JPJ and Puspakom vehicle inspection
Your vehicle needs to be inspected and you are not sure why or by whom.
A JPJ or Puspakom vehicle inspection checks a vehicle’s condition and records after a road accident, separately from any personal injury claim arising from the same crash. JPJ, the Road Transport Department, holds registration and licensing records. Puspakom is the company licensed to physically inspect vehicles for roadworthiness and damage.
Why a vehicle sometimes needs inspecting
A damaged vehicle may need a Puspakom inspection before it can be repaired, re-registered or sold on. The inspection looks at structural damage, roadworthiness and any modifications, feeding into how repair costs or a total loss are assessed.
This step is for the vehicle, not for your injuries. It runs on its own track even when the same accident caused both kinds of loss.
Where JPJ fits in
JPJ’s records confirm who owned a vehicle and who was licensed to drive it at the time of the accident. If ownership or licensing is disputed, a JPJ record is the first place to check. JPJ does not carry out the physical inspection.
How this connects to the vehicle damage claim
Compulsory motor insurance in Malaysia is built around covering third-party death and injury; cover for your own vehicle is a separate, optional part of a comprehensive policy.[1] The inspection report typically supports that separate vehicle damage claim.
Claiming for your own vehicle damage explains how that process works once an inspection has taken place.
Who actually arranges it
The vehicle owner, or the insurer handling the damage claim, usually arranges the inspection. If you were a passenger or pedestrian with no vehicle of your own involved, this step may not concern you. Appointments are generally booked in advance.
Why this stays separate from your injury claim
An injury claim depends on medical evidence and how the accident happened, not on the state of any vehicle. Keeping the two apart helps when dealing with two insurers at once. Progress on one does not wait for the other.
What to do if you are waiting on an inspection
Photograph the damage as soon as possible after the accident, before any repair. These photos can matter later, even once an inspection report exists.
If your accident also caused an injury, the claim process shows where that separate track sits. An independent lawyer can take on the injury claim while the inspection goes ahead. Send the accident date, where it happened, whether anyone was injured (yes/no) and the police report status.
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
Common questions
What does Puspakom actually check?
Puspakom, the company licensed to run mandatory vehicle inspections in Malaysia, checks roadworthiness, structural damage and modifications. After an accident, this can support an insurer's assessment of repair costs or whether a vehicle is beyond economical repair.
What does JPJ have to do with my claim?
JPJ, the Road Transport Department, holds vehicle registration and ownership records rather than inspecting the vehicle itself. Its records can matter if ownership or who was licensed to drive is ever in question.
Who arranges the inspection, me or the insurer?
It is usually the vehicle owner, or the insurer handling the vehicle damage claim, who arranges it. If your accident also caused an injury, you do not need to organise this yourself for that separate claim.
Does a vehicle inspection affect my injury claim?
Not directly. Vehicle inspection deals with the car or bike; your injury claim depends on medical evidence and the accident circumstances instead. The two run alongside each other rather than depending on one another.
Sources
- Road Transport Act 1987, s.91 (Ministry of Transport) (accessed 2026-09-22)
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.