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)

2. Vehicle registration and licensing

1. 2.1  Do I have to register and licence an agricultural vehicle to be used on the road?
2. 2.2  Exempt from registration and licensing
3. 2.3  Exempt usage EB

2.1 Do I have to register and licence an agricultural vehicle to be used on the road?

In most circumstances, you do need to register and license your vehicles unless they qualify under section 2.2 below. That means you must have registration plates and license the vehicle either G (general purpose) or you may qualify to license under EB (exempt usage) specifically for farm vehicles. The vehicle must be relicensed at regular intervals in order to be road legal.

When you register your vehicle, you receive an alpha-numeric registration plate of up to six characters.

When you pay the licensing fee, you get a label that shows the date your licence expires. You must display this label on the left-hand side of your motor vehicle’s windscreen, or, for a tractor or agricultural trailer or vehicle with no windscreen, near your number plate.

To determine if you qualify to license your vehicle under EB exempt usage, you have to be using the vehicle for agricultural operations as defined below and the vehicle must be used on the road only for specific reasons and, in some cases, for a limited distance.

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 for a farm, if they are transported:

1. 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
2. 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 and Excise-Equivalent Duty) Regulations, 2004.

2.2 Exempt from registration and licensing

Under the motor registration system, all motor vehicles must be registered and licensed for road use except for the following:

• Any trailer designed exclusively for agricultural operations and used on a road only when proceeding to or from a farm or when being inspected, serviced or repaired.
• Any trailer that is attached to or being drawn by an exempt class EB vehicle.

Reference: Transport (Vehicle Registration and Licensing) Regulations, 1994. Schedule 1, part 1.

2.3 Exempt usage EB

Exempt class B (EB licensing usage) vehicles must still be registered, but may be exempt from the payment of some levies eg road user charges.

To qualify for EB registration, you need to meet the conditions below which depend on usage but also depend on whether you are a farmer or contractor. If you are a farmer who is also a contractor, you will have to determine the purpose you are taking your vehicle on the road for as this will affect the usage you can license the vehicle under.

Reference: Land Transport Management (Apportionment and Refund of Excise Duty and Excise-Equivalent Duty) Regulations, 2004. Schedule 2.

Farmer's usage

Your vehicle can be registered as exempt usage (EB) if any of the following applies:

It is a motor vehicle used on road only for or solely in connection with agricultural operations.

This means a motor vehicle (not a trailer) designed for agricultural operations and used on a road solely for agricultural operations, including mobile or movable huts, galleys, and similar motor vehicles used on a road solely in connection with such operations. A vehicle designed for cartage or spreading of lime or fertiliser when used on the road for cartage, or a weed sprayer on a truck chassis is not included.

It is a farmer’s vehicle used on a road only in connection with agricultural operations.

This means a motor vehicle (not a trailer) owned by a farmer and only used on the road to go from one part of the farm to another part of the same farm, or from one farm to another farm owned or managed by the same person, for agricultural operations.

It is a tractor or traction engine used on a road only or mainly for agricultural operations, etc.

This means a tractor or traction engine used on the road solely for agricultural operations; or if used mainly for agricultural operations and otherwise, only in connection with road construction and maintenance.

It is a farmer’s tractor used on a road only for specified purposes.

This means a tractor owned by a farmer used on a road only for:

• the owner’s agricultural operations, and/or
• the cartage of milk, cream or whey to or from a dairy factory, and/or
• cartage of any farm produce, implements, stock or other farm requisites from one farm to another farm that is owned or managed by the same person or for a maximum round trip of 21 km of public highway.

Note: A tractor does not cease to be a tractor for this purpose merely because it is fitted with a readily detachable box or platform that is used for the carriage of goods.

Tractors for use with topdressing aircraft and that satisfy requirements if taken along a public highway.

This means a tractor that is designed:

• and used partly for the purpose of loading lime or fertiliser into topdressing aircraft, and
• partly for drawing a trailer that is designed and used exclusively for carrying aviation fuel in a permanently attached tank for use in topdressing aircraft, and for no other purpose
• and not used on any round trip of more than 21 km of public highway.

Contractor’s usage

Your vehicle can be registered as exempt usage EB if the following applies:

It is an agricultural contractor’s tractor used on the road.

This means a tractor owned and used by a person carrying on business as an agricultural contractor and used on a road only for all or any of the following purposes:

1. The cartage by means of a trailer of farm implements if the tractor and trailer are not taken during any one trip for the cartage of farm implements along more than 21 km of public highway in going from the usual place of garage and in returning to that place.
2. The haulage on its own wheels of a farm implement or farm machine.

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Last updated: 30 July 2008