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This Rule has no effect after 10 October 2020.

When Alert Level 4 restrictions were imposed in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, it became impractical or unreasonable for people to do tasks ordinarily required to enable vehicles to undergo periodic in-service inspection and certification, or to enable driver licences, endorsements and driver identification cards to be renewed. The objective of this Rule is to allow for vehicles to continue to be operated lawfully, and for drivers to continue to be licensed and to use endorsements and identification cards, during this time and subsequently.

The Rule provides for the following documents to be extended until 10 October 2020:

• Warrants of Fitness (WoFs), Certificates of Fitness (CoFs) and driver licences that expired on or after 1 January 2020.
• Other vehicle certifications issued under the Vehicle Standards Compliance Rule which expired on or after 1 January 2020, including alternative fuel inspection certificates, permits authorising use of vehicles with conditions, and heavy vehicle specialist certifications of towing connections and log bolster attachments.
  Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002
• Endorsements (including drivers with passenger endorsements and dangerous good endorsements held by some truck drivers) that expired on or after 1 March 2020.

This does not apply to revoked or suspended documents, and Waka Kotahi can continue to revoke or suspend for safety reasons during this period.

The Rule was notified in the Gazette on 9 April 2020 and came into force on 10 April 2020. It was then amended in August, with the amendments coming into force on 7 September 2020.

At the same time the Rule was made, the Land Transport (Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) (COVID-19—Extension of Duration of Motor Vehicle Licences) Amendment Regulations 2020 were made. These provide for a similar temporary extension regarding the requirement to have a vehicle licence.

Land Transport (Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) (COVID-19—Extension of Duration of Motor Vehicle Licences) Amendment Regulations 2020(external link)

If you have any further questions, please contact the Rules team by emailing rules@nzta.govt.nz