New Zealand number plate: Trade 2016

Format, years and the law

Format

X99999, for example X38241 (9 any digit)

• the letter X, preceding or following not more than 5 numerals
• SEPARATELY, and not part of the identifier: the last 2 digits of the calendar year for which the plate is issued, set vertically to the right

The format above follows the issuing rules: a registration that fits it is one this series could have issued.

Years issued

2016 to today. Still issued.

Vehicle class

Dealer: trade/garage plates bound to a business, not a vehicle. Issued for car, van, truck, motorcycle, moped, and trailer.

Colours

Characters #000000 Background #FFCC00

Who the plate belongs to

A trade plate belongs to a PERSON OR BUSINESS and travels between vehicles: reg 26(1) lets its holder operate a motor vehicle that "is not registered or licensed" and "does not have affixed to it registration plates or a current licence", subject to reg 26(2)'s conditions. NZTA's eligibility list: motor vehicle traders, manufacturers, assemblers, distributors, importers, car wreckers with a second-hand trader licence, government departments, deliverers of unregistered vehicles, repairers, and transport-museum owners or managers.

Legal basis and sources

1. reg 36(1)(b), 36(2)(b), 36(3); reg 27 duration; reg 26 use; reg 42 display; Schedule 3 diagram 2. Regulation 36 was 'replaced, on 1 January 2016, by regulation 4 of the Land Transport (Motor Vehicle Registration and... https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2011/0079/latest/whole.html
2. who may hold trade plates; the standard (3500 kg or less) and heavy categories; 'Land Transport (Trade Plates) Notice 2011' https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/motor-vehicle-traders/trade-plates
3. 'Trade plates are made from aluminium with black embossed characters on a yellow background. They show the last 2 digits of the year the plate was bought. We issue one plate.' https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/licensing-rego/number-plates

Before and after

It replaced Trade 1999 1999 to 2016