A potential silver lining of Auckland’s current Covid-19 Alert Level 3 situation is that motorists may have some downtime to address the looming Warrant of Fitness (WoF) deadline from the last NZ lockdown.
The Government extended WoFs that expired after January 1, 2020 for six months from April 10, in response to NZ’s March Level 4 lockdown. That deadline is now getting close: 11.59pm, October 10.
At Auckland’s current L3 status, major WoF testing stations including AA Motoring Services sites and VTNZ, are still operating under a contactless model. It's theoretically a good time to take care of that WoF business.
Read More: The ins and outs of the Warrant of Fitness process
One exception is the AA Vehicle Testing Station in Glen Innes, which has been closed because it’s not possible to have adequate physical distancing at the site.
But all other AA Auto Centres, Vehicle Inspection, Entry Compliance Centres and Pre-Purchase Inspection centres are still operating.
VTNZ is more limited: it’s offering Certificate of Fitness, Heavy Certification and Vehicle Conditions Assessment services during L3, but no licensing, testing, basic service or Pre-Purchase Assessment services. Road User Charges and vehicle registration are available at when aligned with an inspection (not as standalone purchases).
Earlier this month, AA Motoring Services general manager Jonathan Sergel warned that there still hundreds of thousands of cars on the road in NZ with expired Warrants under the extension scheme.
“We appreciate how many motorists were relieved when the temporary extension was announced,” says Sergel. “But we urge them to come in now… rather than wait for the October deadline.
“If everybody waits until October, we anticipate there will be queues everywhere and long wait times. And that won’t just be one-time thing – the rush will happen again in six or 12 months when renewals come up.”
Sergel says the AA is also worried that some are driving unsafe vehicles, because many treat a WoF as a “default safety check”.
If you are taking your vehicle in for a WoF during L3, each organisation will have its own on-site procedures that you’ll need to follow.
However, before you arrive it’s a good idea to remove any clutter or personal items from the vehicle, because it’s unlikely inspectors will be able to unload items from seats or boots during the inspection, in order to minimise the risk of infection.