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).
VIN/Chassis Make Model Damaged* Date
WBAYN32030EB30375 BMW X2 S 19 November 2024
MNAUM1F50LW089641 FORD Ranger S 19 November 2024
MMU148PK0GH603146 HOLDEN COLORADO SD 16 November 2024
YV1LF06A1P1981742 VOLVO XC90 FS 15 November 2024
ZZE123-0007190 TOYOTA ALLEX SD 15 November 2024
ZVW41-0056655 TOYOTA PRIUS SD 15 November 2024
ZVW30-5625778 TOYOTA PRIUS SD 15 November 2024
ZVW30-5304252 TOYOTA PRIUS SD 15 November 2024
ZVW30-0227753 TOYOTA PRIUS SD 15 November 2024
ZEJL03119 Case IH JXU105 C-G FD 15 November 2024
ZC72S-123294 SUZUKI SWIFT SD 15 November 2024
YV1MW664962212871 VOLVO V50 SD 15 November 2024
WYU11A31383 NISSAN BLUEBIRD SD 15 November 2024
WVWZZZ6RZFU006577 VOLKSWAGEN POLO SD 15 November 2024
WVWZZZ6NZ1Y099350 VOLKSWAGEN POLO SD 15 November 2024
WV1ZZZ2KZDX137460 VOLKSWAGEN CADDY SD 15 November 2024
WV1ZZZ2HZB8074930 VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK SD 15 November 2024
WV1ZZZ2EZF6014104 VOLKSWAGEN CRAFTER SD 15 November 2024
WP1ZZZ95ZHLB44312 PORSCHE MACAN SD 15 November 2024
WF0EXXGBBEDG57354 FORD MONDEO SD 15 November 2024