What is AA Roadservice and how do I use it?

AA Roadservice is AA's breakdown and roadside assistance programme available to members. You can call for help using the AA Roadservice app on your smartphone, which simplifies requesting assistance wherever you are in New Zealand.

What membership types does AA New Zealand offer?

AA offers Standard, Associate, Youth, AA Plus, and AA Motorhome Plus memberships, as well as Gift Membership. Businesses can access AA Business Care, AA Dealer Care, AA Driver Care, AA Rental Care, and Fleet Assistance Programmes.

Does AA offer an International Driving Permit?

Yes. AA issues International Driving Permits through its driver licensing services, which are required for driving in many overseas countries.

What is AA Home Response?

AA Home Response is an emergency trades callout service for household incidents. AA Home Response Plus provides broader coverage, and AA Home Book a Job connects homeowners with tradespeople for non-emergency repairs and maintenance.

AA Auto Centre Shirley

mechanic — Mairehau · Christchurch

About AA Auto Centre Shirley

The New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) is one of New Zealand's most trusted and wide-ranging membership organisations. Founded to serve New Zealand motorists, the AA has expanded well beyond roadside assistance to become a comprehensive services organisation covering motoring, insurance, driver training, home services, and travel.

At its core, the AA offers peace-of-mind through AA Roadservice — breakdown assistance for members wherever they are on New Zealand roads. Membership tiers range from Standard and Youth through to AA Plus and AA Motorhome Plus, with options for associates, gifts, and business fleets including AA Business Care, AA Dealer Care, AA Driver Care, and AA Rental Care.

For motorists, the AA operates AA Auto Centres providing Warrants of Fitness (WoF), servicing, repairs, battery service, and auto glass. Buyers and sellers are supported with Pre Purchase Inspections, Vehicle Valuation Reports, Vehicle History Checks, Running Costs Reports, and a network of AA Preferred Dealers.

The AA Driving School delivers lessons for learner, restricted, and full licences, as well as Defensive Driving Courses and business driver training. AA centres also act as driver licensing agents and provide identity verification services including RealMe® verifications, IRD number applications, and Kiwi Access Card applications.

Insurance products span car, home, contents, health, life, pet, travel, and mechanical breakdown, with member discounts available across the range. AA Home Response provides emergency trades callouts, while AA Home Book a Job connects members with tradespeople for repairs, maintenance, and building inspections. AA Traveller rounds out the offering with member accommodation deals, activity bookings, and travel insurance.

AA New Zealand: Membership, Motoring Services, and Everything Kiwi Drivers Need to Know

For more than a century, the New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) has been one of the country's most trusted and wide-ranging service organisations. Far more than a breakdown service, AA New Zealand is a one-stop resource for drivers, homeowners, travellers, and anyone who needs help navigating the practicalities of life on the road and beyond.

Roadside Assistance and Membership

At the heart of AA's offering is AA Roadservice — the breakdown and roadside assistance programme that gives members peace of mind wherever they are in New Zealand. Members can access AA Roadservice through the dedicated AA Roadservice app, making it easy to call for help directly from a smartphone. A digital membership card is available, so there's no need to carry a physical card.

Membership comes in several tiers to suit different needs. Standard Membership is the entry point, while AA Plus provides an upgrade with extended benefits. There's also Associate Membership for additional household members, Youth Membership for younger drivers, and AA Motorhome Plus for those touring in larger vehicles. Gift Membership lets you give the benefit to someone else — a practical present for a new driver or road tripper.

For businesses, AA offers a dedicated suite of commercial membership products including AA Business Care, AA Dealer Care, AA Driver Care, and AA Rental Care, as well as Fleet Assistance Programmes for organisations managing multiple vehicles.

Car Servicing, WoF, and Buying Support

AA Auto Centres handle everything from routine servicing and repairs to Warrant of Fitness (WoF) checks, battery replacement, and auto glass work. AA also maintains a network of AA Approved Repairers across the country for members who prefer to use their own mechanic with AA's endorsement.

For anyone buying or selling a car, AA is particularly valuable. Pre Purchase Inspections give buyers an independent assessment of a vehicle before committing. Vehicle History Checks and Vehicle Valuation Reports add further layers of confidence. AA Preferred Dealers are vetted retailers, and the Running Costs Report helps buyers understand the true long-term cost of owning a particular model. AA also covers the practical ownership side — registration and licensing, road user charges, importing and exporting vehicles, towing guidance, tyre information, and a directory of EV charging stations.

Driver Licensing and ID Services

AA operates one of New Zealand's most comprehensive driver training and licensing networks. The AA Driving School offers lessons for learners through to fully licensed drivers, a Defensive Driving Course, and Road Code practice tests. Business driver training and assessment is also available.

At AA driver licensing agent locations, people can apply for or renew learner, restricted, full, and motorcycle licences, as well as obtain International Driving Permits for driving overseas. An AA Mobile Unit licensing service brings the service to areas that may not have a fixed AA location nearby.

AA also acts as an identity verification service provider. Offices can process RealMe® Verified Identity verifications, IRD Number applications, Kiwi Access Card applications, and SuperGold Card photos — making AA a practical stop for a range of official identity tasks.

Insurance, Finance, and Home Services

Through AA Insurance, members can access car, home, contents, pet, health, life, travel, and small business insurance, as well as Mechanical Breakdown Insurance. AA Members receive discounts on AA insurance products.

AA Money (aamoney.co.nz) provides vehicle loans for those financing a car purchase.

On the home front, AA Home Response offers emergency trades callouts for household incidents, with an AA Home Response Plus tier for broader cover. AA Home Book a Job connects homeowners with tradespeople for repairs and maintenance work. AA Home also offers building inspections — including pre-purchase and pre-sale inspections, rental property inspections, and asbestos testing.

