Car WOF question - expired 12 months - issues?

[Deviant]

Couldn't find a thread suitable for this, and it's a car issue, so hopefully someone here can give some advice regarding WOF rules.

My car's WOF expired 1 year ago. I didn't bother to renew it because I barely use it- it has sat in the garage since January and does less than 1km a month on average (late night ciggy or pizza runs to the corner shop) . I'm planning to sell it once it's all certified anyway...

The issue I'm concerned with is that a friend has told me that after 12 months without a WOF, I'll need to get some special checks done by the LTSA or something, involving taking the car apart and fully inspecting it's road-worthiness. The cost for this supposedly outweighs the value of the car (in his estimates), but he couldn't give a figure.

Nobody else I know has any idea of this and has not heard of it.

Anyone here have any info that might be of use regarding this? I couldn't find anything about it on the LTSA website.

Thanks in advance,

Deviant.

[neels]

Nope, as far as I know just rock up to the WOF station and get it checked.

As long as the reg hasn't been expired for more than a year, then it's a whole different can of worms....

[Subike]

That only applys to a vehicle that has not been registered for over twelve months without putting the registration on hold.
If you have had the reg on hold for that time, just go get a normal WOF, then reg. no worries.
If you have let the reg laps for more than the max twelve month exemption perod, then a full compliance check is needed, Not a nice cost

[Molly]

Wouldn't driving without a WoF invalidate your insurance? Also, don't you need a WoF in order to buy rego?

[Deviant]

Thanks peeps, that's what everyone's been saying except for this one guy who's got me freaking, because the WOF expired 18th December 2008 :P

Just got back from a four month overseas holiday, broke as hell, working 10 - 12 hour days 6 days a week to get some $ together again, so no time and no money for any repairs needed. Thinking I might lose the car was a bit of a worry, but I feel a bit more at ease now!

If anyone thinks/knows different post away, but this seems to be the general consensus with everyone I've spoken to as well as on here so far.

[FROSTY:Me]

Dude its my job.From the POV of the law a car is a two wheeled bike. Its REGISTRATION you worry about.
So what you do is go to the post office and pay to get the rego up to date. Then you put the rego on hold once you've dont that all is good.

[Deviant]

Dude its my job.From the POV of the law a car is a two wheeled bike. Its REGISTRATION you worry about.
So what you do is go to the post office and pay to get the rego up to date. Then you put the rego on hold once you've dont that all is good.

Thanks man. Will get the WOF on my next day off, maybe this weekend, and then do the reg early in the new year. Expires in Feb.

Wouldn't driving without a WoF invalidate your insurance? Also, don't you need a WoF in order to buy rego?

It would if I had insurance, but when the car gets less than an hour a month of driving time, all in sleepy suburban streets, insurance is a bit of a waste of money. If I drove it daily in normal traffic, I'd definitely get it. But not when the furthest I take it is to the end of my street, 60m to the right, and back about once a week when I need eggs for Saturday morning brekky or a pizza at 9:30 after a long shift

Yes, I need the WOF to get the reg, will be getting it this weekend probably, if I have a day off (which I should do).

[Molly]

Good to get it squared up. One accident in an illegal vehicle could have repercussions for all eternity.

[rphenix]

Thanks man. Will get the WOF on my next day off, maybe this weekend, and then do the reg early in the new year.

Well then sounds like the rego is current. In that case just go put it on hold now why waste rego your not using?

The taxman gets enough and putting rego on hold costs bugger all.

[kwaka_crasher]

When the WoF expired has no bearing.

However, when the vehicle licence (commonly wrongly referred to as 'registration') expired has huge bearing, especially if you didn't do an exemption from continuous licencing which is free and can be done online in mere moments.

Assuming you didn't do an exemption and assuming it's more than 12 months since the last licence expired, you're looking at not only having to pay the licence cost for those 12 months but also vehicle will be deregistered (the proper deregistered - registration plates no longer valid) which can be a significant exercise to re-register.

Assuming you didn't do an exemption and assuming it's less than 12 months since the last licence expired you'll have to pay the outstanding licence fees for the period that has passed (eg 8 months worth if the last licence expired 8 months ago) before you can relicence it (for which you'll also need a WoF) or exempt it from continuous licencing (which you don't need a WoF for).

Assuming you get a WoF first and go to relicence it and it's been nearly 12 months since the expiry of the last licence, it'll cost you 12 months of licence and it'll expire on the 12 month anniversary of the expiry of the last licence which may be just days away. Then you'll have to relicence it again.

It really does pay to find this shit out BEFORE you cost yourself a lot of money, especially when you can clearly not afford it.

[Mully]

Well then sounds like the rego is current. In that case just go put it on hold now why waste rego your not using?

The taxman gets enough and putting rego on hold costs bugger all.

You can't put a rego on exemption until it's expired. I think they got sick of people (like a guy I knew) buying 12 months rego and having it on hold for 9 months a year.

[kwaka_crasher]

You can't put a rego on exemption until it's expired.

Yes, you can - I've done it myself. There's nothing in the regulations that permits refusal of an application for exemption from continuous licensing prior to the expiry of the previous license. In fact it specifically states:

On receipt of a properly completed application, the Secretary must grant an exemption from section 5(1A)(a) of the Act for such period not less than 3 months and not more than 12 months as the Secretary thinks fit.

[huff3r]

Yes, you can - I've done it myself. There's nothing in the regulations that permits refusal of an application for exemption from continuous licensing prior to the expiry of the previous license. In fact it specifically states:

Yep, but another point... if its been expired, say 3 months, then you apply for an exemption, you will have to pay for the three months of expired rego before they will grant the exemption (i just did this with my racecar...)

[scumdog]

You can't put a rego on exemption until it's expired. I think they got sick of people (like a guy I knew) buying 12 months rego and having it on hold for 9 months a year.

I've not got the point of that malarky...

What benefit did he hope to gain?

[Mully]

Yes, you can - I've done it myself. There's nothing in the regulations that permits refusal of an application for exemption from continuous licensing prior to the expiry of the previous license. In fact it specifically states:

Ah, good to know. They must have changed it back from when I was last told.

EDIT: The website says summat different but:

If you’re not going to use your vehicle on the road for at least three months, you can apply for a temporary exemption from the requirement to continually license your vehicle. The maximum exemption period is 12 months, but you can apply for subsequent exemptions.

You must apply for an exemption while your licence is still current. The exemption will take effect from when the current licence or existing exemption expires

(source:http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/regi...xemptions.html)

I've not got the point of that malarky...

What benefit did he hope to gain?

He only used the bike for 3 months a year, so saw no point in lining the Gummint's pockets by leaving the Rego ticking over for 9 months when he wasn't using it.

IIRC, you couldn't buy less than 6 months licence at the time, but it was continuous - so he would have lost at least three months fee.