CAR SHIPPING TO NEW ZEALAND – IMPORT REGULATIONS
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ENTRY CERTIFICATION RULES AND REGULATIONS
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has laid down a set of rules and regulations for vehicle imports (tel: 0800 108 809 or +64 9 9506200 or info@nzta.gov.nz). The regulations concern safety, emissions and frontal impact standards and verifying the legal owner of a vehicle and that it does not require any repairs prior to registration in New Zealand.
All classes of vehicle must be entry inspected by an NZTA-appointed entry certifier once they have cleared customs and quarantine and before they can be registered for use on the road. Only approved testing stations in New Zealand can verify entry certification compliance. Different rules and exemptions apply to each class of vehicle and a car is classified as an MA vehicle, a motorcycle is a class LC, a 4x4 a class MC and a camper / motorhome / minibus a class MB. The regulations and exemptions applying to each type, make and model of vehicle and each individual importer is not always conclusive and decisions and rulings can only be made by an entry certifying company in New Zealand.
Other types of vehicle have their own classes, e.g. vans, buses etc. but as the rules and regulations and costs are quite prohibitive they are not included here. Different rules also apply to special interest low volume, high performance, two-door or convertible type vehicles up to 20 years old and again the rules for these are not covered here and neither are scratchbuilt or highly modified vehicles e.g. kit cars, road race cars etc.
It is important that an entry certifier is contacted prior to shipment from the UK. For them to provide advice they would require details of the vehicle type, year, make, model, chassis / VIN number, details of any UN-ECE or EC plate / sticker fixed to the vehicle along with the importer's residency status, length of car ownership and how long they would have lived overseas / in the UK prior to taking up permanent residence in New Zealand. Once a vehicle has arrived in New Zealand and passed entry certification a form MR2A is issued which allows it to be registered, licensed and then used legally on the road.
Approved entry certifiers are (cost about NZ$400–600 + any repair/modification costs):
The Automobile Association (AA), tel. no. +64 9 966 8800, email: aatech@aa.co.nz
Vehicle Inspection New Zealand (VINZ), tel. no. +64 9 580 3170, email: info@vinz.co.nz
Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ), tel. no. +64 4 495 2500, email: technical@vtnz.co.nz
Safer Vehicle Testing (SVT), tel. no. +64 9 286 1169,
email: kismatt@safervehicletesting.co.nz
Cars (MA) must meet emission standards, be entry inspected, roadworthy (WoF), right-hand drive (LHD have different rules), be built to approved frontal impact standards, must have evidence of the vehicle's fuel consumption and must meet other vehicle standards.
4x4’s (MC) and minibuses / campers (MB) must meet emission standards, be entry inspected, roadworthy (WoF), right-hand drive (LHD have different rules), be built to approved frontal impact standards if manufactured after 1st October 2003, must have evidence of the vehicle's fuel consumption and must meet other vehicle standards.
Motorcycles (LC) must be entry inspected, roadworthy (Warrant of Fitness), not rusty and with approved brakes and built to safe standards – it would be rare for a motorcycle from the UK not to pass entry certification although any modified exhaust system may need to be replaced.
Many of the regulations can be shown to be complied with by way of a UN-ECE or EC plate/sticker that is fitted to almost all modern vehicles manufactured in the past 10–15 years. A vehicle handbook would normally show where this plate / sticker is located on a vehicle and normally it is close by to the chassis / VIN plate under the bonnet or sometimes on the inside of the vehicle door frame.
Immigrant’s vehicles (and vehicles owned by returning New Zealanders that have been overseas for more than 21 months) can be exempt from the emissions and frontal impact rules leaving just the roadworthy and other standards to be complied with. These importers would have to have owned and used their vehicle in the UK for more than 12 months first and would be taking up / resuming permanent residence in New Zealand. This exemption is only valid on 1 vehicle and which cannot be sold in New Zealand for at least 1 year after importation. Another exemption is for all vehicles over 20 years old which only require proof of ownership and a roadworthy check on arrival.
Older cars (manufactured after 1990 without a fitted UN-ECE or EC plate / sticker or one that does not have the approved marks) may still comply with frontal impact standards and this can be checked on the list of acceptable makes/models at the New Zealand Transport Agency. These vehicles require a statement of compliance.
EMISSIONS – If the vehicle is a 4x4 pre-October 2003, older than 20 years, immigrant's vehicle or another exemption is not available and emission compliance is required, then only vehicles that are Euro 4 compliant are allowed. Proof of Euro standard compliance is available by way of a statement of compliance or a UN-ECE or EC plate / sticker.
FUEL CONSUMPTION – Figures, if required, are available at fuelsaver.govt.nz.
FRONTAL IMPACT – If the vehicle is a 4x4 pre-October 2003, older than 20 years, immigrant's vehicle or another exemption is not available and frontal impact compliance is required then this can be proved by checking the UN-ECE or EC plate / sticker on the vehicle which must include the mark ‘2001/116’ or newer. Frontal impact standard compliance is also available by way of a statement of compliance.
OTHER STANDARDS – Safety compliance applies to all vehicles up to 20 years old and covers door retention, interior impact, seat and anchorages, external projections, head restraints, rear view mirrors, fog lamps, running lamps, indicators, plate lamps, reversing lamps, side lamps, headlamps, brakes, stop lamps, tyres and wheels, glazing, hi-level brake lamps, reflectors, windscreen washers, steering systems, space saver tyres, replacement parts and airbags. Almost all vehicles built for the European market, and especially newer models, already comply with the required standards and this is shown if a UN-ECE or EC plate / sticker is fitted to the vehicle. If there is no plate / sticker then a statement of compliance is required.
Part of entry certification involves making sure that a vehicle, although originally manufactured to an approved standard, has not been modified or repaired unsafely or deteriorated to an unsafe state. Problems can arise with vehicles that have been repaired poorly (welding, non standard parts) or that have lowered suspension or ‘race’ parts added with non standard exhaust systems, after-market seats and suchlike. These vehicles would then have to go through repair certification by an approved repair certifier. These companies also check vehicles that are imported as renovation projects and are subsequently restored for road use. See the NZ Transport Agency website.
If a STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE is required from the manufacturer then this can cost up to NZ$1000. See the NZ Transport Agency website.
AS A SUMMARY, ALMOST ALL VEHICLES WILL BE ALLOWED TO BE IMPORTED TO NEW ZEALAND BUT SOME THAT ARE WITHOUT AN APPROVED PLATE / STICKER AND THAT ARE NOT IMMIGRANT'S OR RETURNING NEW ZEALANDER VEHICLES, MAY NEED A STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE AT AN EXTRA COST. AN ENTRY CERTIFIER IN NEW ZEALAND CAN CONFIRM EXACTLY WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR EACH IMPORTER / VEHICLE.
FURTHER WEBSITE INFORMATION
NZ Transport Agency Vehicle Importing Guide
NZ Fact sheets / resources and NZ Fact sheets / resources
Further information on safety regulations, as well as a guide to prices and useful website and contact addresses, can be found in the New Zealand Info Pack (PDF).