Warrant of Fitness Wellness

The warrant of fitness (WoF) check for your vehicle is designed to ensure that it is road worthy and meets accepted standards of operation. Usually a Wof check takes about half an hour.

You can have it checked at your local garage or testing station. If your vehicle passes the inspection successfully, so much the better. If not, you will need to rectify any issues within 28 days and return to the same tester to have it re-checked.

There are some 3200 WoF testing centres around New Zealand. If your vehicle is less than six years old, your WoF is due annually. If your vehicle is older than that, it needs to be checked every six months. It is illegal to drive without a current warrant of fitness, or not to display a valid WoF sticker.

What a WoF Covers

The Wof check covers structural aspects of the vehicle’s operation, which you can’t always see, but all of the checks are designed to optimise safety, not gather revenue.

It is not a pre-purchase inspection, but it does cover tyre condition (including tread depth), brake operation, structural condition (rust in dangerous in certain areas), lights, glazing (windscreen condition), doors, safety belts, airbags, speedometer, steering and suspension, exhaust and the fuel system (to check there are no leaks). It will also check any modifications you may have made to your vehicle.

You will receive a reminder in the weeks before your WoF is due to expire. This is an excellent time to schedule a service for your car, so that your Wof check goes smoothly. If you know you need new tyres, or if there are any faults that you aware of, fix them before the WoF and save yourself a return visit.