44 Bowen Street
Private Bag 6995
Wellington 6141
New Zealand
T 64 4 894 5400
F 64 4 894 6100
www.nzta.govt.nz
6 September 2024
Rhys
[FYI request #27982 email]
REF: OIA-16135
Dear Rhys
Request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email of 9 August 2024 requesting information pertaining to authorised access to
the Motor Vehicle Register (MVR) under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
To provide context, certain persons (including businesses) or classes of persons can be authorised to
have access to the names and addresses of persons registered in respect of a motor vehicle, and
information on those vehicles, under section 241 of the Land Transport Act 1998 (the LTA).
Persons who are granted access under section 241 of the LTA typically require information from the
MVR in bulk, or on a frequent and ongoing basis. This access allows the authorised user to access the
names and addresses of persons currently registered to a motor vehicle who have not “opted out”
from this process (also known as notifying the Registrar that they do not wish to have their names and
addresses made available under section 241 authorised access).
An authorisation under section 241 of the LTA is only granted for a specific purpose and may be
subject to certain conditions imposed by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). Prior to granting
a section 241 authorisation, NZTA consults with the Ombudsman, Privacy Commissioner and Police
Commissioner.
Additionally, some private companies such as Carjam and TradeMe, act as a third-party portal,
facilitating access to Motochek on behalf of its clients. These portal companies hold a section 241
authorisation and are permitted to pass registered person information onto their clients, provided their
clients are also authorised under section 241 of the LTA. For more information on section 241
authorisation, please visit:
www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/how-the-motor-vehicle-register-affects-
you/authorised-access-to-the-register/
With respect to your request, I have addressed each aspect in turn below.
1) How much does it cost private companies to lookup data in 2024 (gst exclusive)
This part of your request is refused under section 18(d) of the Act as the information requested is
publicly available online at:
www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/how-the-motor-vehicle-register-affects-
you/requesting-register-information/motochek/motochek-fees/
Please note that persons who use a third-party portal company to access information wil pay the
portal company the applicable fee they have agreed to, and the portal company wil pay NZTA the
Motochek fee to obtain the information in the first instance. NZTA does not hold information on what a
portal company charges its clients to carry out their requests.
2) What safeguards are in place to ensure companies are looking up data they are entitled to
actual y look at. Is there any requirement to upload an existing parking ticket, offence or
summons?
As part of submitting an enquiry for registered person or vehicle details, NZTA does not require the
authorised user to upload documentation to the Motochek system as evidence of why the information
is being requested, such as a parking ticket or summons.
In terms of ensuring persons or companies are only accessing information they are entitled to; this is
covered in their terms and conditions for access, which they are required to agree to as part of the
application process. A user’s authorisation, including the terms and conditions, are Gazetted online at:
gazette.govt.nz/ Not all authorised users, such as parking companies, have exactly the same terms and conditions as
some users were granted access quite some time ago. However, most users’ terms and conditions wil
include record keeping conditions that note they must retain information about each enquiry, including
supporting evidence that the circumstances fell within the specified purposes. This can be requested
by NZTA for audit purposes, or as part of investigating a complaint.
You can find a list of all persons and companies who hold a section 241 authorisation online at:
www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/how-the-motor-vehicle-register-affects-you/authorised-access-to-the-
register/ . From this page, you can access a spreadsheet which wil also include a link to each users
Gazette notice.
3) Can vehicle owners request access to see who has logged a lookup against their license
plate previously? If so, what is the process users can fol ow?
Yes, NZTA is able to produce a report which shows which users have submitted a request for
registered person name and address details against a specific vehicle registration plate number within
the last 18 months.
To request such a report, please email [NZTA request email], and include your full
name, date of birth, and current address. Providing the registration plate numbers of the vehicles
registered in your name wil also be beneficial.
4) If an individual revokes their access can private parking companies and motor vehicle
traders stil access data?
Individuals who don’t want their details to be released to a person holding a section 241 authorisation
can instruct NZTA not to release their details by ‘opting out’. Any person can opt out and no reason is
required.
With that said, while opting out prevents authorised users from accessing name and address
information from the MVR under section 241 of the LTA, it does not prevent this information from being
accessed via other legal avenues. Some companies also have additional access to the name and
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addresses of individuals under section 237(2)(d) of the LTA, which enables personal information to be
released if the information may be disclosed under an enactment (the enactment in this case being the
Official Information Act 1982).
NZTA has determined that, in certain circumstances, opted-out information may be disclosed to these
companies in accordance with the requirements for disclosure under the Official Information Act 1982
for specific purposes, and on specific conditions. In these specific circumstances, and for these
specific purposes, the public interest in the release of this information outweighs the opted-out
individuals’ privacy interest.
A list of these companies is provided below:
Company Name
Central Park NZ Limited
Duncan Collins Limited
AA Insurance Limited
LRP Enforcement Services Limited Ferguson Robertson Limited
IAG New Zealand Limited
Wilson Parking New Zealand
Eva Francis Limited
Provident Insurance
Limited
Corporation Limited
Instant Finance Limited
Johnston Hall Limited
Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd
Xceda Finance Limited
Mark & Joy Diggelmann Limited The Hollard Insurance
Company PTY Limited
Pioneer Finance Limited
Neil Wolfgram Limited
Tower Limited
Motor Trade Finance Limited
Noel Johnston Limited
Toyota Finance New Zealand
Limited
Dean Paterson Limited
Paul A Robinson Ltd
LPR Enforcement Services
Limited
Richard S Scott Limited
Tina Wilcock Limited
Smart Parking Technology
Limited
Col ier Sendall Limited
Wolfgram Limited
5) If an individual revokes their access what entities are able to stil access data held
regardless of the opt out in place for that vehicle? List al non Government agencies only
(if any)?
Please refer to my response to question 4.
6) What happens if a vehicle is sold, is the revoked access automatically removed?
When an individual opts out, this revoked access applies to their NZTA customer number rather than
an individual vehicle. As such, when a person opts out, this automatically revokes access to their
information for all vehicles currently registered in their name under that customer number. If a person
removes a vehicle from their name, the revoked access wil not be automatically removed from their
customer number, including any vehicles stil in their name.
When a vehicle is transferred to a new registered person, unless that person’s NZTA customer
number has an ‘opt out’ status, their details wil be available for access by those with a section 241
authorisation until such time as they opt out.
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7) If point 6 is removed, how can a new vehicle owner ensure any debts associated with the
previous owner (i.e. parking tickets) aren't associated with them, now that their address would
be made available on the lookup?
To ensure a person does not remain liable for any fees or fines incurred on a vehicle they have sold, it
is important they complete the change of registered person process prior to the vehicle leaving their
possession. A parking company wil , for example, hold the registered person as at the date of the
parking breach responsible.
The process entails the seller completing a
Notice by Person Selling/Disposing of Motor Vehicle
(MR13A form) and the new owner lodging a
Change of Registered Person (MR13B form). Further
information about this process is available online at:
www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/buying-and-selling-a-
vehicle/
If you would like to discuss this reply with NZTA, please contact Ministerial Services by email at
[NZTA request email].
Yours sincerely
Tracy Moore
Head of Customer Operations
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