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Factsheet 44a – October 2009

Immigrants' vehicles

This factsheet informs you of the changed requirements for importing vehicles, belonging to immigrants, that do not meet frontal impact or emissions standards

This factsheet should be read in conjunction with Factsheet 44, Importing a motor vehicle, which outlines the overall requirements for importing a vehicle into New Zealand.

This factsheet applies to vehicles from Classes MA (passenger car), MB (forward control passenger vehicle) and MC (off-road passenger vehicle). This means passenger cars with up to nine occupants, including forward control vehicles with the steering wheel in the front quarter of the wheel base, and off-road passenger vehicles. Please confirm your vehicle belongs to Class MA, MB or MC before importing under the immigrants' category. Under no circumstances import an NA (light goods) Class vehicle as an immigrants' vehicle.

If you wish to import (or have already imported) a privately owned motor vehicle into New Zealand and you are either an immigrant or a New Zealand citizen or resident returning from an extended period overseas, there are changes to the Land Transport Rule: Frontal Impact 2001 that may affect you. Similar changes are also included in Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions 2007 (the Emissions Rule).

Previously, vehicles that did not meet one of the approved frontal impact protection standards in Land Transport Rule: Frontal Impact 2001 (the Frontal Impact Rule) could only enter service in New Zealand if they were granted an exemption from this requirement. However, the requirements have changed. You will now be able to import and register such a vehicle without needing an exemption, but to do so you will need to meet a number of specific conditions, including having the vehicle officially identified as an immigrant's vehicle. Similarly, your vehicle might not have to meet the exhaust emissions standard that would otherwise apply to a vehicle of that class and age. You may be able to import and register the vehicle for use on the road, provided that all the required conditions are met.

What do the changes mean for me?

The new requirements streamline the process by allowing people moving (or moving back) to New Zealand to bring in and register a vehicle that they own prior to the move, subject to a number of specific conditions (set out below). Vehicles that meet these conditions can then be registered without complying with approved frontal impact or exhaust emissions standards.

What requirements do I have to meet before my vehicle can be registered in New Zealand?

Personal requirements that must be met

To have a vehicle identified as belonging to an immigrant or returning New Zealander, the person must:

  • be a New Zealand citizen, a New Zealand resident or a person entitled under the Immigration Act 1987 to take up permanent residence
  • have lived outside New Zealand for a period of not less than 21 months before the date of his or her arrival in, or return to, New Zealand
  • have personally owned the vehicle
  • have personally owned and registered the vehicle for personal use in a country outside New Zealand for a period of at least one year before the applicant's arrival in, or return to, New Zealand
  • not have had any other vehicle identified as an immigrant's vehicle
  • not have imported, or be importing, the vehicle on behalf of, or for, a third party.

The NZTA cannot grant exemptions from any of these requirements if you want to apply for immigrant-vehicle status. The NZTA also cannot consider any applications for the import of an NA Class vehicle as an immigrant's vehicle.

Requirements that the vehicle must meet

If your vehicle does not meet frontal impact or exhaust emissions standards, it must still comply with the general safety requirements of the Frontal Impact Rule and the Emissions Rule.

The vehicle must also comply with the relevant requirements of all the other rules.

Additional requirements attached to immigrants' vehicles

An immigrant's vehicle cannot be sold or leased within one year of its registration in New Zealand. An immigrant's vehicle cannot be used for hire or reward or in a transport service.

Does the Fuel Consumption Information Rule apply to immigrants' vehicles?

Land Transport Rule: Fuel Consumption Information 2008 (the Fuel Consumption Information Rule) sets out requirements for the provision of fuel consumption information for light motor vehicles that enter the New Zealand fleet and are manufactured on or after 1 January 2000. The Fuel Consumption Information Rule does not apply to immigrants' vehicles. This means fuel consumption information does not have to be provided when the vehicle is first registered for use in New Zealand.

How do I apply to have my non-compliant vehicle registered in New Zealand?

You will need to apply to an entry certifier to identify your vehicle as an immigrant's vehicle. A fee may be charged to process your application.

If your vehicle is not identified as an immigrant's vehicle, it will not be entry-certified and will not be registered for use on New Zealand roads, unless you can prove that it meets the approved frontal impact and emissions standards by other means.

What if I brought my vehicle into New Zealand before the changes came into effect?

An immigrant or a returning New Zealand citizen or resident may apply for identification of his or her vehicle as an immigrant's vehicle within 18 months of arriving in New Zealand.

If more than 18 months has elapsed since the vehicle arrived in New Zealand, a New Zealand citizen or resident may apply for identification of the vehicle as an immigrant's vehicle if the vehicle was border-inspected before 8 May 2008.

What about left-hand drive vehicles?

New Zealand is a country that requires vehicles to be right-hand drive. If you are considering importing a left-hand drive vehicle, see Factsheet 12, Importing a left-hand drive vehicle.

Are there any conditions attached to immigrants' vehicles?

Yes, they are as follows:

  • An immigrant's vehicle cannot be sold or leased within one year of its registration in New Zealand.
  • An immigrant's vehicle cannot be used for hire or reward or in a transport service.

Where can I find out more about these changes?

View the Land Transport Rule: Frontal Impact 2001 and the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions 2007 or obtain a hard copy by calling the NZTA contact centre on 0800 699 000. If you are outside New Zealand, phone +64 4 931 8700 and select option 3.

Contact an entry certifier

The organisations listed below are appointed by the NZTA to advise on the suitability of vehicles for import, and carry out entry certification of imported used vehicles and new vehicles that are imported by persons other than the vehicle manufacturer's representative in New Zealand: