Correct as at 30th March 2024. It may be superseded at any time.

Extract taken: from Vehicle Inspection Portal > VIRMs > Entry certification > Technical bulletins > Water- or fire-damaged vehicles

2 Water- or fire-damaged vehicles

Applicable legislation
Application
Note 1

Water- or fire-damaged vehicles imported from Japan may not have been de-registered in Japan. This means that vehicles imported from Japan presented with registration documents only are more ‘at risk’ vehicles.

Note 2

Do not rule out the possibility that privately imported vehicles have suffered water or fire damage.

Vehicles flagged at the border

If water or fire damage is detected on a vehicle during a border inspection, the vehicle will be flagged as damaged and the details forwarded to Waka Kotahi at frr@nzta.govt.nz.

A Waka Kotahi Case Officer will then record a water or fire damage message in the vehicle notes on LANDATA. This message reads as follows:

‘Water-damaged vehicle. Must be certified by a specialist repair certifier.’

or

'Fire damaged vehicle. Must be certified by a specialist repair certifier. Not to be certified by an IO without approval from NZTA NO.'

Any vehicle that has a water or fire damage message attached must be referred to a specialist repair certifier before processing for registration, as the vehicle may not be able to be economically repaired.

Note 3

Specialist repair certifier in this case means a light vehicle repair certifier or heavy vehicle specialist certifier as applicable to the vehicle class.

Water or fire damage detected by IOs

If an IO carrying out entry-level certification detects water or fire damage on a vehicle that has not been flagged for damage at the border, the vehicle must be referred to a specialist repair certifier. The IO must notify Waka Kotahi at frr@nzta.govt.nz, so that the vehicle can be added to the list of water and fire damaged vehicles recorded on the website. They must also record the water or fire damage message (as above) in the vehicle notes on LANDATA.

Documentation to be provided with water or fire damaged vehicles
Light vehicles

a) The following documents must be presented with a water-damaged vehicle before it can be processed for registration:

b) The following documents must be presented with a fire-damaged vehicle before it can be processed for registration:

Heavy vehicles

Documentation to be provided with water or fire damaged vehicles: a) The following documents must be presented with a water-damaged vehicle before it can be processed for registration:

  • An LT400.

b) The following documents must be presented with a fire-damaged vehicle before it can be processed for registration:

  • An LT400.

Page updated 10 December 2020 (see details).