Put safety first and renew WoFs now, says Waka Kotahi

Warrant of fitness (WoFs) and certificates of fitness (CoFs) that were temporarily extended due to COVID-19 must be renewed by 10 October and time is running out, says Waka Kotahi.

While many Kiwis have had their vehicle inspections done, there’s still approximately 620,000 inspections required on top of those naturally expiring in September and October.

The recent lockdown in Auckland has also impacted numbers, with volumes of WoFs/CoFs down on what was previously expected.

“People need to drop by or book with their local inspection site now,” says Neil Adams, Senior Manager Safer Vehicles, Regulatory Services. “We’ve been asking people to renew early for the past few months and they now run the risk of not getting their vehicle WoF/CoF renewed on time.

“Having a roadworthy vehicle must be a priority for people. Yes, you legally have until 10 October to renew but if your vehicle is well overdue a professional check, it’s not worth delaying and potentially putting yourself and other road users at risk.”

With holiday seasons coming up, Mr Adams also has a strong message for commercial operations.

“We understand the pressure many commercial companies are facing this year. It’s unprecedented and none of us could have foreseen this happening. But with busy holiday seasons coming up fast and more traffic expected on the roads, we need commercial operators to put safety first and get their vehicles checked.

“Rental vehicle companies may be expecting usage to increase with school holidays, Labour weekend and the summer holiday period coming up, and we’re urging them to get their vehicles inspected  now and keep travellers safe.”

• Wait times for vehicle inspections are now significantly longer than normal and are expected to increase further. Depending on alert levels in place, you may be asked to remain in your vehicle while waiting for your inspection.
• Please be considerate to those conducting the inspections as this situation is part of the unprecedented, ongoing COVID-19 impacts.

After 10 October 2020, any vehicle with an expired WoF/CoF/certification must not be used until the vehicle inspection is completed or certification is reinstated.

All vehicles must also display a current vehicle licence (rego) after 10 October 2020 and you can renew online now:

Renew your vehicle licence (rego)(external link)

As there is a legal requirement for vehicles to be licensed continuously, licence fees are backdated to the original expiry date.