Transferring car ownership in NZ: the 10-minute job that protects you.
The ownership transfer is the most skipped step in private car sales — and skipping it is how sellers end up with someone else's speeding tickets. Here's exactly who does what.
What you do as the seller
Notify NZTA that you've sold the vehicle — you can do it online in a few minutes or at an NZTA agent. Do it the same day the car leaves your driveway. Once processed, you're no longer the registered person, and anything the new owner does in the car — tolls, tickets, parking fines — is their problem, not yours.
What the buyer does
The buyer separately notifies NZTA that they've acquired the vehicle, paying the small transfer fee. Both notifications together complete the change. Don't rely on the buyer doing their half — your own notification is what protects you, and it doesn't depend on theirs.
What ownership transfer is not
The “registered person” on NZTA's books isn't proof of legal ownership — it's about who's responsible for the vehicle. That's also why a PPSR check matters when buying: money can be owing on a car regardless of whose name is on the rego.
Sell to us and skip the admin
When we buy your car, the ownership paperwork is handled on the spot as part of the deal — one less thing to remember on sale day.