Travel and Member Discounts

AA Traveller gives members access to discounted accommodation bookings, activity bookings, and AA Travel Insurance. Dedicated deals cover travel to Australia, and a broader member benefits and discounts programme applies across a range of retailers and services. AA also publishes maps and the AA Directions member magazine.

Signature items

AA Roadservice
Warrant of Fitness
AA Driving School
AA Home Response
Pre Purchase Inspection
AA Travel Insurance

Car Insurance — Comprehensive and other vehicle insurance options
Home & Contents Insurance — Cover for your home and possessions
Health Insurance — Personal health insurance for members
Life Insurance — Life cover for AA members
Pet Insurance — Cover for your pets
Travel Insurance — Travel cover for domestic and international trips
Mechanical Breakdown Insurance — Cover for unexpected mechanical failures

Membership

Standard Membership — Core AA membership with roadside assistance and member benefits
Associate Membership — Membership for an additional person on the same account
Youth Membership — AA membership for younger drivers
AA Plus — Upgraded membership tier with enhanced roadside cover
AA Motorhome Plus — Specialised membership for motorhome owners
Gift Membership — AA membership as a gift for someone else

Home Services

AA Home Response — Emergency trades callout service for the home
AA Home Response Plus — Enhanced home emergency response subscription
AA Home Book a Job — Book tradespeople for repairs and maintenance
Home Inspection — Pre-purchase, rental, and asbestos inspection services

Car Maintenance

Warrant of Fitness (WoF) — Vehicle safety inspection at AA Auto Centres
Car Service — Routine servicing at AA Auto Centres
Car Repair — Vehicle repairs carried out by AA Auto Centres
AA Battery Service — Battery testing and replacement
AA Auto Glass — Windscreen and auto glass repair and replacement

Buying & Selling

Pre Purchase Inspection — Independent vehicle inspection before you buy
Vehicle Valuation Report — Market valuation report for a specific vehicle
Vehicle History Check — Check a vehicle's registration and history
Running Costs Report — Estimated ownership costs for a vehicle

Identity Services

RealMe® Verification — Government identity verification at AA centres
IRD Number Application — Apply for an IRD number at AA centres
Kiwi Access Card — Photo ID card application for non-drivers
SuperGold Card Photo — Photo service for SuperGold Card applications

Business Membership

AA Business Care — Roadside and fleet assistance for businesses
AA Dealer Care — Assistance programme for vehicle dealers
AA Driver Care — Driver assistance for business fleets
AA Rental Care — Assistance programme for rental vehicle operators

Driver Training & Licensing

Driving Lessons — One-on-one lessons with AA Driving School instructors
Defensive Driving Course — Advanced safety-focused driving course
Learner Licence Support — Training and assessment for learner licence
Restricted Licence Support — Training and assessment for restricted licence
Full Licence Support — Training and assessment for full licence
International Driving Permit — Permit for AA members driving overseas

Frequently asked questions

What is AA Roadservice and how do I use it?: AA Roadservice is AA's breakdown and roadside assistance programme available to members. You can call for help using the AA Roadservice app on your smartphone, which simplifies requesting assistance wherever you are in New Zealand.
What membership types does AA New Zealand offer?: AA offers Standard, Associate, Youth, AA Plus, and AA Motorhome Plus memberships, as well as Gift Membership. Businesses can access AA Business Care, AA Dealer Care, AA Driver Care, AA Rental Care, and Fleet Assistance Programmes.
Can AA help me get or renew my driver licence?: Yes. AA operates driver licensing agent locations around New Zealand where you can apply for or renew learner, restricted, full, and motorcycle licences. An AA Mobile Unit service is also available in some areas.
Does AA offer an International Driving Permit?: Yes. AA issues International Driving Permits through its driver licensing services, which are required for driving in many overseas countries.
What insurance products does AA offer?: AA Insurance covers car, home, contents, health, life, pet, travel, and small business insurance, as well as Mechanical Breakdown Insurance. AA Members receive discounts on these products.
What is AA Home Response?: AA Home Response is an emergency trades callout service for household incidents. AA Home Response Plus provides broader coverage, and AA Home Book a Job connects homeowners with tradespeople for non-emergency repairs and maintenance.
Can AA carry out identity verification services?: Yes. AA offices can process RealMe® Verified Identity verifications, IRD Number applications, Kiwi Access Card applications, and SuperGold Card photos, making them a useful stop for a range of official identity tasks.

Tips

{"body":"Set up the AA Roadservice app when you join, not when you're stranded. It makes calling for breakdown assistance much faster and works directly from your phone.","title":"Download the AA Roadservice app before you need it"}
{"body":"AA offers Pre Purchase Inspections, Vehicle History Checks, and Vehicle Valuation Reports — use all three together before committing to a used car to get a complete picture of what you're buying.","title":"Use AA for the full car-buying process"}
{"body":"AA Members receive discounts on AA Insurance products and through the AA Traveller programme for accommodation and activities. Check the member benefits section before booking independently.","title":"Check member discounts before booking travel or insurance"}
{"body":"AA locations can process RealMe® verifications, IRD Number applications, Kiwi Access Card applications, and SuperGold Card photos — useful to know if you need official ID services done in one visit.","title":"AA offices handle more than motoring"}
{"body":"AA Home Response covers emergency trades callouts for household incidents, and Book a Job extends this to non-emergency maintenance — both backed by the AA name and tradesperson network.","title":"Consider AA Home Response if you're a homeowner"}

Good to know

{"family":"Youth Membership and Gift Membership are available, making AA accessible for younger drivers and as a gift for family members.","accessibility":"AA Mobile Unit licensing service brings driver licensing services to areas without a fixed AA location, reducing the need to travel to a centre."}