Written Off Vehicle Codes

What is a write off

There are two types of vehicle write-offs: statutory write-offs and repairable write-offs.

A statutory write-off is when a vehicle has severe structural damage or deterioration, making it unsafe to drive on the road.

A repairable write-off is when a vehicle has been assessed as too costly to repair. However, subject to state laws, it can be re-registered for road use once it has passed a vehicle safety and identity check.

What is the Written Off Vehicle Register (WOVR)

The information about a car's written-off status comes from a database called the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS). This database isn't managed by VINNER, so we aren't able to change or give any more detail about the information that's provided in your search result. The Written Off Vehicle Register contains vehicles that have been declared a "write-off". This includes vehicles that have been badly damaged and are unsafe to drive. It also includes vehicles where the estimated cost of repair is more than the value of the vehicle.

For more information about the details of the write-off, contact the seller of the vehicle or your state or territory's road transport authority.

Understand the codes on your VINNER PPSR report

The written-off information can be broken down into three parts, with each part represented by a different code:

Incident type - described by letters D, F, H, I, M, W

Damage location - described by numbers 1-46

Damage severity - described by letters A-P

Incident Type

Determined by a letter that represents each of the 6 types of incidents

Code	Description
D	Dismantled - Legitimate removal of components for use as parts
F	Fire - Damage caused by combustion
H	Hail - Damage caused by hail stones
I	Impact - Collision of some type with an object, for example another vehicle, tree or pole.
M	Malicious/Vandalism/Stripped - Intentional damage, for example, broken door locks, glass window or windows, paint, scratched or stripped of all or a combination of interior and exterior body parts.
W	Water - Damage caused by water (fresh or salt) such as a storm, river or flood.

Damage Location

Determined by a number ranging from 1-46 that corresponds to a position on the vehicle

Code	Location	Type of vehicle
1	Passenger front	Motor vehicle
2	Driver front	Motor vehicle
3	Driver side	Motor vehicle
4	Driver rear	Motor vehicle
5	Passenger rear	Motor vehicle
6	Passenger side	Motor vehicle
7	Engine	Motor vehicle
8	Roof	Motor vehicle
9	Interior	Motor vehicle
10	Front	Caravan / trailer / motorbike
11	Rear	Caravan / trailer
12	Left rear	Motor bike
13	Right rear	Motor bike
14	Whole vehicle	Motor vehicle
15	Floor pan (passenger front)	Motor vehicle
16	Fire wall	Motor vehicle
17	Chassis/structural rails (passenger)	Motor vehicle
18	Floor pan (driver rear)	Motor vehicle
19	Floor pan (driver front)	Motor vehicle
20	Floor pan (passenger rear)	Motor vehicle
21	Chassis/structural rails (driver)	Motor vehicle
22	A pillar passenger	Motor vehicle
23	A pillar driver	Motor vehicle
24	B pillar passenger	Motor vehicle
25	B pillar driver	Motor vehicle
26	C pillar passenger	Motor vehicle
27	C pillar driver	Motor vehicle
28	D pillar passenger	Motor vehicle
29	D pillar driver	Motor vehicle
30	Engine block (cracked, fractured)	Motor vehicle
31	Transmission case	Motor vehicle
32	Differential case	Motor vehicle
33	Axle housing	Motor vehicle
34	Suspension (passenger front)	Motor vehicle
35	Suspension (driver front)	Motor vehicle
36	Suspension (passenger rear)	Motor vehicle
37	Suspension (driver rear)	Motor vehicle
38	Airbag front	Motor vehicle
39	Airbag side	Motor vehicle
40	Airbag curtain	Motor vehicle
41	Seat belt pre-tensioner	Motor vehicle
42	Battery Pack	NSW heavy vehicles only
43	Tow Point	NSW heavy vehicles only
44	Auxiliary Equipment	NSW heavy vehicles only
45	Hydraulic or other Lifting Equipment	NSW heavy vehicles only
46	Rollover Protective Structure	NSW heavy vehicles only

Damage Severity

Determined by a letter ranging from A-P that represents the level of severity

Code	Description
A	Heavy Panel
B	Light Panel
C	Heavy Structural
D	Light Structural
E	Unrepairable
F	Major Mechanical Damage
G	Minor Mechanical Damage
H	Major Stripping
I	Minor Stripping
J	Major Vandalism
K	Minor Vandalism
L	Water (salt)
M	Water (fresh)
N	Burnt/Blistered
O	Smoke and Heat
P	Minor Smoke