Querying your ORS rating

If you believe we've made an error or omission in your proposed Operator Rating System (ORS) rating, you can apply to have it reassessed.

Got an error?

When we notify you of your proposed rating, you will also receive information on how to get any errors or omissions corrected.

We will welcome feedback on any errors or omissions found in your rating, so that these can be reviewed as soon as possible and corrected if necessary.

The process for raising and addressing errors is detailed in the Operator Safety Rating Rule 2008, but this page provides guidance.

Read the Operator Safety Rating Rule 2008

What errors or omissions will be considered?

An error or omission can include:

• an event in a vehicle which, at the time of the event, was not being operated under your transport service licence
• a missing event that you think should have been included.

Disagreeing with the outcome of an inspection

If you're concerned with the outcome of a certificate of fitness (CoF) or roadside inspection, you need to contact the agent or New Zealand Police Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) area manager directly and as soon as possible after the event. 

New Zealand's CoF agents have an agreed issue resolution process that outlines the steps you can take if you are concerned about the outcome of a CoF inspection. 

The CVIU has developed a disputes resolution process that outlines the steps you can take if you are concerned about the outcome of a roadside inspection. 

View the CVIU ORS disputed inspections resolution process flowchart(external link)

If you have difficulties with either of the above processes, please contact your nearest Transport Agency office.

Find your local Transport Agency regional office 

Inaccurate event in your rating

If an event in your rating is inaccurate, eg a roadside inspection or failed CoF has been attributed to a vehicle that isn't yours, please contact our Errors and Omissions team on ors@nzta.govt.nz or 0800 108 809. Generally, you will be asked to provide some proof of the error, for example:

• an unaltered copy of the CoF or roadside inspection checksheet
• a copy of a lease agreement or change of ownership documentation showing that a vehicle was not in your possession at the time of the event
• any other supporting documentation from the Police or the CoF provider.

If you think there is an error in the data used to calculate your rating, you need to let us know in writing within 20 working days of receiving the notification from us. Note that you are deemed to have received:

• a written notification on the fifth working day after we post it
• an electronic notification either on the next working day after we sent it, or the time that the notification reached your designated information system, whichever is the later.

What happens once you've queried your rating?

Once you have let us know that you believe there is an error in your rating, we'll send you a receipt to show that we've received your application. We'll process your application within 20 working days and let you know about any errors and omissions that have been corrected and whether your proposed rating has changed.

If you're satisfied with this, your rating will become final after 20 working days.

If you're still not satisfied

Once the Operator Safety Rating Rule 2008 is gazetted, if you don't agree with the outcome of the errors and omissions process, you will be able to apply in writing to the ORS Review Panel within 20 working days of receiving the notification.

Please note you can only do this if, as a result of the errors and omissions process, your proposed rating has remained the same or is worse; you can't apply to the review panel if your score has improved.

Making an application to the review panel

You will need to contact the us via ors@nzta.govt.nz address or our contact centre.

Your application should outline the issues you'd like the review panel to consider. You can also apply to make a submission in person to the review panel (your application can be granted or declined).

You'll also need to pay the required fee.

What will the review panel do?

The review panel will be made up of one representative each from the NZ Transport Agency, the transport industry, and the legal profession. It will make a written recommendation to the Transport Agency Board within 20 working days of its review of your submission.

The board must accept the recommendation, unless it has reasonable grounds to believe the process used to reach the recommendation was invalid. If this happens, the board must confirm the original proposed rating.

As a result of the review, the review panel may also suggest how the rating process could be improved.