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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
WDC1641862A730251 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 S 27 May 2016
WDC1668242A250245 MERCEDES-BENZ GL350 S 27 May 2016
WDD2050452R045682 MERCEDES-BENZ C250 S 27 May 2016
JM0TB10A4B0304763 MAZDA CX9 S 27 May 2016
JM0KE107100265785 MAZDA CX5 S 27 May 2016
JM0KE107100237149 MAZDA CX5 S 27 May 2016
MM0UP0YF100208180 MAZDA BT50 S 27 May 2016
MM0UP0YF100432402 MAZDA BT50 S 27 May 2016
JM0BM523810135425 MAZDA 3 S 27 May 2016
JM0GJ103100135684 MAZDA 6 S 27 May 2016
JM0BM543810113195 MAZDA 3 S 27 May 2016
JM0BL10F100207962 MAZDA 3 S 27 May 2016
JM0BM547610154404 MAZDA 3 S 27 May 2016
JM0BM547810173771 MAZDA 3 S 27 May 2016
JM0BM547810196532 MAZDA 3 S 27 May 2016
JM0BM547610199487 MAZDA 3 S 27 May 2016
MM0DJ2HAA0W166900 MAZDA 2 S 27 May 2016
JM0DE10Y2E0278493 MAZDA 2 S 27 May 2016
JTHBK262502096590 LEXUS IS250 S 27 May 2016
SALLAAAF5FA750188 LANDROVER Discovery S 27 May 2016