Our intentions: Inspecting vehicles for safety

Each year, over 6.8 million New Zealand vehicles are inspected for a warrant of fitness (for cars and other light vehicles) or a certificate of fitness (for heavy vehicles). Vehicles need a current warrant or certificate of fitness to be driven on New Zealand roads. Vehicle owners expect that when their vehicle has received a warrant or certificate of fitness, that means it is safe for themselves, their passengers, and other road users.

Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) is responsible for appointing and monitoring about 8,500 vehicle inspectors and 3,000 inspecting organisations who are authorised to inspect vehicles and issue warrants and certificates of fitness on Waka Kotahi’s behalf.

Following reviews into Waka Kotahi in 2018 and 2019, the agency made a range of changes to strengthen its regulation of vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations.

What we are focusing on

We will look at how effectively Waka Kotahi makes sure that vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations are meeting requirements for inspecting vehicles and issuing warrants and certificates of fitness.

To do this, we will focus on how effectively Waka Kotahi promotes compliance by vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations, and prevents, detects, and responds to non-compliance.

We will look at the process from the appointment stage, when Waka Kotahi considers applications from an individual or business that wants to issue warrants or certificates of fitness, to Waka Kotahi’s ongoing monitoring and review of the vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations it has approved.

The difference we expect to make

The main aim of this work is to provide assurance to the public and Parliament about how effectively Waka Kotahi makes sure that the vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations are meeting requirements.

The performance audit will also look to highlight good practice, and, if appropriate, suggest improvements to Waka Kotahi’s approach to monitoring vehicle inspectors and inspecting organisations.

We expect to complete this work in the second quarter of 2024.

Please use the feedback form on the right if you would like to speak to a staff member about this performance audit, make a suggestion, or ask a question.