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M, C and R grades confuse almost everyone at first.
For a lot of new drivers the hard part isn't the cost of the car, it's the paperwork. Do you need a licence for a bent sprint? Can you race in the 2K Cup on a ClubSport licence? This guide goes through the MotorSport New Zealand (MSNZ) licences so you know which one to get for 2026.
The three main licences: M, C and R
Most people only ever need the first two.
M Grade (ClubSport)
- Best for: beginners, track days, sprints, drifting.
- What you can do: compete against the clock, one car at a time.
- Medical: self-declaration, usually no GP visit.
- Exam: the M Grade exam, online or in person with a Licence Examiner.
- Cost: $105.
C Grade (National Race)
- Best for: wheel-to-wheel racing (2K Cup, BMW, SS2000).
- What you can do: race against other cars, with grid starts.
- Medical: medical declaration, GP visit only if something is flagged.
- Exam: written (open book) plus oral.
- Cost: $225 new, $250 to renew.
R Grade (National Rally)
- Best for: drivers and co-drivers in rallies, from clubmans events to the NZ Rally Championship.
- What you can do: timed special stages on sealed or gravel roads, private or closed public, with a co-driver reading from a road book. It also covers all ClubSport events.
- Medical: a medical assessment is required when you apply.
- Exam: yes. You need to know the National Sporting Code, Schedule A, and Appendix Three (Schedule R) of the MotorSport Manual.
- Cost: $265. If you already hold a current race licence and add a rally licence, you only pay the higher of the two fees, and both grades show on your digital licence.
Just want to try one event? Get a day licence
If you only want to do one ClubSport Advanced event, like a tarmac sprint, autocross or drift day, you can buy a Temporary Day Licence instead of an annual licence and a year of club membership.
- You buy it through the event organiser, on the day or with your online entry.
- It's $40 (MSNZ Schedule B), on top of the entry fee.
- It's a cheap way to see if you like it before buying the full M Grade.
1. M Grade (ClubSport): where everyone starts
The M Grade covers events where you race the clock or are judged, but you're not fighting another car for a corner.
- Events: motorkhana, autocross, hillclimbs, bent sprints and drifting.
- How to get it: join a car club, apply online, pay the fee and pass the M Grade exam (online at exam.motorsport.org.nz or with a Licence Examiner). MSNZ's M Grade study guide covers what's in it.
- Medical: generally no. You complete an online declaration that you're fit to drive.
Worth knowing: you don't need an M Grade for ClubSport Basic events like a grass motorkhana. You only need it for ClubSport Advanced events like a gravel sprint or a drift competition.
2. C Grade (National Race): wheel-to-wheel racing
If you want to line up on a grid in the 2K Cup, Honda Cup or any other circuit series, you need a C Grade (C1) licence.
- Events: all circuit racing, endurance series, and everything the M Grade covers.
- How to get it: it's more formal. You sit an exam with an accredited examiner.
- Medical: you fill in a medical declaration. If you have a condition such as a heart issue or diabetes, MSNZ may ask for clearance from your GP.
The C Grade exam
It sounds worse than it is. It's there to make sure you're safe, not to catch you out, and it's usually run at your local car club (the Canterbury Car Club or HRC, for example) by a volunteer examiner.
How it works:
- Written test (40 questions): open book. You can bring the MotorSport Manual (or a laptop) and look up the answers.
- Oral test (10 to 15 questions): the examiner asks questions at random. The safety-critical ones, mainly flags, have to be answered from memory.
Learn your flags. Getting a yellow or red flag question wrong in the oral is likely to fail you on the spot, and you can't look those up.
How to get your licence, step by step
Step 1: Join a club
You can't get a licence without being a member of an MSNZ-affiliated club, such as the Canterbury Car Club or Hamilton Car Club. Fees vary, so check with yours.
Why pay a club and MSNZ?
MotorSport NZ writes the national rules, runs licensing and covers event insurance, but it doesn't run race days. The clubs do. They hire the circuits, own the timing gear and organise the marshals, and your membership pays for that.
Step 2: Apply online
Log in to MotorSport Online, go to Profile, then Licences, and apply for a National Race (C1) or ClubSport (M) licence.
Step 3: Pay
Under MSNZ Schedule B (updated 9 October 2026), it's $105 for M Grade and $225 for a new C Grade (C1), or $250 to renew.
Step 4: Sit the exam
For the M Grade, sit it online at exam.motorsport.org.nz or with a Licence Examiner. For the C Grade, the system tells you to contact a local examiner, usually at the track or the clubrooms. Once they sign you off, your licence shows up in the MSNZ app.
The MSNZ app on race day
MSNZ licences are digital, in the MSNZ app. At sign-in, officials scan your QR code and the app shows a status:
- Green: cleared to compete. Your licence and club membership are current.
- Red: something needs sorting, like an expired club sub or a pending medical.
Other MSNZ licences you'll come across
- Entrant's licence: for a team owner, business or sponsor entering a car on a driver's behalf.
- Official's licence: for the marshals, scrutineers and Clerks of the Course who run events.
