How to register a new trailer

• Do you need to get a Warrant of Fitness first?   No, not yet.  See below .
• Is it a good idea to save money and use the licence plates from your old trailer?

Bad idea! For a start its against the law, but anyway, just remember that the regulations only require a Warrant of Fitness once every three years for a new trailer, but every year for an old one. When you register your trailer you get a years licence included for only $98. So you don’t need to be an Einstein to work out that the savings in WOF fees over the next three years will easily cover your initial outlay. Another potentially more serious issue is that of insurance; if the trailer gets stolen or is involved in a serious accident your insurance company is possibly going to argue that the trailer was clearly a very old one and not worth much, by virtue of the date of first registration of the old plates.

• So, what are the steps to take: a.) call in to your local VTNZ testing station or Automobile Association office WITH YOUR DRIVERS LICENCE.  You don’t need the trailer with you and you cant get a WOF until the ‘Rego’ is done first. All you need to know to fill in the form is that the type of motor vehicle is “trailer” and the model is either “car” or “boat” as appropriate. The colours is “silver” if galvanised, which all Aakron trailers are, and its “NZ assembled” and and “New”. They normally don’t need or care about the ‘brand’ but not all offices interpret the form the same way.

Don’t worry the staff at the counter will help you. Then decide if you want it licenced for 3, 6, or 12 months , pay the fee and you’re done. They will hand over a brand new number plate and a licence sticker. b) bring the plate and sticker with you to Aakron when you collect your trailer and the helpful staff there will apply the sticker correctly and bolt the plate onto your trailer. c) then you will be given directions to a local garage that will check the trailer and issue the WOF at no cost to you. (they charge Aakron of course) Now you are 100% legal and can take your trailer home to use as you wish. However do think about insurance. As a ‘motor-vehicle’ its almost certainly not covered by your existing home contents policy, so check that out with your insurer; trailers do get stolen! One thing to remember for future reference: now that your trailer is in the computer system you cant re-licence it after three years until you first get a new WOF; the opposite of the situation when brand new where you must first get the licence before you can get a WOF.