Vehicle inspector applications (WoF and CoF)

Vehicle inspector applications (WoF and CoF)

Overview of the application process

  1. Complete training with an in-house or external provider so you’re prepared to pass a theory and practical test.
  2. Send us a complete application form with relevant supporting documents.
  3. We’ll assess your application and let you know if you meet requirements to sit a theory test.
    Note: If you’re applying for CoF B you’ll also need to send us evidence that you’ve completed roller brake machine (RBM) training before sitting the theory test.
  4. Pass a theory test conducted by Waka Kotahi.
  5. Pass a practical test conducted by Waka Kotahi.
  6. If your application is successful, we’ll appoint you as a vehicle inspector.

Submitting your application

Make sure you've completed all sections of the form, and supplied all the supporting documents we request. If your application is incomplete, we'll send it back to you.

Email it to vehicleinspections@nzta.govt.nz or post it to:

Provider Licensing
Waka Kotahi
Private Bag 11777
Palmerston North 4442

Prerequisites to apply

You must have a current and correct class of driver licence to drive the class of vehicles being inspected.

Note: Where a class 5 vehicle does not have to be driven by the vehicle inspector who is conducting the inspection, the minimum class of licence to be held is a class 4 licence.

Type of applicationDetails
WoF There are no prerequisites to apply for appointment as a WoF inspector.
CoF A

You must hold a current appointment as a WoF vehicle inspector to apply for CoF A.

This includes holding the appropriate inspection group. For example, to inspect CoF A motorcycles, you must hold an appointment as a WoF motorcycle inspector.

CoF B goods service vehicles (GSV)

Heavy vehicles except passenger service vehicles (PSVs) (class NB, NC, TC, TD)
There are no prerequisites to apply for CoF B GSV.
CoF B (PSV)

Heavy PSVs (class MD3, MD4, ME)

To apply for CoF B PSV you must have:

  • held an appointment as a CoF B GSV vehicle inspector for a minimum of three months, and
  • received a compliant performance review as a CoF B GSV vehicle inspector.

Training required

TrainingDetails
In-house or external training to prepare for a theory and practical test

You must pass a theory and practical test to be appointed as a VI. Training should cover:

  • a comprehensive knowledge of the requirements in the VIRM: In-service certification,
  • a comprehensive knowledge of common vehicles and their:
    i. structure, including glazing and external projections
    ii. suspension, steering and braking systems
    iii. safety equipment, including seatbelts and airbags
    iv. lighting system requirements
  • approved training in roller brake machine use for CoF B (if you’re applying for CoF B).
Access to a CoF-appointed Inspecting Organisation required for CoF applicants

You’ll need access to a CoF-appointed inspecting organisation to become a CoF inspector. This is because part of the certificate involves being mentored, supervised, and assessed on the job by completing practical activities.

If you’re applying for appointment as a CoF inspecting organisation and vehicle inspector at the same time, you’ll be able to complete the above practical activities at the site you’re applying for (as long as your inspecting organisation application is also successful).

CoF inspecting organisation applications

Roller brake machine training required for CoF B

If you’re applying to become a CoF B vehicle inspector you must:

  • complete roller brake machine training with an approved training provider, then
  • send us evidence of training with your application.

List of approved roller brake machine trainers

Qualifications or experience required

QualificationDetails
WoF - light motor vehicles, light trailers, or motorcycles

You must:

  • be qualified as an automotive technician with either an NZ Trade Certificate in Automotive Engineering, National A-Grade Registration, NZ Advanced Trade Certificate, or 
  • be qualified as an automotive technician in Automotive Engineering with either National Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 4 or higher), National Registration, and have 3 years continuous relevant work experience, or
  • be a person who has worked in full-time employment carrying out repairs and maintenance to the safety aspects of motor vehicles for at least 4 cumulative years.

We can also consider equivalent qualifications and overseas qualifications (more details below).

WoF – agricultural machines, tractors, forklifts, heavy vehicles exempt from CoF

You must:

  • be qualified as an automotive technician with either NZ Trade Certificate, National A-Grade Registration, NZ Advanced Trade Certificate, and 2 years experience in the servicing and repair of agricultural machines/tractors/forklifts/heavy vehicles exempt from CoF, or
  • an automotive technician with either National Certificate in Automotive Engineering, National Registration, and 2 years experience in the servicing and repair of agricultural machines/tractors, or
  • a person who has carried out the general repair and maintenance of agricultural machines/tractors/forklifts/ heavy vehicles exempt from CoF for at least 5 cumulative years.

