Warrant of Fitness (WoF)
A Warrant of Fitness (WoF) is a periodic safety inspection that is compulsory for light vehicles. A light vehicle is a car, station wagon, van or 4WD vehicle. It can also be a moped, motorcycle or similar, including a trike.
Legally, to operate your vehicle on public roads, you must have your vehicle inspected for a WoF:
- every 12 months, if your vehicle is less than six years old
- every six months, if your vehicle is more than six years old
and maintain it at the WoF standard in between inspections.
As an authorised agent of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), Motavation Garage follows the Vehicle Inspection Requirements Manual (VIRM) issued by NZTA.
To book your WoF with us today contact us.
Warrant of Fitness Safety Inspection Checklist
When you bring your vehicle in for a Warrant of Fitness check, a number of safety checks are made to ensure your car is legally safe to operate on New Zealand roads in accordance to the NZTA.
The WoF safety checks include, but are not limited to:
- Tyre condition, including tread depth
- Brake operation
- Structural condition – rust isn't allowed in certain key areas
- Lights – are all bulbs working?
- Glazing – is your windscreen safe?
- Windscreen washers and wipers – do they work?
- Door operation safety – do they open and close safely?
- Safety belts (seat belts) – must not be faded or damaged; buckles must work properly
- Airbags (if fitted) – SRS light should work correctly
- Speedometer operating as expected
- Steering and suspension – must be safe and secure
- Exhaust – there must be no leaks and not be too loud or too smoky
- Fuel system – no leaks present
After your vehicle passes its WoF check, it becomes your responsibility to keep it in the condition that it was in when it passed the inspection.
Please note that a Warrant of Fitness inspection isn't a Pre-Purchase Inspection – though you can get a thorough Pre-Purchase Inspection from Motavation Garage.
The Warrant of Fitness doesn't cover many areas of a vehicle's condition such as:
- Engine, clutch, gearbox and differential
- Lubricant levels and condition
- Brake pad thickness or life expectancy
- Paint work condition and rust in non-structural areas
Warrant of Fitness Expiry Dates
The WoF starts from the date your vehicle passes the inspection. The WoF will then be valid for 12 months for vehicles less than six years old, or six (6) months for vehicles older than six years.
However, if you bring your vehicle to us a few days before the current WoF expires, the expiry date of the new WoF can be extended equal to the number of days you had left on the old WoF. There is a maximum of 14 days that your WoF can be extended to prior to your vehicle's current WoF expiring.
Failing the 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 WoF, and provided the vehicle is safe to be operated for that purpose).
When all the areas that required attention have been fixed, the re-check is free of charge as long as you return the vehicle to us within 28 days of the first inspection.
Information for Modified Vehicles
If you modify your light vehicle, the modification may need to be inspected and certified before the vehicle can pass its Warrant of Fitness.
Inspections to modified light vehicles are performed by 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) issued by the NZTA.