Buying a car or a van in New Zealand

Before you begin your search, it’s important to know a few basic facts about cars in New Zealand.

The WoF

The WOF (Warrant of Fitness) is a technical inspection which must be carried out every 6 or 12 months, depending on the age of the car. A car that passes the WOF check does not mean that it is in perfect working order, only that it meets required safety standards. You will then be given a sticker to fix to your vehicle’s windscreen. This is not a mechanical check; they’ll check the lights, brakes, seatbelts, door locks, etc. A car that doesn’t start may well have a WoF sticker. Avoid buying a car that had its WoF done 5 months ago.

In this case, you can ask the owner to have the WOF done and to undertake any repairs that a WOF might involve. The WOF can be done at most garages for around $60-120.

The registration and the Rego (vehicle licensing)

Do not confuse “Registration” and “Vehicle licensing”.

• Registration is the process of registering a vehicle with the authorities. It is directly linked to vehicle licensing in that a vehicle whose owner has not paid the vehicle licence fee for more than 12 months will have to be re-registered with the authorities. If the vehicle you’re after hasn’t been registered for several years (because it was on private land during that time, for example), you need to be aware of two things: it apparently hasn’t been driven since then (or at least not legally) and you may have to pay a fee to re-register the vehicle.

• Vehicle licensing” or “Rego” (hence the confusion with Registration) is a fee for driving in New Zealand, payable for a period of 3, 6 or 12 months, which authorises you to drive the vehicle you own. Without an up-to-date Rego, you can’t drive or even park your vehicle in a public space, or you face a fine ($200). The cost of the Rego varies according to the vehicle you own (car or van) and whether it is a petrol or diesel vehicle. To find out more about the cost of “Vehicle Licensing”, go to NZ Transport Agency. You can estimate your Rego cost by entering your licence plate number here.

It is up to the owner to buy the Rego. If you buy a car whose rego is about to expire, you will have to pay for a new one. This is done directly at the New Zealand Post. All you have to do is fill in a form with your name and the car’s registration number (among other things) and pay! You’ll be given a sticker to put on your windscreen, next to the WOF sticker.

The Road Charge User (RUC)

The Road Charge User is a tax that applies only to owners of diesel and electric vehicles. Diesel is taxed less at the pump than petrol in New Zealand. However, diesel vehicles are still taxed via the RUC. The system involves buying kilometres at the Post Office.

Example: the vehicle you wish to purchase shows a sticker with 195 600 – 196 600.

When 196,600 appears on your vehicle’s odometer, you will have to go back to the post office and pay RUC’s for the kilometres you wish to purchase. In the event of an inspection, if you have not paid the RUC’s correctly (in our example, your mileage shows 197,200 km, but your sticker has remained the same), you will probably have to pay a fine plus the RUC’s you have not yet paid.

Check out the fees on this page. Depending on the model of your vehicle, you can expect to pay around $80 per 1,000 kilometres.

The self-contained certification

The New Zealand authorities make a distinction between certified self-contained vehicles and other vehicles. A certified “self-contained” vehicle is one with sufficient equipment to enable you to live in it independently for three days. The vehicle must have a supply of fresh water, a waste water tank (with a drainage pipe), a sink and a fixed toilet.

If you choose to live in your van, make sure you understand the Freedom Camping laws in New Zealand.