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Warrants and certificates

All vehicles must meet a range of safety and other requirements before you can legally drive on New Zealand roads. Some requirements have to be met before a vehicle can be registered on entering the country. Other requirements, such as warrants and certificates of fitness, apply once a vehicle is in use to regularly check its ongoing roadworthiness. This section explains the different requirements and the steps to take to meet them.

Warrant of fitness

A warrant of fitness (WoF) is a regular check to ensure that your vehicle meets required safety standards.

Certificate of fitness

Heavy vehicles (trucks, larger trailers), motorhomes, passenger service vehicles (taxis, shuttles and buses) and rental vehicles all require a certificate of fitness (CoF).

Entry certification

All vehicles entering New Zealand must be checked, certified, registered and licensed before you can use them on the road.

Modifying your vehicle

Any vehicle modifications you make may need a low volume vehicle (LVV) certification to get a warrant of fitness (WoF).

Modifying heavy vehicles

You need to use a heavy vehicle specialist certifier to oversee modifications to your bus, truck, trailer or other heavy vehicle that change part or all of its structure or layout.

Alternative fuel certificates

Vehicles powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) must undergo additional checks to ensure the fuel systems are safe.

Repair certification

If your vehicle needs repairs to fix structural damage or deterioration it may require repair certification.

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