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If a vehicle is reported as structurally damaged, a damage flag or safety flag will be added to the Motor Vehicle Register. 

While the flag is recorded against the vehicle, you won't be able to get a warrant of fitness (WoF) or certificate of fitness (CoF). The flag can only be removed once the vehicle is properly repaired and inspected again, verifying that the vehicle is within safe tolerance of the manufacturer’s specifications. 

Damaged used imports

Your imported used vehicle may have been flagged as structurally damaged or deteriorated when it was inspected at the border. A damage flag will be recorded on the Motor Vehicle Register, and a windscreen sticker will have been attached to the vehicle by the border inspector.

If your vehicle was flagged as damaged at the border, take it to be inspected by an entry certifier before carrying out any repairs. The entry certifier will determine if the damage flag should be removed or the repairs require certification by a specialist repair certifier or a heavy vehicle specialist certifier. If a repair certificate is required, the damage flag will not be removed from the Motor Vehicle Register.

Find an entry certifier

Repair certification process

Vehicles imported from Australia

Importers of Australian used vehicles must provide a copy of the Australian Personal Properties Security Register (PPSR) report to the inspecting organisation at the border. If the PPSR shows the vehicle has been written off, then the vehicle is added to our damaged vehicles list.

Australian Personal Property Securities Register(external link)

Vehicles damaged in New Zealand

If a vehicle is damaged in New Zealand, its registration should be cancelled. If it was cancelled by an insurer, and was cancelled because of fire, structural or water damage, we'll add a safety flag to the vehicle. 

Even if the registration wasn't cancelled, we may add a safety flag to the vehicle.

Before you repair it, you should take it to be inspected by an entry certifier. The entry certifier will determine if any repairs require certification by a specialist repair certifier or a heavy vehicle specialist certifier.

Find an entry certifier

Repair certification process

The damaged vehicles list

Damage that hasn't been correctly repaired can compromise the safety of vehicle features such as safety belt pre-tensioners, airbags and certain electrical systems.

This list contains vehicles that have been reported with fire damage, structural damage, or water damage, or have been written off in the country of previous registration. 

You can check your vehicle against this list of damaged vehicles. You’ll need to know the factory issued vehicle identification number (VIN) or chassis number. 

What is a vehicle identification number (VIN)

This list may not contain all damaged vehicles. If you think a vehicle should be on this list please email us.

Email NZTA to report a damaged vehicle

Repaired vehicles are not removed from the damaged vehicle list. Even if your vehicle has since been repaired and certified, it will still be on the list. 

Damage codes*

New Zealand damaged vehicles

  • AT - Alpha Takata airbag recall
  • F or FD - fire damage
  • RC - recall
  • OT - other reason
  • SD - structural damage
  • W or WD - water damage.

Overseas damaged vehicles

  • S – written off vehicles (both statutory write off and economic repairable write-off vehicles)
  • WS – written off due to flood/water damage (both statutory write off and economic repairable write-off vehicles)
  • FS – written off due to fire damage (both statutory and economic repairable write-off vehicles).
Vehicle Make
VIN/Chassis Make Model Damaged* Date
LGWEE4A59MK614460 Haval JOLION SD 15 April 2025
LGWCB3177DB638512 GREAT WALL V240 SD 15 April 2025
KZN185-9013078 TOYOTA HILUX SD 15 April 2025
KZN185-0008898 TOYOTA HILUX SD 15 April 2025
KPTB0A18SJP264442 SSANGYONG KORANDO SD 15 April 2025
KNADN512MG6687540 KIA RIO SD 15 April 2025
KNAB3512MMT788297 KIA PICANTO SD 15 April 2025
KMHS281KSNU403507 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SD 15 April 2025
KMHJN81BR7U572147 HYUNDAI TUCSON SD 15 April 2025
KMHJN81BMAU183904 HYUNDAI TUCSON SD 15 April 2025
KMHBT51DR9U903984 HYUNDAI GETZ SD 15 April 2025
KL3TA48E9JB005153 HOLDEN BARINA SD 15 April 2025
KL3CD26CJBB062818 HOLDEN CAPTIVA FD 15 April 2025
KE2FW-212279 MAZDA CX-5 SD 15 April 2025
JYACJ25WXKA000664 YAMAHA WR SD 15 April 2025
JTNKU3JE70J116116 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 15 April 2025
JTNKU3JE50J529913 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 15 April 2025
JTNKU3JE40J102724 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 15 April 2025
JTNKU3JE00J064814 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 15 April 2025
JTNK43BE903061395 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 15 April 2025