Reference
NZ Vehicle Licensing (Rego) Fees 2026
Last updated:
Vehicle licensing, commonly called rego, is the annual fee that keeps your vehicle legal to use on the road. It is mostly made up of the ACC motor vehicle levy plus a licence fee and an admin fee. Diesel and electric vehicles pay more than petrol because of a higher ACC levy component. The figures below are for a standard private passenger vehicle.
RUC Calculator Car Running Cost First Car Total CostLicensing Fees (licences starting from 1 July 2026)
| Vehicle type | 12 months | 6 months | 3 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol private passenger vehicle | $181.45 | $95.06 | $51.85 |
| Diesel private passenger vehicle | $248.83 | $128.74 | $68.69 |
| Electric vehicle (EV) | $248.83 | $128.74 | $68.69 |
Fees include GST and the online admin fee. Licensing for 3 or 6 months at a time costs more over a full year than paying for 12 months in one go. NZTA still shows the earlier schedule for licences that started before 1 July 2026: $172.97 for 12 months petrol and $241.59 for 12 months diesel or EV.
The licence fee portion rose on 1 January 2025, again on 1 January 2026, and again from 1 July 2026. The latest increase added $8.48 to the 12-month petrol fee and $7.24 to the 12-month diesel and EV fee.
What Makes Up the Fee
| Component | What it is |
|---|---|
| ACC motor vehicle levy | The largest part; funds ACC's Motor Vehicle Account for road injury cover. Higher for diesel and EVs. |
| Licence (rego) fee | Goes to the National Land Transport Fund for roads and transport |
| Admin / processing fee | A small fee per transaction |
The ACC levy discount that electric vehicles previously received ended on 1 July 2025, which is why EVs now pay the same licensing fee as diesel vehicles. A separate cost is the Warrant of Fitness (WOF), typically around $50 to $80 at most garages, required every 6 or 12 months depending on the vehicle's age.