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).
VIN/Chassis Make Model Damaged* Date
VF1MAF5V666396891 RENAULT Master F 23 November 2022
LGWFF3A54AB640598 GREAT WALL X240 F 23 November 2022
KZN185-0039965 TOYOTA Hilux F 23 November 2022
CW5W-0020105 MITSUBISHI Outlander F 23 November 2022
WAUZZZ4F1BN004318 AUDI A6 W 23 November 2022
GRX120-0013468 TOYOTA Markx F 23 November 2022
KMHNM81XR5U165170 HYUNDAI Terracan W 23 November 2022
LSFAM11B6MA124992 LDV T60 W 23 November 2022
RB1-1075222 HONDA Odyssey F 23 November 2022
JTDKD3B3501633867 TOYOTA Prius S 18 November 2022
KMFWBX7KMMU165619 HYUNDAI Iload S 18 November 2022
JM0KF2WLA00767589 MAZDA CX5 S 18 November 2022
MR0GA3DD700264246 TOYOTA Hilux W 18 November 2022
JTNBA3HK403012787 TOYOTA Camry W 18 November 2022
6FPAAAJGAT7T22429 FORD Territory W 18 November 2022
RB1-1204923 HONDA Odyssey W 18 November 2022
MR0HZ22G003509004 TOYOTA Hilux W 18 November 2022
JHLRM4890CC203869 HONDA CRV W 18 November 2022
JTDKAAB3X0L006101 TOYOTA Yaris W 18 November 2022
MMU148PK0HH603597 HOLDEN Colorado W 18 November 2022