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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
LSJZ14U90MS040589 MG 3 SD 15 October 2024
LSJWH4092PN213116 MG 4 SD 15 October 2024
LSJW74U91NZ065415 MG ZS SD 15 October 2024
LSFA431B5MA121531 LDV D90 SD 15 October 2024
LRW3F7FR5NC600459 TESLA MODEL 3 SD 15 October 2024
KZN185-9025755 TOYOTA HILUX SD 15 October 2024
KPT30B1VSFP012795 SSANGYONG TIVOLI SD 15 October 2024
KPADA1ETSFP238927 SSANGYONG ACTYON SPORT SD 15 October 2024
KNAJE552877313428 KIA SPORTAGE SD 15 October 2024
KNAFX517MJ5727267 KIA CERATO SD 15 October 2024
KNADM514LE6404867 KIA RIO SD 15 October 2024
KNAB3512MLT688250 KIA PICANTO SD 15 October 2024
KMHSU81XSGU612296 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SD 15 October 2024
KMHST81XSFU402188 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SD 15 October 2024
KMHDB51DR9U165262 HYUNDAI I30 SD 15 October 2024
KMHCT51DMCU049178 HYUNDAI ACCENT SD 15 October 2024
KMHBU51AR4U194917 HYUNDAI GETZ SD 15 October 2024
KL3SA486E7B689559 HOLDEN BARINA SD 15 October 2024
KL3CD266JBB057879 HOLDEN CAPTIVA FD 15 October 2024
KL3BA7689KB842578 HOLDEN TRAX SD 15 October 2024