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When buying a used car in New Zealand, you’ll often come across the term “on-road costs” or “ORC.” But what exactly does it mean, and how much should you budget for it?
At Sterling Cars, we believe in transparency—so here’s everything you need to know about on-road costs in NZ, including what they cover and why they matter.
Your one-time ORC payment of $650 covers the following:
Warrant of Fitness (WOF) – Safety inspection required to certify the car is roadworthy
One-Year Registration – Official registration allowing the car to be legally driven on NZ roads
Vehicle Compliance – NZTA checks and certifications to ensure imported vehicles meet NZ standards
Brand-New Number Plates – Issued for your newly registered car
This package ensures your car is 100% legal, safe, and ready to drive from the moment you collect it.
At Sterling Cars, our on-road costs are $650 NZD. This is a fixed fee applied to each vehicle unless otherwise stated in a promotional offer.
On-road costs refer to the additional charges required to legally register and drive your newly purchased vehicle on public roads. These costs are separate from the advertised car price and typically apply to imported or freshly complied used vehicles.
At Sterling Cars, our on-road costs are $650 NZD. This is a fixed fee applied to each vehicle unless otherwise stated in a promotional offer.
To give buyers flexibility and clear breakdowns, many NZ dealerships—including Sterling Cars—list vehicles as “+ ORC” to separate the vehicle’s sale price from the road-ready preparation costs.
At Sterling Cars, we keep our ORC at a fixed and competitive rate of $650 to ensure all vehicles are prepared to the highest standard. However, we occasionally run promotions where ORC is included in the price.
No—on-road costs are mandatory for vehicles that need compliance and registration. Your car must pass WOF, be registered, and display number plates before it’s legally allowed on NZ roads.
Most imported and freshly complied vehicles require ORC. Some already-registered cars may not, and we’ll always clarify this in our listings.
