You may be able get a RUC refund when:
You must apply for a refund within 2 years of the RUC licence purchase date. If you apply more than 2 years later, we’ll decline your refund under s35(2) of the Road User Charges Act 2012.
You can apply for a refund for any distance travelled off-road.
What is off-road [PDF, 5.5 MB]
1. Complete the RUCOR application form. You can do this online and save it for emailing or printing. Make sure all fields of the application form are completed, including your email address and bank account details.
RUCOR application form [PDF, 85 KB]
2. Email or post the form to us.
admin.rucassessments@nzta.govt.nz
Waka Kotahi
RUC Assessments
Private Bag 11777
Palmerston North 4442
Please allow up to 10 working days from the date we receive your application for it to be processed – posted applications may take longer.
You must keep records of all distance travelled off-road for two years from the date of application for a refund. While there's no standard for the type of records you must keep, an officer authorised by Waka Kotahi must be satisfied as to where, when and how much distance was travelled off-road.
All off-road refund applications are subject to audit, and records can be requested by an authorised officer at any time.
Guide to RUC off-road refunds [PDF, 121 KB]
You may get a refund for any unused distance on your RUC licence when you change your hubodometer.
When you complete the Application for change of hubodometer (RUCHO), make sure it includes the hubodometer reading at the time it's removed. For powered vehicles make sure it also includes the odometer reading. If the hubodometer is lost, stolen or unreadable, include an estimate of what the reading would have been at the time of replacement.
You must keep the old hubodometer until Waka Kotahi has made a decision about the refund.
You should make the application as soon you've replaced the old hubodometer. The RUCHO form is available from RUC agents. You'll need to buy a new distance licence at the same time that you apply for the change of hubodometer.
If the refund is approved, we'll pay it by direct credit to your chosen New Zealand bank account.
If we already have your bank account number on file, we'll pay your refund to that bank account once it's been approved.
If we don't already have your bank account number, we'll email you or send you a letter asking for your bank account details. You'll need to go online to give us the bank account details to make the payment to.
You may get a refund for any unused distance on your RUC licence after the vehicle’s registration has been cancelled.
To cancel the vehicle’s registration, visit a Waka Kotahi plate agent with the vehicle's number plates and complete an Application to cancel registration (MR15) form. The MR15 requires a reading of your distance recorder, either odometer or hubodometer, at the time the vehicle is cancelled.
Cancelling your vehicle’s registration
If the refund is approved, we'll pay it by direct credit to your chosen New Zealand bank account.
If we already have your bank account number on file, we'll pay your refund to that bank account once it's been approved.
If we don't already have your bank account number, we'll email you or send you a letter asking for your bank account details. You'll need to go online to give us the bank account details to make the payment to.
If you're buying RUC licences for a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes that uses a fuel taxed at the point of sale, you may be entitled to a refund of the excise duty content of the price of the fuel.
