New process streamlines modified vehicles
A new process designed to assist importers of modified vehicles, particularly disability vehicles, is being trialled by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) following feedback from interested parties.
The main aim of the new process is to allow imported modified vehicles to be excluded from Low Volume Vehicle (LVV) certification in New Zealand if they have already met appropriate overseas standards. Major responses indicated: Support for the proposed change, as key players saw it as highly likely to reduce the time and cost involved with importing modified vehicles, and therefore increasing access to disability vehicles for those who need them
The proposal would identify modifications which have been made to the vehicle overseas, and to be able to separate these modifications from any done after the vehicle had been landed in New Zealand.
There may be issues with overseas standards that are not aligned with New Zealand standards.
There may be problems identifying and listing the modifications at the port of entry as this is a specialised field.
As a result of this feedback the NZTA has added a step that requires entry certifiers to record the specific modifications in the inspection database (Landata), based on both the documentation received from overseas, and on a visual inspection by the certifier.
Where there is no equivalent standard between the modifying country and New Zealand, the NZTA must be satisfied that the overall process results in a safe vehicle before that country approval is accepted, in line with that of unmodified imported production vehicles.
Samples of export documentation and approval plates or labels will be supplied to entry certifiers to help them in the process.
The new process started on November 1, with modified vehicles with European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval. Work is still continuing on working out a solution on how to extend the process to modified vehicles from Japan brought about by the complexities of the Japanese certification system.
The diagram above explains the process.