Agricultural vehicles guide

A guide for the safe and legal use of tractors, agricultural trailers and agricultural machines on New Zealand’s roads

Print version: Agricultural vehicles guide (PDF, 731 KB, 58 pages)

10. Definitions

Adjoining means contiguous, or contiguous except for a separation by a river, stream, drain, canal, or other watercourse, or by a road or railway.

Agricultural operation means any operation concerned directly with the management of a farm; and includes the transport on a road of the produce of a farm, farm implements, stock, or other requisites of any kind whatsoever for a farm, if they are transported:

• from a part of a farm to another part of the same farm or from a farm to another adjoining farm that is owned or managed by the same person, or
• from a farm to another farm owned or managed by the same person if the motor vehicle carrying the goods is not taken during any one trip along more than 21 km of public highway in going from the owner’s farm or other place of garage and in returning to that farm or place.

Reference: Land Transport Management (Apportionment and Refund of Excise Duty) Regulations, 2004

Agricultural trailer means a trailer constructed to be operated in connection directly with the operation or management of a farm, but does not include a logging trailer.

All terrain vehicle (ATV) means a special purpose vehicle (with or without motorcycle controls and equipment) that:

• is principally designed for off-road use, and
• has three or more wheels, and
• has an engine capacity exceeding 50 cc, and
• has a gross weight of less than 1000 kg.

Farm means:

• a dairy farm, cattle farm, pig farm, or sheep farm, or
• a market garden, orchard, plant nursery, forest, or any other area of land on which trees or plants of any description are cultivated, or
• an apiary, or
• a poultry farm or egg producer’s farm.

Garage means any place, whether a building or other structure, in which a motor vehicle is usually kept when not in use.

Goods means all kinds of movable property; and includes articles sent by post, and animals.

Gross combined weight (GCW) is the sum of the gross laden weights of the vehicles that make up a combination vehicle.

Gross laden weight (GLW) is the greatest of the following:

• any weight specified (following the latest modification, if applicable) as a vehicle’s gross laden weight by the vehicle’s manufacturer
• any weight specified as the gross laden weight of a particular vehicle (or a vehicle of its kind) by the Director of Land Transport
• the weight of a vehicle together with any load it is carrying, including any equipment and accessories.

Gross vehicle mass (GVM) is the greater of:

• the mass specified as the gross vehicle mass of a particular vehicle by the vehicle’s manufacturer
• the mass specified as the gross vehicle mass of a particular vehicle (or a vehicle of its kind) by the Director of Land Transport.

Gross weight means the weight of a rigid or combination vehicle, together with any load it is carrying (including equipment and accessories).

Hours of darkness means:

• any period of time between half an hour after sunset on one day and half an hour before sunrise on the next day, or
• any other time when there isn’t sufficient daylight for a person or vehicle to be clearly visible at a distance of 100 metres.

Mass means the quantity of material contained in or on that vehicle which, when subjected to acceleration due to gravity, will exert downwards on a level surface a force that can be measured as the weight of the vehicle.

On-road weight means the total weight of the vehicle and load at any particular time.

Parking brake means a brake that is designed for keeping the vehicle stationary, and that is capable of remaining applied for an indefinite period without further attention.

Road includes a street; and also includes any place to which the public have access, whether as of right or not; and also includes all bridges, culverts, ferries, and fords forming part of any road, street, or place to which the public have access.

Service brake means a brake for intermittent use that is designed for the purpose of slowing down and stopping the vehicle.

Single large-tyred axle means a single-tyred axle that is not a single standard-tyred axle.

Single standard-tyred axle means a single-tyred axle fitted with tyres smaller than:

• a manufacturer’s designated tyre section width of 330 mm and a rim diameter of 24 inches at the bead seat, or
• a manufacturer’s designated tyre section width of 355 mm and a rim diameter of 19.5 inches at the bead seat.

Tare weight means the weight of the vehicle without any load.

Tractor means a motor vehicle (other than a traction engine) constructed principally for towing an agricultural trailer or powering agricultural implements.

Trailer means a vehicle without motive power that is capable of being drawn or propelled by a motor vehicle from which it is readily detachable; but does not include:

• a side car attached to a motorcycle, or
• a vehicle normally propelled by mechanical power while it is being temporarily towed without the use of its own power.

Vehicle licensing is paying a fee to use a motor vehicle on public roads. When the fee is paid you receive a label indicating the licence’s expiry date after which it must be renewed. This licence label must be displayed on the vehicle. Vehicle licensing is commonly (but incorrectly) known as registration (see below).

Vehicle registration is when a vehicle is added to the motor vehicle register and given registration plates.

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Last updated: 12 August 2008