Dealer numbers see-saw

The number of dealers in New Zealand dropped by 76 last month and stood at 2,765 at the end of April, according to figures from the Motor Vehicle Traders Register (MVTR).

Last month’s fall takes the tally back to where it stood at the end of February, after climbing to 2,841 in March to end five consecutive months of decline.

April’s figure was also 127 lower than in the same month of last year when there were 2,892 dealers on the register. 

Since reaching a peak of 3,536 in November 2017, the number of dealers has largely been in decline and has not topped the 3,000-mark since August 2022.

The MVTR holds essential information about registered traders and their businesses. It is operated by Occupational Regulation, which is part of the market integrity branch of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.