Vehicle Licensing Reform decisions
Last updated on
23/04/2013 10:52 a.m.
Improvements to New Zealand’s vehicle licensing systems will keep our roads and vehicles safe and save motorists and businesses time and money. The improvements were announced by Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges.
Read Minister Brownlee's media release introducing the Rule consultation
Read the Rule consultation about implementing the inspection frequency changes to warrant of fitness and certificate of fitness
Read the NZ Transport Agency's media release of 26 February 2013
Read Minister Bridges’ media release about Vehicle Licensing Reform
Read the questions and answers about Vehicle Licensing Reform
Read frequently asked questions about warrant of fitness and vehicle safety
Documents and related links
Warrant of fitness
The warrant of fitness package is:
- after initial inspection, no further inspection until vehicles are three years-old
- annual inspections for vehicles three years and older, first registered on or after 1 January 2000
- six-monthly inspections for vehicles first registered before 1 January 2000
- extra education and communication measures will be developed to encourage New Zealanders to keep their vehicles roadworthy
- extra Police enforcement activities
- Ministry of Transport and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) monitoring to assess any effects on safety the changes may have (additional measures will be considered, if needed)
The changes are likely to be implemented from 1 July 2014, or possibly earlier.
More information is available here
Certificate of fitness
The certificate of fitness package is:
- keeping the current default six-monthly inspection frequency but allowing NZTA to vary inspection frequency from three to 12 months depending on a transport operator’s safety performance
- allowing vehicle owners and operators to have greater choice about where and from whom they get their vehicles inspected. This will include the flexibility to bundle service and inspection together, and possible accreditation for operators to manage the safety of their vehicles.
The changes are likely to be implemented from 1 July 2014, or possibly earlier.
More information is available here
Annual vehicle licensing
The Associate Minister of Transport will report back to Cabinet by 30 September 2013 with a detailed improvement package to:
- make it easier for motorists to pay on time by improving communication
- encourage on-time payment through the use of payment incentives such as late payment penalties
- use more targeted sanctions that better distinguish between those who are late to pay and those who are evading payment.
More information is available here
Transport services licensing
The transport services licensing system will be left in place but improvements can be made. The NZTA will report back to the Associate Minister of Transport by 30 September 2013 on:
- the implications of removing farmers and trades people who only use one goods vehicle of less than 15,000 gross vehicle mass, from having a transport services license
- ways to improve the process for entry to transport services licensing
- opportunities to better manage and exit unsafe and poor performing operators from transport services licensing
- whether the fees and charges for the regulatory activities should change to reflect the activities carried out for different sectors.
More information is available here
Indicative timetable
| System |
Action |
Indicative date |
| Warrant of fitness (WoF) |
Consultation on amendment to Rule |
April/May 2013 |
|
WoF changes implemented |
1 July 2014 or earlier |
| Certificate of Fitness (CoF) |
Consultation on amendment to Rule |
April/May 2013 |
|
CoF changes implemented |
1 July 2014 or earlier |
| Annual Vehicle Licensing |
Report back to government on specific changes to Annual Vehicle Licensing |
30 September 2013 |
| Transport Services Licensing |
Conversation with industry about proposed changes |
Before 30 September 2012 |
|
Report back to government on changes to Transport Services Licensing |
30 September 2013 |
Documents and related downloads
- Read the one page overview of warrant of fitness (PDF, 274kb)
- Read the one page overview of certificate of fitness (PDF, 255kb)
- Read the one page overview of annual vehicle licensing (PDF, 378kb)
- Read the one page overview of transport services licensing (PDF, 280kb)
- Read the Cabinet paper on Vehicle Licensing Reform (PDF, 699kb)
- Read the Regulatory Impact Statement on Vehicle Licensing Reform (PDF, 896kb)
- Read the Cost Benefit Analysis for certificate of fitness reforms (PDF, 3mb)
- Read the Cost Benefit Analysis for warrant of fitness reforms (PDF, 3mb)
- Read the Summary of Submissions (PDF, 346kb)
- Read the Vehicle Licensing Reform fact sheet (PDF, 156kb)
Related links