The Motor Vehicle Register

What is the Motor Vehicle Register?

The Motor Vehicle Register records information about vehicles used on New Zealand roads and the people responsible for their use. The primary purposes of the Motor Vehicle Register are:

• enforcement of the law
• collection of charges imposed or authorised by law
• administration and development of transport law and policy.

What information is held on the Motor Vehicle Register?

Information held on the Motor Vehicle Register consists of:

• personal information about people registered (past and present) to motor vehicles, and
• vehicle information about registered motor vehicles.

Personal information includes the names, addresses and dates of birth of persons registered (or previously registered) to motor vehicles.

Vehicle information includes details such as make, model, colour, weight, usage category (for example private passenger, goods, taxi, ambulance, rental, hearse) cc rating, fuel type, wheelbase, odometer reading, country of origin, whether imported second hand or new, vehicle inspection history, whether subject to warrant of fitness or certificate of fitness inspections, tare weight, axle rating and number of axles in the case of trucks and the number of registered persons.

It also includes 'reported stolen' information where a vehicle has been reported to the police as having been stolen.

Find out more about:

• Who can access register information
• Requesting register information
• Authorised access to the register
• Your responsibilities as the registered person
• ID requirements
• Motor vehicle registrations – dashboard and open data