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
5HD1FR41X8Y630171 HARLEY DAVIDSON King W 13 September 2022
WAUZZZ8P45A033164 AUDI A3 W 13 September 2022
Y12-003906 NISSAN Wingroad W 13 September 2022
MNAUMFF50DW202816 FORD Ranger W 13 September 2022
WDD1760432J019108 MERCEDES-BENZ 200 CGI W 13 September 2022
WMWZD32060WL41973 Mini Cooper Countryman W 13 September 2022
AFADXXMJDD5A00596 FORD Focus W 13 September 2022
WVWZZZ1KZ4W085801 VOLKSWAGEN Golf W 13 September 2022
NT31-058854 NISSAN X-Trail W 13 September 2022
ZVW35-3065291 TOYOTA Prius W 13 September 2022
MNBJXXARJJDP66276 FORD Fiesta W 13 September 2022
GG3S-406300 MAZDA Atenza W 13 September 2022
WAUZZZ4F15N081419 AUDI A6 W 13 September 2022
CR3W-102004 MAZDA Premacy F 9 September 2022
MMU148MH0DH611205 HOLDEN Colorado W 9 September 2022
MNADSFD40XW116282 FORD Courier F 9 September 2022
NCEC-150714 MAZDA MX5 W 9 September 2022
RR50-013384 NISSAN Terrano W 9 September 2022
WAUZZZ8X9BB074251 AUDI A1 W 9 September 2022
JM0GH105100123805 MAZDA 6 F 7 September 2022