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Vehicle registration
Registration is the initial recording of a vehicle on the Motor Vehicle Register, and the issuing of registration plates.
Vehicles can only be registered after they have been checked to ensure they are safe to be on the road.
Most vehicles will only be registered once, but if they have been significantly modified or rebuilt, or their registration has been cancelled, they will have to be reregistered. (Read Factsheet 9 Reregistering your vehicle to find out more.)
Changing your name on the Motor Vehicle Register
To change your name on the Motor Vehicle Register, you will need to show evidence of your name change.
Exempt vehicles
Some vehicles are exempt from the vehicle registration requirements. Read Factsheet 27 Exempt vehicles to find out more.
Common registration fees - from 1 July 2009
| MR2A/2B Registration of motor vehicle (issued with standard plates) | 6 months | 12 months | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger car/van | |||
| Private passenger | Petrol driven - 1301-2600 cc | 267.91 | 388.06 |
| Petrol driven - 2601-4000 cc | 298.29 | 418.44 | |
| Non-petrol driven - 1301-2600 cc | 330.15 | 512.52 | |
| Non-petrol driven - 2601-4000 cc | 360.53 | 542.90 | |
| Trailer | |||
| Other (standard) goods | 1-3500 kg GVM | 82.77 | 96.55 |
| Motorcycle | |||
| Private passenger | Petrol driven - Less than 61 cc | 198.83 | 350.04 |
| Petrol driven - Over 61 cc | 225.84 | 382.67 | |
Land Transport NZ motor registration agents
Our agents include:
- The Automobile Association (AA)
- Post Shops and Books & More outlets (but not for transactions that involve issuing or receiving number plates)
- Vehicle Inspection New Zealand (VINZ)
- Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ)
and some independent outlets that display the Land Transport New Zealand logo.
Cancelling your vehicle's registration
You need to cancel your vehicle's registration if your vehicle is:
- destroyed or rendered permanently useless
- permanently removed from New Zealand roads
- written off by an insurer.
Please note: In other circumstances, consider carefully whether you want to cancel your vehicle's registration or not. If you change your mind and wish to use the vehicle on the road at a later date, the vehicle will need to be reregistered. This involves several steps (including inspection, certification, reregistration, licensing and the issuing of plates and labels) and can be expensive. See Factsheet 9 Reregistering your vehicle for more details.
To cancel your vehicle's registration, you need to fill in an Application to cancel registration of a motor vehicle form (MR 15), available from some Land Transport NZ agents. (Phone our Motor Registration Call Centre on 0800 108 809 to find out which Land Transport NZ agents can process your application.)
It is very important that you hand in your vehicle's registration plates with the MR 15 form. If your vehicle is subject to road user charges (RUC), include the last speedometer reading and you will be refunded any unused kilometres. If there are any road user charges outstanding, you'll need to pay them.
RUC fees are set to increase from 1 October 2009: New RUC rates (PDF, 40 KB)
If your vehicle is licensed and you are the registered owner, you'll be refunded the unused portion of the licence fee.
Registration plates
When you register your vehicle, you receive an 'alpha numeric registration plate' of up to six characters.
Vehicles also have a unique, 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This number is stamped on a VIN plate and permanently riveted to the vehicle structure at the time it is registered. (Read Factsheet 6 Vehicle identification numbers to find out more.)
Last updated: 21 September 2009