We can also consider equivalent qualifications and overseas qualifications (more details below).

CoF ABecause you have to hold an appointment as a WoF inspector to apply for CoF A, you don’t have to send us evidence of your qualifications or experience again.
CoF B – qualifications accepted and experience required

You can apply for appointment as a CoF B inspector if you have 3 years relevant work experience and one of the following qualifications, as an automotive technician related to heavy vehicles:

  • NZ Trade Certificate in Automotive Engineering
  • NZ Advanced Trade Certificate
  • National A-Grade Registration
  • National Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 4 or higher)
  • National Registration

We can also consider equivalent qualifications and overseas qualifications (more details below).

No qualifications – work experience only

You can apply for appointment as a CoF inspector if you have worked full-time carrying out repairs and maintenance to all safety aspects of light motor vehicles (for CoF A) or heavy motor vehicles (for CoF B) for at least five years cumulatively.

You’ll need to supply evidence of relevant work experience with your application, in the form of a reference and/or personal statement (see next section of this page).

Overseas qualifications and equivalent qualifications

If your qualification has been assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), send us evidence of this assessment with your application.

If your qualification hasn’t been assessed by NZQA, include a cover letter telling us how long it took to be awarded the qualification, and the skills you gained.

References, personal statements, evidence of relevant work experience

All CoF B applications must include references or a personal statement, and evidence of relevant work experience.

Other applications may require these documents as well. Refer to the table below for more information on what to include.

Supporting documentDetails
Reference or personal statement

You must include:

  • the dates you were employed
  • the positions you held
  • details of the full mechanical repairs you carried out in each position.

See below for further information about relevant work experience.

Relevant work experience

We’re looking for evidence that you’ve carried our repairs and maintenance to all safety aspects of  heavy motor vehicles.

This includes repairs and maintenance to a vehicle’s:

  • structure, including glazing and external projections
  • suspension, steering and braking systems
  • safety equipment, including seatbelts and airbags
  • lighting system

Please make sure you cover all of the above in your references or personal statement.

If you’ve been self-employed

If you’ve been self-employed, you’ll need to provide documentation confirming this.

For example:

  • a detailed personal statement
  • evidence of accounting records
  • a company register extract (if you operated as a company)
  • other relevant business records.

Assessing your application

What we assess Details
Fit and proper person check

We’ll complete a fit and proper person check for you with your application. This may include:

  • police vetting (criminal conviction history)
  • traffic offence history (all transport related offences, for example speed offences, speed camera offences, no evidence of inspection (WoF or CoF), failure to stop at a stop sign, used a mobile phone while driving etc)
  • Ministry of Justice fine summary
  • internal debt check (road user charges, tolling debt, outstanding vehicle licensing fees etc).

Fit and proper person guidelines

Qualifications, experience, and trainingWe’ll assess the qualifications, experience, and references you send us with your application.
Performance history

If you hold or have previously held a vehicle inspector or inspecting organisation appointment, we may assess your performance history. This may include:

  • announced and unannounced reviews
  • complaints
  • investigations
  • previous suspensions or revocations.
Theory test

You must pass a theory test conducted by Waka Kotahi.

The theory test is an open book exam on VIRM requirements. You’ll have 40 minutes to complete the test:

  • WoF: There are 28 questions and you’ll need to answer a minimum of 25 correctly to pass.
  • CoF A: There are 28 questions and you’ll need to answer a minimum of 25 correctly to pass.
  • CoF B (GSV): There are 26 questions and you’ll need to answer a minimum of 23 correctly to pass.
  • CoF B (PSV): There are 26 questions and you’ll need to answer a minimum of 24 correctly to pass.

One of our Certification Officers will complete this assessment at your site or at one of your local Waka Kotahi offices, if this is an option.  We’ll contact you to arrange this.

Practical test

Once you’ve passed the theory test you’ll also need to pass a practical test conducted by Waka Kotahi.

The practical test involves demonstrating your inspection process on a suitable vehicle. You’ll need to arrange your own vehicle for this test as one will not be provided for you. We’ll discuss what type of vehicle you need before we visit you at your site.

If your application isn't successful

We’ll propose to decline your application

If your application doesn’t meet our requirements, we’ll send you a notice proposing to decline your application. In that notice, we’ll let you know our concerns and what we’ve considered when assessing your application.

This step isn’t a final decision to decline your application. You’ll have the opportunity to make submissions (give more information) to us, which we’ll consider before we make a final decision.

