Change of Ownership – How To Change Car Ownership?

Buying a Car

You can change the ownership of the car you’ve purchased by updating your ownership online now.

There are now no costs in a Change of Registered Person Fee for Buyers or Acquirers (MR13B). Please be wary of scams.

What will you need?

• Your driver’s licence
• Vehicle registration number

Selling a Car

If you are the seller, it’s free to change ownership of your car.

Let Waka Kotahi (NZTA) know that you have sold your car.

What will you need?

• Your driver's licence
• Vehicle registration number
• Full name and address of person you sold it to

You can go in-store to a Waka Kotahi (NZTA) agent or post the form to NZTA.

Tips and reminders

• The Auto Trader team recommends changing ownership online immediately because it is faster and provides better coverage against issues such as being liable for another person’s fines. It’s a good idea to ask the buyer to put the vehicle into their name before you hand over the keys.
• Ensure all details are accurate and match what's recorded with Waka Kotahi.
• Always complete the legal requirements for the sale, even for private sales.
• Update Insurance: The buyer should ensure that insurance is arranged, and the seller should notify their insurer that the vehicle has been sold.
• If buying a car, you can check the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) to make sure there are no security interests registered against the car.
• Remove Toll Road Auto Top-Up (for Sellers): If you've set up automatic payments for toll roads, make sure to remove the vehicle from the auto top-up system. This will prevent you from continuing to be charged for tolls after the vehicle has been sold. Check with the toll provider or your online toll account to make this change.