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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
WDF4702312G007343 MERCEDES-BENZ X-CLASS SD 28 March 2025
WDD2130712A142348 MERCEDES-BENZ E400 SD 28 March 2025
WDD1690332J127223 MERCEDES-BENZ A200 SD 28 March 2025
WDC1641752A121545 MERCEDES-BENZ ML SD 28 March 2025
WBAXW320600S47760 BMW X4 SD 28 March 2025
WBAUE32030E646571 BMW 116I SD 28 March 2025
WBAUE12070P243668 BMW 116I SD 28 March 2025
WBANU920X0CU36345 BMW 530I SD 28 March 2025
WBANU92030CU35957 BMW 530I SD 28 March 2025
WBAHL62010DT40273 BMW 740I WD 28 March 2025
WBA1R520X0V876711 BMW 1 SERIES SD 28 March 2025
WAUZZZ8T4AA082209 AUDI A5 SD 28 March 2025
WAUZZZ8K6BA142306 AUDI A4 SD 28 March 2025
WAUZZZ4L98D019413 AUDI Q7 SD 28 March 2025
WAUZZZ4G7EN177323 AUDI S7 SD 28 March 2025
W0L0AHL4855217660 HOLDEN ASTRA SD 28 March 2025
VZN185-0069378 TOYOTA HILUX SD 28 March 2025
VY12-052606 NISSAN AD SD 28 March 2025
V2195 VICTORY LUXE 654 NZ SD 28 March 2025
UBS69GW-7112389 ISUZU BIGHORN SD 28 March 2025