As part of its temporary relief package aimed at alleviating the effects of fuel costs rises in the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, the Government is reducing the cost of Road User Charges (RUCs) by 36%.

The reduced rates come into effect from April 21 and will be in force until July 21. They have been calculated to offer savings equivalent to the fuel excise duty cut of 25 cents per litre already announced for petrol.

Anyone buying an RUC licence in the period will get it at the discount rate. Those who already have existing mileage paid for at the current rate can purchase a new licence from April 21 and any unused distance will be automatically credited, says Waka Kotahi NZTA. Any such credit from this ‘overlap’ situation must be fully used in buying the new licence, the Agency adds. 

It also warns users that if they don’t change the start distance, the new licence will start at the end of the current licence, and there will be no credit for any unused distance. Operators buying a licence at a Waka Kotahi agent from 21 April will therefore need to make sure they enter the current hubometer or odometer reading into the second table on the Road User Charges application for distance licence form (RUCLA), or they run the risk of not being credited with their existing prepaid licence. 

Waka Kotahi advises that users should only buy enough RUC for the distance they intend to travel during the discount period. If it finds the purchases at the discounted rate have been ‘excessive, unreasonable or are an abuse of the temporary rate reduction’, says the Agency, they will be invoiced for RUC at the normal rate.