Lets say you want to buy an $80 RUC license for three light vehicles. What you might not expect is to be blindsided by transaction fees that swell to an eye-watering $67.68. 

Buried within these costs, a staggering $41.30 are hidden fees funnelled to the NZTA. 

Opt for the convenience of an online transaction? 

The hidden fee dips slightly to $37.50, but now you’re stuck waiting for the disc to arrive in the mail. Essentially, this setup slams you with a nearly 30% transaction charge layered on top of your tax. 

And if you think switching to an E-RUC provider might save you some cash, think again. While it might shave off a few dollars from the hidden fees, it locks you into paying an additional $40 to $80 every month per vehicle.

This isn’t just poor value—it’s a systematic fleecing of every vehicle owner who complies. Every transaction enriches a hidden layer of bureaucracy, siphoning millions from the pockets of ordinary taxpayers.