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
TMBFN6NJ9GZ163011 SKODA FABIA SD 11 October 2024
TE52-010741 NISSAN ELGRAND SD 11 October 2024
SXE10-0029803 TOYOTA ALTEZZA SD 11 October 2024
ST246-0008382 TOYOTA CALDINA FD 11 October 2024
SJ5-011088 SUBARU FORESTER WD 11 October 2024
SGLS000LUY1000723 CARAVAN LUNAR LEXON SD 11 October 2024
SGDST3GSWM0930091 SWIFT CHALLENGER 560 SD 11 October 2024
SG5-086702 SUBARU FORESTER SD 11 October 2024
SCP90-2023079 TOYOTA VITZ SD 11 October 2024
RT3-1005577 HONDA CROSSROAD SD 11 October 2024
RH07J-001009 YAMAHA YZF SD 11 October 2024
RE4-1003620 HONDA CRV SD 11 October 2024
RB21S-104176 SUZUKI AERIO SD 11 October 2024
NZE141-6000358 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 11 October 2024
NZE121-5006452 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 11 October 2024
NZE121-0279566 TOYOTA COROLLA SD 11 October 2024
NT30-206365 NISSAN X-TRAIL SD 11 October 2024
NJR85-7052944 ISUZU ELF SD 11 October 2024
NHW20-3563044 TOYOTA PRIUS SD 11 October 2024
NHP10-6540214 TOYOTA AQUA SD 11 October 2024