for complying with New Zealand road rules while driving. An instructor may refuse or stop a lesson that cannot lawfully or safely continue.

08 CDS instructors and vehicles

Paid instruction will be provided by an instructor holding a current driving instructor endorsement for the relevant vehicle class. A supplied CDS vehicle will be registered and licensed, warranted, roadworthy, appropriately insured and fitted with suitable dual controls.

CDS may reasonably substitute another qualified instructor or suitable vehicle. If a proposed substitution materially changes the booked service, the customer may reschedule or request a refund for the affected lesson.

09 Customer-provided vehicles

A student may use their own or another person’s vehicle with the instructor’s prior agreement. The customer and student must ensure the vehicle is safe, roadworthy, registered, licensed and warranted; suitable for the lesson; sufficiently fuelled or charged; insured for paid driving instruction; and used with the registered owner’s permission.

CDS may inspect the vehicle or request evidence before instruction begins. An instructor may refuse a vehicle they reasonably consider unsafe, unsuitable or unlawful. The customer is responsible for pre-existing defects, breakdowns and insurance limitations. CDS remains responsible to the extent that its breach, negligence or failure to exercise reasonable care and skill caused or contributed to loss.

10 Accidents, damage and insurance excess

If a CDS vehicle is damaged while a student is driving, CDS may seek reimbursement of an insurance excess actually charged, up to a maximum of $500, only to the extent the student’s unlawful, reckless or clearly negligent conduct caused the damage. A student is not automatically liable merely because an accident or incident occurred.

Before seeking payment, CDS will consider other contributing causes, provide reasonable evidence of the damage and claim, confirm the excess charged and reduce the amount sought to reflect another party’s contribution. The student and customer must reasonably cooperate with CDS, its insurer, Police and any lawful investigation.

11 Traffic infringements

Where an infringement is legally attributable to the student’s driving, the student may be responsible for it and the resulting legal consequences. If a notice is first issued to CDS, CDS may lawfully identify the driver. CDS will not make a student responsible for an infringement that cannot legally be attributed to them.

12 CDS vehicle for a practical test

A CDS vehicle may be available for a Restricted or Full licence test only through the complete $170 package. This requirement applies to every student. The package includes an $85 60-minute pre-test warm-up drive and an additional $85 test-day vehicle-use block of up to 60 minutes. Vehicle use for the test cannot be booked on its own, and availability is not guaranteed.

The test-day vehicle portion covers the practical-test duration block and use of the CDS vehicle during the test. The warm-up drive may instead be booked on its own for $85 and completed in the student’s suitable vehicle when CDS test-day vehicle use is not required. The CDS vehicle will be made available at the testing location unless another handover arrangement is agreed before the test.

The student is responsible for booking the test and paying the testing provider unless CDS expressly agrees otherwise. If the provider cancels or postpones for reasons outside CDS’s control, the customer pays only for services already provided and any reasonable loss CDS cannot avoid. Any unused prepaid balance will be refunded or credited at the customer’s choice.

13 Assessments and test outcomes

Instruction and assessments are intended to improve skill, confidence and readiness, but do not guarantee a test pass or particular result. Test decisions are made independently by the authorised testing officer. CDS will provide its services with reasonable care and skill, and feedback reflects the instructor’s professional observations at the time.

14 Packages and prepaid services

Package inclusions, price, payment terms and validity will be disclosed before purchase. A purchased package price will not be changed without the customer’s written agreement. Packages are valid for at least 12 months from purchase and may be extended where illness, injury, CDS availability or another exceptional circumstance has prevented reasonable use.

Packages cannot be transferred to another student. Lessons must be booked in advance and the normal cancellation policy applies to each appointment. If a customer cancels a partly used package, any promotional saving may be reasonably recalculated and explained before a refund is processed.

15 Cancellation by CDS

CDS may cancel, postpone or stop a lesson because of unsafe weather or roads, instructor illness or unavailability, vehicle damage or failure, an emergency, legal requirements, or another circumstance that makes the lesson unsafe or impractical.

If CDS cancels before providing the service, the customer may choose to reschedule or receive a refund of the amount paid for that lesson. CDS will give as much notice as reasonably possible.

16 Personal information and reports

CDS collects and uses personal information to manage bookings, provide instruction, communicate, prepare progress records, process payments, maintain safety and meet legal obligations. Privacy enquiries may be sent to alistair@countiesdrivingschool.co.nz.

Progress and assessment information will be shared only with the student, a caregiver or support driver nominated by the student, relevant service providers, or another person or organisation where permitted or required by law. Payment alone does not authorise access to the student’s information.

For a student under 18, reports will ordinarily be sent to both the student and the authorised caregiver or support driver, subject to any safety or privacy concern. Photographs, videos, testimonials or identifiable lesson information will be used for marketing only with separate permission.

17 Consumer rights and liability

CDS will provide services with the reasonable care and skill required by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies a right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, including under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, Fair Trading Act 1986, Privacy Act 2020 or other applicable New Zealand law.

Each party remains responsible to the extent its own actions or omissions caused or contributed to a loss. CDS is not responsible for loss caused solely by an undisclosed licence restriction or safety issue, a pre-existing defect in a customer vehicle, the student’s unlawful or intentionally unsafe conduct, another road user, or an event outside CDS’s reasonable control—except to the extent CDS contributed or the law provides otherwise.

18 Complaints and disputes

Please contact CDS first so we can investigate and try to resolve a concern. Complaints may be sent to alistair@countiesdrivingschool.co.nz or made by calling 027 694 0405.

CDS will respond as promptly as reasonably possible. If more time is needed, we will explain the delay and provide an updated timeframe.

Unresolved matters may be taken to an appropriate body, including the Disputes Tribunal, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Office of the Privacy Commissioner or Commerce Commission. This does not limit other legal rights or remedies.

19 Changes to these terms

CDS may update these terms. Unless required by law, changes apply to bookings made after the updated terms are published. Terms accepted for an existing booking or prepaid package will not be materially changed without the customer’s agreement. The current version and effective date will appear on the CDS website.

20 General provisions

These terms are governed by New Zealand law. If a provision is unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue to apply. A delay in enforcing a right does not waive it.

If a booking confirmation or written service agreement expressly differs from these terms, the expressly agreed term applies to the extent of that difference.

21 Contact details