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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
ZC72S-104738 SUZUKI SWIFT SD 6 June 2025
ZC71S-592812 SUZUKI SWIFT SD 6 June 2025
ZC71S-443221 SUZUKI SWIFT SD 6 June 2025
ZC11S-101484 SUZUKI SWIFT SD 6 June 2025
YV1MV485BE2136130 VOLVO V40 SD 6 June 2025
YV1MK434BC2283472 VOLVO C30 SD 6 June 2025
YV1MK385982059001 VOLVO C30 SD 6 June 2025
Y12-186390 NISSAN WINGROAD SD 6 June 2025
WVWZZZAUZGW340602 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SD 6 June 2025
WVGZZZ7LZ6D008633 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG SD 6 June 2025
WVGZZZ5NZCW099956 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN WD 6 June 2025
WV2ZZZST0RH002548 VOLKSWAGEN T7 FD 6 June 2025
WV2ZZZ2KZGX090750 VOLKSWAGEN CADDY SD 6 June 2025
WMWRE32010TC87726 BMW MINI SD 6 June 2025
WMW42GD0002W59373 MINI COOPER SD 6 June 2025
WDD1760512J532819 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS SD 6 June 2025
WBAVL320X0VN76240 BMW X1 SD 6 June 2025
WBAVA76060NL37582 BMW 320I SD 6 June 2025
WBAPG56000NM40136 BMW 320I WD 6 June 2025
WBAPC72060WG59533 BMW X3 SD 6 June 2025