Warrant of fitness inspections

What is a warrant of fitness?

A warrant of fitness (WoF) is a periodic safety inspection that is compulsory for light vehicles (eg, most cars, vans, utes and 4WDs).

• Vehicles first registered anywhere less than six years ago must have WoF inspections every 12 months.
• All other vehicles must have WoF inspections every six months.

Who carries out the WoF safety check?

Approved garages and testing stations (WoF agents) carry out WoF inspections. There are around 3,500 WoF agents in New Zealand.

To find one near you, look in the Yellow pages.

What does the WoF inspection include?

The WoF inspection is a general safety check, and includes:

• tyre condition (including tread depth)
• brake operation
• structural condition. (Rust is not allowed in certain areas)
• lights (Are all bulbs working? Do lights comply?)
• glazing (Is your windscreen safe?)
• windscreen washers and wipers
• doors (Do they open and close safely?)
• safety belts (Must not be faded or damaged; buckles must work properly)
• airbags (if fitted)
• speedometer (Must be working)
• steering and suspension. (Must be safe and secure)
• exhaust (There must be no leaks and the exhaust must not be smoky or louder than the original exhaust system)
• fuel system (There must be no leaks).

After your vehicle passes its warrant of fitness check, it's your responsibility to keep it in the condition that it was in when it passed the inspection.

Note that a warrant of fitness inspection isn't a prepurchase inspection. It doesn't cover many areas of a vehicle's condition — for example, it doesn't cover:

• engine, clutch, gearbox and differential
• lubricant levels and condition
• brake pad thickness or life expectancy
• paint work condition and rust in nonstructural areas.

The WoF label

If your vehicle passes its WoF check, a WoF label will be attached to the inside of the front windscreen, on the same side as the steering wheel. The circle showing the month the WoF expires will be punched out when the WoF is issued.

You must have your vehicle inspected again before the expiry date on the label.

It's illegal to drive a motor vehicle on the road if:

• it doesn't meet the WoF requirements, or
• it doesn't display a valid WoF sticker.

WoF expiry dates

The WoF starts from the date your vehicle passes the inspection. However, if you take your vehicle to a WoF agent a few days before the current WoF expires, the expiry date of the new WoF may be extended, equal to the number of days you had left on the old WoF (to a maximum of 14 days).

What if my vehicle fails its WoF inspection?

If your vehicle fails its WoF inspection and your old WoF has expired, you are not allowed to drive it on the road (unless it is being operated solely for the purpose of bringing it into compliance and obtaining a new WoF — and provided the vehicle is safe to be operated for that purpose).

If your vehicle has failed because of a noisy exhaust, refer to the noisy exhaust page to find out more about your options for passing the WoF.

If your vehicle has failed because of a smoky exhaust, refer to the smoky vehicles page to find out more about the causes of exhaust smoke and how to repair them.

When all the areas that required attention have been fixed, the reinspection is free of charge if you return the vehicle to the same WoF agent within 28 days of the first inspection.

How does the WoF agent know what to check?

WoF agents are required to follow the Vehicle inspection requirements manual (VIRM), issued by Land Transport New Zealand.

Online database for WoF inspection results

The results of the safety inspection go into WoF Online, Land Transport New Zealand's online database for warrant of fitness inspection records.

All WoF agents have access to, and use, the WoF Online system.

Is my light vehicle 'modified'?

If you modify your light vehicle, the modification may need to be inspected and certified before the vehicle can get its WoF. A light vehicle is a car, stationwagon, van or 4WD vehicle. It can also be a moped, motorcycle or similar, including a trike.

The people who inspect modifications to light vehicles are called low volume vehicle (LVV) certifiers. They are represented by a group called the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (LVVTA).

Not every modification needs to be LVV certified — it depends on the extent of modification. This is set out for each inspection item in the Vehicle inspection requirements manual (VIRM).

Also useful is the LVV certification threshold schedule (PDF, 691 KB), on the LVVTA website.

If you have a modified noisy exhaust, you should read the noisy exhaust pamphlet.

See Your guide to modification and customisation.

More information

For more information about warrant of fitness inspections, contact Land Transport New Zealand.

• Email info@nzta.govt.nz.
• Phone our helpdesk on (freephone) 0800 699 000.

Last updated: 22 December 2005