Rōpū Take Tautohenga Ā-Waka – Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal
IMPORTANT: If you bought a vehicle from a private seller and want to dispute the sale – you’ll need to go through the Disputes Tribunal: Disputes Tribunal(external link)
The Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal is only for people who have bought a vehicle from a registered trader – or from a trader that meets the criteria for registration but isn’t. You can look at the Motor Vehicle Sales Act to find out more about the definition of a trader.
The Tribunal’s jurisdiction is limited to vehicles with a gross weight mass of less than 3,500 kg. If your vehicle weighs 3,500 kg or more, the Tribunal cannot consider your claim. A recent decision explaining this jurisdictional limit is available here:
[2025] NZMVDT 438(external link)
It’s a good idea to read the Consumer Protection website(external link)
It explains what to do if you have a problem and how to get it resolved.
The Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal deals with disputes of amounts up to $100,000. It can be more if both parties agree in writing by completing a Consent to Extend Jurisdiction form [PDF, 137 KB]
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Details and value of claims you can make and remedies available.
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What to consider before making a claim.
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Application form and fee required to make a claim.
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Information to be provided by the respondent trader.
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Process followed by the tribunal once claim has been received.
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Dates, times and location of upcoming hearings.
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Information that needs to be included in your application and policies and procedures around adjournments and remote viewing of hearings.
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Annual reports of the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal.
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Search tribunal decisions online using the NZLII database.
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How to contact the tribunal.