In New Zealand, a Warrant of Fitness (WOF; colloquially a warrant) is a document certifying that a light motor vehicle has passed a compulsory periodic inspection of safety and roadworthiness. Most vehicles with a gross mass of under 3,500 kilograms (7,700 lb) which are used on public roads are required to undergo a WOF test annually until six years old, after which the vehicle must be tested six-monthly.
Vehicles over 3,500 kilograms (7,700 lb), passenger service vehicles (taxis, buses, shuttles, etc.), and rental vehicles do not have a Warrant of Fitness. Instead, these vehicles must possess a Certificate of Fitness (COF). The COF test is similar to the WOF test, but must be undergone every six months regardless of the age of the vehicle.
A WOF test checks tyre condition, brake condition, structural condition, lights, glazing, windscreen wipers and washers, doors, seat belts, airbags (if fitted), speedometer, steering and suspension, exhaust, and fuel system. A vehicle must meet certain criteria in each category to pass the Warrant of Fitness. Many local car repair garages throughout New Zealand are authorised to perform testing and to issue Warrants of Fitness.
Each vehicle used on public roads must display a Warrant of Fitness sticker in the top right corner of its windscreen (as viewed from inside the vehicle). The sticker indicates that the vehicle passed its last WOF inspection, and shows when the next inspection is due. The sticker displays on the outside the year the WOF is due, with a hole punched through a number on the side or bottom indicating the month due (e.g. a hole through the number 4 indicates the next test is due in April). On the inside, the sticker shows the full date of when the next inspection is due, the vehicle registration number, and the issuing agent stamp.
A vehicle, even with a current WOF, can still be inspected by a police officer and ordered unroadworthy. If a vehicle lacks a WOF sticker, or its WOF is expired, the driver is liable for a NZ$200 fine.[1][2] If a vehicle is found parked without a valid WOF sticker, the fine may instead be sent to the vehicle's registered owner.[3]
See also
- MOT test (UK)
- National Car Test (Republic of Ireland)
- Shaken (Japan)
Notes
- ^ New Zealand Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002 - Rule 10.2: http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/rules/vehicle-standards-compliance-2002.html#102. Accessed 26 April 2009.
- ^ New Zealand Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999, as amended at 23 January 2009: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1999/0099/latest/DLM280158.html?search=ts_regulation_land+transport_resel#DLM280158. Accessed 26 April 2009.
- ^ Legislation Relevant to Infringement Notices: http://www.fines.govt.nz/relevant_legislation.html#s41a_TA_1962
External links
Warrant of fitness information page provided by New Zealand Land Transport Safety Authority
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