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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
WVWZZZ1KZ5U005913 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SD 6 May 2025
WVWZZZ1JZXP236651 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SD 6 May 2025
WVWZZZ1JZ2P382109 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SD 6 May 2025
WMWXU72010TN44236 MINI HATCH SD 6 May 2025
WMWMF32020TT25887 BMW MINI SD 6 May 2025
WF0PXXGCDPAU18892 FORD FOCUS SD 6 May 2025
WF0HXXGAJH4K63491 FORD FIESTA SD 6 May 2025
WF0GXXGBBGCD32969 FORD MONDEO SD 6 May 2025
WDD2120232A394414 MERCEDES-BENZ E SD 6 May 2025
WDD2052042F367178 MERCEDES-BENZ C220 SD 6 May 2025
WDD2040412A349242 MERCEDES-BENZ C200 SD 6 May 2025
WBAVP520X0VK52253 BMW X1 XDRIVE23D SD 6 May 2025
WBAPG56060NL22236 BMW 320I WD 6 May 2025
WBAAM52090FK83009 BMW 328I SD 6 May 2025
WBAAM52010FK83473 BMW 328I SD 6 May 2025
WBA3D36000NS41857 BMW 320D WD 6 May 2025
WBA2A52040V495593 BMW 2 SERIES SD 6 May 2025
WBA1A32000E639186 BMW 120I SD 6 May 2025
WAUZZZ8XXCB240178 AUDI A1 SD 6 May 2025
WAUZZZ8V3E1029685 AUDI S3 SD 6 May 2025