September 2026 update

Vehicle registration rules will change

Rules for motor vehicle registration and licensing will change.

Land Transport (Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) Amendment Regulations 2026

What's changing

Who's affected

People who register, license, or use motor vehicles, and people who display or manage vehicle licence labels, will be affected.

When

These changes come into force on 1 March 2027.

What you might need to do

Background

The government is changing the system so a vehicle’s licence is recorded and evidenced electronically. The regulations remove rules that treated a licence displayed on a vehicle as the main evidence of licensing.

Read the official text on legislation.govt.nz