We may still decline your application

If you don’t make any submissions to us, or the submissions you do make still don’t meet our requirements, we may send you a final decision declining your application.

If that happens, you have the right to appeal our decision to a district court under section 106 of the Land Transport Act 1998. Section 111 of the act and part 20, subpart 2 of the District Court Rules 2014 explain how to appeal.

If you're appointed as a vehicle inspector

RequirementDetails
Maintaining your appointment

Appointment as a vehicle inspector is for a 3-year term.

To maintain your appointment you must complete a minimum of 25 inspections per year, including at least one inspection in each category you hold.

Inspection categories are:

  • WoF
  • CoF A
  • CoF B.
Use the Vehicle inspector (VI) code of conduct

All vehicle inspectors must sign and abide to the NZ Transport Agency vehicle inspector code of conduct, which provides the minimum ethical and behavioural standards that are expected of all VIs.

  • If you’re already a vehicle inspector you don’t need to sign a new code of conduct.
  • If this is a new appointment, you’ll be asked to sign a code of conduct when you've passed your practical assessment.

You don’t need to send us a signed code of conduct with your application.

Vehicle inspector code of conduct

Performance monitoring and review

We’ll review you and your IO regularly.

Reviews may be announced (we’ll tell you we’re coming) or unannounced (we’ll just show up).

The performance monitoring and review process:

  • targets our resources at IOs and VIs that are identified as higher risk
  • encompasses quality management, inspection processes and technical requirements
  • ensures regular assessments of all IOs and VIs
  • involves more targeted output inspections of vehicles by certification officers.
Manage any conflict of interest and financial interest

You can’t inspect a vehicle you have a financial interest in the operation of. For example, if you (or one of your family members) own:

  • a taxi company, you can’t inspect the taxis associated that company.
  • a trucking company, you can’t inspect that company’s fleet of vehicles.

There is one exception: you can inspect a vehicle the inspecting organisation has a financial interest in the operation of if the inspecting organisation primarily uses the vehicle to deliver inspection and certification services.

Other conflicts of interest

You should avoid situations that lead to potential, perceived, or actual conflicts of interest.

Common other conflicts of interest include inspecting:

  • your own vehicle
  • family members’ vehicles
  • friends’ vehicles
  • vehicles you’re selling
  • vehicles you’re servicing and repairing.

However, we recognise there may be times where you can’t avoid these situations, which is why your inspecting organisation must have a plan in place to identify and manage conflicts of interest.

All conflicts of interest must be recorded in an inspecting organisation’s quality management system.

Conflict of interest scenarios

Compliance with legislation, policies, and procedures

You must carry out inspection and certification activities in accordance with:

The relevant Vehicle inspection requirements manual: In-service certification (VIRM).

Contact us if you have any questions If you have any questions about applying to become a CoF inspector, email info@nzta.govt.nz.

Notification of vehicle inspector transfer form (PDF)

Version: June 2023

Use this form to advise Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency that an inspecting organisation will be employing a new vehicle inspector, or that a vehicle inspector will be leaving the employment of the inspecting organisation.

Waka Kotahi requires as much notice as possible to action any vehicle inspector transfer requests. Please ensure all requests are submitted at least 3 days before the date of transfer.

VI1B Vehicle inspector application: Warrant of fitness - light motor vehicles

Version: October 2023

Use this form when applying to become a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency vehicle inspector for the issuing of warrants of fitness (WoF).
VI1R Vehicle inspector resit application (warrant of fitness - light motor vehicles (PDF)

Version: October 2023
Use this form to apply to resit an assessment to become a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency vehicle inspector for the issuing of warrants of fitness (WoF).

VI2 Vehicle inspector application: Warrant of fitness - agricultural machines / tractors / forklifts / heavy vehicles exempt from CoF

Version: October 2023

Use this form when applying to become a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency vehicle inspector for the issuing of warrants of fitness (WoF).

VI3 Application to add inspection groups

Version: October 2023

Use this form when applying to add motorcycles, light trailers or light motor vehicles to your current warrant of fitness (WoF) vehicle inspector’s (VI) authorisation.
VI4 Application to become an alternative fuels vehicle inspector
This form is used when applying to become a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency vehicle inspector of vehicles using alternative fuels.
VI5B CoF Vehicle inspector application (PDF)

Version: October 2023
Use this form when applying to become a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency vehicle inspector for the issuing of certificates of fitness (CoF).