Why are you changing your fees and charges?
Why do some fees go up and some go down?
Will my wait time for a test increase?
What happens if I book a re-sit test before 1 October but the test itself is on 2 October?
I was due to sit my test soon, but need to reschedule. Will I have to pay the reschedule fee?
Fees are going to be cheaper soon, why can’t I just pay the new fee now?
Why will 1- and 5-year endorsements cost the same after October 1?
Why is an exemption application going up by more than $70?
Why is an alcohol interlock licence or zero alcohol licence getting so much cheaper?
Can I just wait to make my application after the fees have changed?
I want a refund on a driver licensing fee I paid.
Is the amount showing on my reminder letter correct?
I paid an admin fee in September but now that transaction is free? Can I get my money back?
Why am I now paying $70 more for my goods service or large rental service vehicle licence?
How can it cost more than $14 to print a couple of rego labels?
Why am I being charged more for my vehicle certification (eg WoF) than your published fee
Why is the price of forms and labels increasing so much?
Can I return part pads of certification forms and labels for a refund?
Are there changes to inspection check sheets?
Waka Kotahi doesn’t currently have a sustainable funding model to adequately regulate the land transport system, because we don’t bring in enough revenue to cover our costs.
Some road users currently pay too much, and others are not paying enough. A key aim of the changes is to rebuild the regulatory system in a way that’s fair, with the right people paying for the right things.
Our fees are based on how much it costs us to provide a service. We are increasing fees where the cost of providing the product or service is greater than the fee currently paid for it. We are reducing fees where the cost of providing the product or service is less than the fee currently paid for it. New fees are being implemented where we have been providing a service free of charge.
Public consultation on changes to regulatory funding, fees and charges happened between March and May 2022.
Changes to funding were approved by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Transport in December 2022.
Changes to 170 fees and charges were approved by Cabinet in April 2023.
Changes to regulations were approved on August 28, 2023.
It’s hard to predict what impact reduced fees will have on the demand to sit licence tests. Waka Kotahi will closely monitor behaviour around re-sits.
Should issues arise, then Waka Kotahi will address these with agents to see how we can minimise any impacts.
The average wait time for class 1 restricted and full driver licence tests for the week ending 15 September 2023 is shown below.
| Average Wait Times for class 1 (car) full and restricted Tests by region For week ending 15 September 2023 |
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| Region | Full test average wait time (days) | Restricted test average wait time (days) |
| Northland average | 4 | 5 |
| Auckland North West average | 5 | 6 |
| Auckland Central South average | 6 | 8 |
| Waikato average | 11 | 14 |
| Bay of Plenty average | 15 | 18 |
| Wellington average | 3 | 5 |
| Canterbury average | 17 | 19 |
| Otago Southland average | 18 | 22 |
|
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We know many applicants don’t pass one or more tests the first time, and resit fees may discourage people from continuing to move through the licensing system to get a full driver licence.
Removing resit fees supports a wider objective of providing better access to the driver licensing system and increasing overall road safety for everyone. However, this policy does not provide the cheapest option for some.
People currently pay when they book a re-sit test.
If you book a re-sit test before 1 October, you will pay for the re-sit test.
If you book a re-sit test on or after 1 October, you will not pay for the re-sit test.
If you reschedule a test before October 1, you will pay to reschedule.
If you reschedule a test on or after October 1, you will not pay to reschedule.
You can’t pay the new fees until the new regulations come into effect on 1 October 2023. Until then, the current fees must apply.
The same amount of work is required to process the 1-year or 5-year endorsements, so the cost of providing both services is the same.
Our fees are based on how much it costs us to provide a service. We are increasing fees where the cost of providing the product or service is greater than the fee currently paid for it. We are reducing fees where the cost of providing the product or service is less than the fee currently paid for it.
Our fees are based on how much it costs us to provide a service. We are reducing fees where the cost of providing the product or service is less than the current fee paid for it. We are increasing fees where the cost of providing the product or service is greater than the fee currently paid for it.
If your licence or endorsement is due to expire and you need to renew it before 1 October 2023, you’ll need to make an application and pay the current fee to continue driving legally.
If the test is before 1 October, the old test refund provisions apply.
You can apply for a refund using this form:
DL13 Application for refund of driver licence fee
Because there will no longer be test fees or rebooking and rescheduling fees from October 1, most people will no longer need to apply for a refund. From this date the regulations will only allow for refunds in special circumstances.
Fees don't change until 1 October. If you pay after 1 October, the new fees will apply.
No, you have to pay the regulated admin fee that applies on the day of your transaction.
TSL fees have been changed to reflect the cost of regulatory activities and risks in these areas. The fees for these particular vehicles now include an additional charge for the costs associated with regulating dangerous goods, as these are the vehicle types most likely to be carrying dangerous goods.
The updated fee is based on how much it costs us to provide the service – if we’ve been undercharging then fees go up.
The fee to replace a rego label includes back-office activities related to processing payments, ensuring vehicle information is accurately represented and securely stored in the MVR, and providing customer service support.
All fees and charges listed reflect the Waka Kotahi portion of a fee or charge only. What you are charged when you get your vehicle certification may differ from this figure, as businesses add their charge on top.
You can send any questions to feesreview@nzta.govt.nz and we will respond.
Vehicle certification was the area where regulatory failure occurred. Waka Kotahi has been working closely with certifiers and needs to continue to improve monitoring and auditing of this group.
We are increasing fees and charges where we are not currently recovering the cost of providing a service or regulating a group.
You can read more about why we need to change our fees and charges here:
Why we need to change our fees and charges
You will be charged the price as at your application date. There will be no opportunity to be refunded for an application lodged before 1 October. The fee you pay is based on the day you apply, not the date it is issued.
Yes. You can return all old stock from 1 October for a full refund by ordering a prepaid courier bag through the Bluestar portal. You’ll be able to order returns courier packs from 12 September. This is to ensure you know exactly how many unused forms or labels you have to return, and how many courier packs you’ll need.
Please remove and retain used carbon copy pages of Certification and WoF/CoF books before returning part books.
No, there are no changes to inspection check sheets, and these do not need to be returned.
There is a grace period for rechecks, and for quarantined vehicles. In the case of recheck(s) on a vehicle that was first inspected before 1 October, you will be able to use an old label or form to complete the inspection process.
