Monday, July 21st, 2008
The Motor Vehicle Register (MVR) has always been a public register. As such Land Transport New Zealand is obliged, under section 19 of the Transport (Vehicle and Driver Registration and Licensing) Act 1986, to provide access to the name and address of the current and previous owner(s) of a vehicle.
In all cases the vehicle must be identified by providing a registration plate number or VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), the prescribed fee paid and identification produced. Currently, there is no restriction ion the Act about who can access this information, nor what can be done with the information once obtained.
The legislation which provides for the release of information from the MVR is currently under review. The Government has agreed to improve the privacy of the MVR by clarifying the purposes for which information is collected, and tightening up public access to it in accordance with the Privacy Act 1993. This change may take some time, but it is being progressed.
If any person considers that the supply of their name and address may be likely to jeopardise their or their families personal safety (i.e. threat to life or property), they must put their request in writing to apply for confidential status. Applications must include their full name, address, phone number and the plate numbers of the vehicles involved. Each application is assessed on its own merit.
The applicant must also supply either:
- a protection order
- written confirmation from a Police Officer to the effect that the officer believes that the personal safety of the applicant and the applicants family could be jeopardised by the supply of the applicant’s name and address
- evidence of a threat to their safety
Please refer to the Land Transport Privacy Page for further information.
Please note that CarJam do not give out the full street address of ownership data. We provide only the suburb and name which in the interests of balancing privacy with the right for a purchaser to know they are buying from the real owner should be sufficient. This policy is in line with that of similar service providers.
Published in « Frequently Asked Questions
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[...] recorded first by newjamesdean on 2008-08-16→ Privacy and Vehicle Ownership [...]
I have enquired about the details of a car Regn EAL218 to be informed that I must apply in writing to tha Transport Registry. CXan you tell me why this is the case?
Thanks, Karl Cobb
— Karl Cobb on May 1st, 2010 at 5:01 pm
As per the article above
if any person considers that the supply of their name and address may be likely to jeopardise their or their families personal safety (i.e. threat to life or property), they must put their request in writing to apply for confidential status.
This is what has been done with this vehicle.
— Anton on May 1st, 2010 at 6:27 pm
hi i was just wanting to update my personel details for plate no fhg171 holden ute as the owner riki is short for pateriki taikato address is fine as is other details thanks
— riki taikato on September 6th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
I am the soveriegn owner of a car that was Deregistered some 4.5 years ago and will not ever be re registered or could have have any claims against it again with or by any NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT or any of its sub entities or agents thereof but Ifuind it is still on theirs and Carjams system.
Would be able to remove all details of this private property (NOT PUBLIC like all REGISTERED VEHICLES) from your registry or give all lawful reason not statutes, why this cannot be done.
There are two very distinct classes of persons and I sure as hell am not one of the dead ones with their names in all CAPITAL LETTERS.
I can supply the last registration number this automobile had when taken off Her Majesties Elizabeth R’s highways and by ways
Please don’tthink Iam tryingto be a smartass
— don on October 17th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
I think it’s unreasonable just to pay a certain amount of money and get the name and address of the owner, in my opinion i think it’s ok to have details about the car, but personal informations is just too much.
Doesn’t anyone else think this way?
— John on November 22nd, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Thank yo John. You are absolutely right. CarJam does not give away full address details.
— Anton on November 22nd, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Riki, please contact NZTA directly.
— Anton on January 7th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Don, please talk directly to NZTA on this issue. Cheerio
— Anton on January 7th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Hi if a person buys a report on a vehicle from you do you then inform the current owner of this? I am interested in a vehicle but would hate to think the current owner knows I am researching it first!
— Sheena on January 12th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Hi Sheena, The current owner does not know someone is buying a CarJam Report.
— Anton on January 13th, 2011 at 10:58 am
Hi there, i am looking at buying an older car it didn’t get a warrent last time, is there way i can find out what the problems were that stopped it from getting a warrent? its beimg sold on behalf of the regerested owner many thanks Emma
— emma on April 7th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Hi if my vehicle was taken to the mechnic shop and havent heard from them, but heard the owner of the shop has taken my vechicle to the SCRAP METAL. What do I do?
— Lei on April 12th, 2011 at 5:43 am
Hi Lei, Not sure… Go to the Police?
— Anton on April 23rd, 2011 at 10:57 am
Hi Emma, No unfortunately you cannot get the details of what went wrong.
— Anton on April 23rd, 2011 at 10:57 am
Hey there,
I am the owwner of a vehicle on here which was taken out of my care in strange circumstances ‘ stand over’ but was also promised payment and an amount- which has not been forthconing. Firstly – how do i go about putting a security interest over it. Secondly, as i retain the ownership papers etc, does that make me liable for any infringement notices etc the vehicle may be involved in eg fined for no warrent or reg – which is the info on the report, although there was an odometre readin in april 2011, the vehicle has not been warrented, and is still not since sept 2010. I have no way of contacting the person who has it. Advice?
— Ali on May 28th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
You can put security on ppsr.govt.nz website. Our understanding is that you will be receiving fines etc as long as you are a registered owner of the vehicle. The way financing companies do this, as far as we understand and it’s not a legal advice, is to have ownership transfered to whoever uses the vehicle but have it secured at ppsr.govt.nz
— Anton on May 31st, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Hi there
Four years ago I purchased the personalised number plate ASTON1 for my son Aston as a present for his 16th birthday when he obtained his licence(this year) but have just carjam checked and the plate is attached to a vehicle still. I paid a reasonably substantial amount for the plate, what should I do? Appreciate any advice.
Hi Warren, Sorry for the late reply. Just looked at the plate and it does say “Registration has lapsed. It has been canceled by the New Zealand Transport Agency usually for the reason being unlicensed for too long.”
— Anton on January 11th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
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