Warrant of Fitness

Warrant of Fitness Checks in New Zealand

If you own a vehicle in New Zealand you will be required to have regular checks completed to ensure that your vehicle is safe to be on the road. If you are confused about whether you require a Warrant of Fitness check, the following questions may help.

• Vehicle Care

What Is a Warrant of Fitness?
A Warrant of Fitness (WOF) is a safety inspection that is compulsory for light vehicles (eg, most cars, vans, utes and 4WDs). If your vehicle was first registered anywhere less than six years ago it must have a Warrant of Fitness inspection every 12 months. All other vehicles must have Warrant of Fitness inspections every six months.

Who Carries Out the WOF Check?
Approved garages and testing stations carry out the Warrant of Fitness inspections. There are around 3,500 approved vehicle care agents in New Zealand.

The Warrant of Fitness 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?)
• 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 (must be no leaks and the exhaust must not besmoky or louder than the original exhaust system)
• Fuel system (there must be no leaks)

When Does My Warrant of Fitness Expire?
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. If your vehicle passes its check, a Warrant of Fitness label will be attached to the inside of the front windscreen, on the same side as the steering wheel. The circle showing the month that the current Warrant of Fitness expires will be punched out when it is issued. You must have your vehicle inspected again before the expiry date on the label.

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

• Your car doesn't meet the warrant of fitness requirements, or
• It doesn't display a valid sticker

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

What If My Vehicle Fails Its Warrant of Fitness Inspection?
If your vehicle fails its Warrant of Fitness inspection and your old Warrant of Fitness 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 warrant of fitness - and provided the vehicle is safe to be operated for that purpose).

If your vehicle has failed because of a noisy or smoky exhaust, discuss your options with your auto mechanic.

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

How Does the Warrant of Fitness Agent Know What to Check?
Warrant of Fitness agents are required to follow the Vehicle Inspection Requirements Manual (VIRM), issued by Land Transport New Zealand.

Regular checks and maintenance on your vehicle will ensure that you will continue to pass your Warrant of Fitness inspections. Look at the Warrant sheet to see if there are any small jobs that should be done before the next check as part of regular maintenance on your car.

If you own or are intending to purchase a heavy vehicle such as trucks, tractors, buses, large motorhomes and large trailers, or a taxi, shuttle or rental vehicle, you will be required to obtain a Certificate of Fitness rather than a Warrant of Fitness.

For further information and online auto resources, check out the NZS.com directory.

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Motoring images from Flickr: My Car, Traffic Lights and Motorway.