News and notices
News and notices for motor vehicle traders.
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Banned trader fined $10,000 for selling 40 cars
Kenneth James Michael Cumming has been sentenced in the Timaru District Court after pleading guilty to 3 charges under the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003 (MVSA) for trading motor vehicles when he was banned.
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Upcoming changes to the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003
Changes to the Act start from 22 October 2025.
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Decisions from the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal – July 2025
The Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal (MVDT) hears disputes between consumers and registered motor vehicle traders. Below are 2 recent decisions from July 2025 that highlight your obligations under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA).
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Displaying Vehicles for Sales
Recently the Hāwera District Court fined Ōpunake-based Hamish Dormer-Rowe $22,500 for operating as a motor vehicle trader without registration. This breaches the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003.
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Strengthening regulatory oversight
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and the Registrar of Motor Vehicle Traders have an information matching agreement under section 122 of the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003.
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Unregistered motor trader prosecuted for selling 85 vehicles
An unregistered motor vehicle trader was prosecuted for selling 85 vehicles. They were fined $22,500.
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Action on banned radio devices
The Government’s Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) team has teamed up with major online marketplaces to make sure prohibited and non-compliant radio devices are unavailable for purchase in New Zealand.
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Issues with applications on the new register
With the recent upgrade to the Motor Vehicle Traders register on 21 October 2024, some applications have been submitted incorrectly.
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Banned motor vehicle trader sold 8 vehicles — fined $3,500
Former motor vehicle trader, Warwick Keith Nelson Taylor from Auckland, was convicted after the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) charged Mr Taylor with trading motor vehicles while he was banned from doing so.
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Decisions from the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal – January 2025
2 recent decisions made by the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal relate to traders not complying with Consumer Guarantees Act. In both cases, the Tribunal ruled in the customer's favour.
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Upcoming changes to the Motor Vehicle Sales Act (2003)
Over the last 12 months, Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill (No.3) has progressed through Parliament.
The changes to the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003 (the Act) are minor.
- Emissions changes coming for motorcycles and mopeds
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Understanding consumer rights under the CGA
As traders in the used motor vehicle market, it's important to understand the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA). The Act provides several guarantees that protect consumers when they purchase goods, including used cars.
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Reminder: Clean Car Standard CO2 targets and fees are changing
From 1 January 2025, the annual Clean Car Standard (CCS) CO2 targets and the rates for exceeding targets are changing.
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NZTA consulting on amendments to the Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Rule
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is seeking feedback about changes to the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions 2007.
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Vehicle safety ratings updated on Rightcar
Look out for updated used vehicle safety ratings on Rightcar.govt.nz - including a crash avoidance features rating added this year to help Kiwis find safer vehicles.
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What should you display in the window?
If you are selling used motor vehicles, you must display a Consumer Information Notice (CIN). If you are selling at your premises, you do this by attaching a copy of the CIN in the car window. if you are selling online, you display it next to the advert.
- Decisions from the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal – December 2024
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Acting as an agent
We have recently had several complaints about registered motor vehicle traders breaching their obligations while acting as an agent and selling a car on another person’s behalf.
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Feedback on Clean Car Standard admin fee proposal
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is seeking feedback from the public, vehicle importers and industry groups about how users will pay a fee for administering the Clean Car Standard.
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New series to help businesses unmask cyber crime
Small businesses are the target for nearly half of all cyber crime in Aotearoa, with one in three experiencing at least one cyber attack. But less than half of business owners say they are prepared for an online incident.
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New Motor Vehicle Traders register launched
A new and upgraded Motor Vehicle Traders register was released on 21 October 2024.
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Upcoming release of new Motor Vehicle Traders register
The Motor Vehicle Traders online register will undergo maintenance from 5pm 17 October 2024, in anticipation of the release of our new portal on 21 October 2024.
- Decisions from the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal – August 2024
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Upgrade to Motor Vehicle Traders register coming soon
An upgrade is coming to the Motor Vehicle Traders online register in late 2024.
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A year in numbers (2023 to 2024)
We have pulled some core statistics from the last financial year.
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Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003
The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill, which makes changes to the Motor Vehicle Sales Act 2003, has had its first reading in Parliament and you can now make a submission.
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Decisions from the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal – July 2024
2 recent decisions made by the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal relate to traders not complying with Consumer Guarantees Act. In both cases, the Tribunal ruled in the customer's favour. In one case the trader was ordered to pay and in the other the trader
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Report unregistered trading
As a regulator, our priority is to promote and protect the interests of consumers by ensuring compliance with the Act. We are consistently considering and investigating complaints made via our website however, we can’t see everything, and that’s where you
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New Zealand Transport Agency survey results and new campaign released
The results of the first nationwide study of registered motor vehicle dealers’ use of vehicle safety rating labels are in.