Thinking of cancelling registration because you're not using your vehicle?
You may not need to cancel – there are other options if you're planning not to use your vehicle for at least three months. See the registration exemption conditions.
Reasons for cancelling your vehicle registration
You must apply to the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to cancel your vehicle registration if your vehicle is:
- destroyed or becomes permanently useless
- permanently removed from New Zealand
- written off by an insurer
- significantly modified.
We don't cancel registration for stolen vehicles or plates. See the other restrictions on cancelling registration.
To apply to cancel your registration:
- complete an Application to cancel registration of a motor vehicle form (form MR15).
- present your form and your vehicle's registration plates with suitable identification to one of our approved agents.
If your vehicle is subject to road user charges, you need to present the last odometer reading – we can refund you for any unused kilometres. If you have any unpaid road user charges you'll need to pay them. You'll also have to pay backdated fees if your vehicle must be continuously licensed, and the licence or exemption has already expired when you apply to cancel the registration. You'll have to pay the licence fees owing between the date the licence or exemption expired and your application.
Before you cancel your registration
Be very sure you no longer wish to use your vehicle on the road. Re-registration is an involved process that incurs fees.
When we cancel your registration
The NZTA will cancel your vehicle's registration if your vehicle must be continuously licensed and you leave it unlicensed for 12 months. If we cancel your registration you'll still have to pay any outstanding licence fees. We may refer outstanding licence fees to a debt collection agency.
If your vehicle isn't required to be continuously licensed, we'll cancel the registration after two years.
How do you know if your vehicle must be continuously licensed?
Want to start using your vehicle after cancellation?
Your vehicle must be correctly registered to drive it on the road. You'll need to re-register your vehicle if you want to start using it again after cancellation of registration.
See more detail on cancelling a vehicle's registration.
