Short version: for a licence starting on or after 1 July 2026, 12 months of rego for a private petrol car costs $181.45. A diesel or electric car costs $248.83. Those prices include the ACC levy, the online admin fee and GST.
Rego vs registration
What most people call rego is officially your vehicle licence. You renew it for a set number of months and display the label on your windscreen.
Registration is different. It's a one-off fee to add a vehicle to the Motor Vehicle Register, usually when it first arrives in New Zealand. Once a car is registered, you only keep paying the licence.
Rego fees for cars
These are NZTA's fees for licences starting after 1 July 2026, paid online. They come from NZTA's licensing (rego) fees page.
| Private passenger vehicle | 3 months | 6 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | $51.85 | $95.06 | $181.45 |
| Diesel or electric | $68.69 | $128.74 | $248.83 |
| Light trailer or caravan | $23.77 | $38.85 | $69.04 |
Paying for 12 months at once is cheaper than four lots of 3 months. For a petrol car, four 3-month licences come to $207.40, against $181.45 for a year.
Utes, vans and motorcycles
| Vehicle | 3 months | 6 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods van or ute, petrol, up to 3,500 kg | $62.65 | $116.65 | $224.63 |
| Goods van or ute, diesel or electric, up to 3,500 kg | $77.90 | $147.19 | $285.71 |
| Motorcycle, petrol, 61–250cc | $120.58 | $232.45 | $456.24 |
| Motorcycle, petrol, 251–750cc | $158.08 | $307.48 | $606.29 |
| Motorcycle, petrol, 751cc and over | $210.62 | $412.56 | $816.45 |
| Motorcycle, electric | $118.20 | $227.82 | $446.96 |
| Moped, petrol | $49.72 | $90.85 | $173.03 |
To check the exact fee for one plate, NZTA points you to the fee checker on its Rightcar site. Or use the rego calculator to compare periods.
Hybrids
Petrol hybrids, including plug-in petrol hybrids, pay the petrol fees. Diesel hybrids, plug-in diesel hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles pay the diesel or electric fees.
What's in the fee
Every rego payment has three parts, plus GST:
- A licence fee. Most of it goes to the National Land Transport Fund, which pays for roads.
- An ACC levy. This covers injuries in crashes on public roads.
- An administration fee. $8.66 online, or $11.99 at an agent.
NZTA says the licence fee went up on 1 January 2025 and again on 1 January 2026. Before that it hadn't changed since 1994.
Why diesel and electric cars pay more
It's the ACC levy. Petrol drivers pay part of it at the pump, at 6 cents a litre, and the rest in their rego. Diesel and electric drivers buy no petrol, so they pay the whole levy through their rego.
ACC's current rego levy for a car or light passenger vehicle is $56.75 for petrol and $115.34 for non-petrol, before GST. Since 1 July 2025 there's no ACC levy discount for electric vehicles.
Diesel and electric vehicles also pay road user charges on top, at $76 per 1,000 km for a light vehicle.
How to pay
NZTA sends a reminder about six weeks before your licence expires, by post or email. You can renew:
- Online, with your reminder number or plate number and a card or internet banking. The label comes in the post within 14 days.
- At an agent, if you can't wait for the post. You take your reminder or fill in an MR1B form, and they give you the label on the spot.
You can renew for up to 12 months, or pick a specific expiry date. The label goes on the left-hand side of the windscreen.
NZTA's reminder emails don't have clickable links, to protect you from scams. Search for "Renew vehicle licence" on the NZTA website instead.
If your rego lapses
Most vehicles must be licensed all the time. This is called continuous vehicle licensing. If your licence runs out and you don't renew, you're breaking the law, and the fees keep adding up.
- If the vehicle stays unlicensed for 12 months, NZTA cancels its registration. It sends a warning first.
- Once it's cancelled, you can't legally drive it on the road, and you still owe the unpaid fees.
- Not getting a reminder doesn't get you off. You're still responsible for keeping it licensed.
Putting your rego on hold
If the car will be off the road for at least 3 months, you can apply for an exemption from licensing. Most people call this putting the rego on hold. It lasts 3 to 12 months and there's no admin fee. You can't drive it on the road while it's on hold.
Rego and your WoF
Rego and a warrant of fitness are separate. Rego is the fee to use the road. A WoF is a safety inspection. You need a current WoF (or certificate of fitness for some vehicles) before you can renew the licence.
WoF prices aren't set by NZTA. Each inspecting garage sets its own. The government has announced changes from 1 November 2026, including a WoF every 2 years for some cars aged 4 to 14 and an annual WoF for cars registered before 2000. The fine for driving with a WoF expired by more than two months is going up from $200 to $350.
Common questions
How much is rego for a year in NZ?
$181.45 for a private petrol car and $248.83 for a diesel or electric car, for licences starting after 1 July 2026, paid online.
Is it cheaper to pay rego for 12 months?
Yes. Every payment carries its own admin fee, and NZTA's 12-month price is lower than two 6-month or four 3-month licences. For a petrol car, it's $181.45 a year against $207.40 paid quarterly.
Why is rego for an EV so expensive?
Electric cars pay the whole ACC motor vehicle levy through their rego, because they don't buy petrol. Petrol cars pay part of it at the pump.
What happens if I don't pay my rego?
You're driving illegally, and the unpaid fees still build up. After 12 months unlicensed, NZTA cancels the registration and you still owe the fees.
Sources: NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Licensing (rego) fees, Administration fees, Getting your vehicle licence (rego), Put your licence (rego) on hold, Warrant of fitness and Changes to light vehicle inspections; ACC, Paying levies if you own or drive a vehicle. Checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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