Certification for Registration
All new or used motor vehicles, including motorcycles, imported into New Zealand must be certified by Land Transport Safety Authority (LTNZ)-approved certifiers as complying with New Zealand legal requirements, before they can be registered for use on public roads in New Zealand. More detail below on:
Frontal Impact RulesPurpose of CertificationCertification Process- Frontal Impact Rules
- From 1 April 2002, all Class MA passenger vehicles must comply with an approved frontal impact standard before they can be certified and registered for use in New Zealand for the first time unless:
(a) the vehicle was border checked before 1 February 2002, or
(b) the vehicle was first registered outside New Zealand 20 years or more prior to being certified for entry into service in New Zealand.
The vehicles listed in (a) and (b) above may be certified at any time, provided they meet other applicable requirements.
In practice, this means that any Class MA passenger vehicle to be certified for registration for the first time on or after 1 April 2002, must have documentation or other evidence proving that the vehicle meets an approved frontal impact standard, except in the two cases outlined in (a) and (b) above.
Any Class MA passenger vehicle that does not meet an approved frontal impact standard will need to have been certified (i.e. issued with a MR2A) before 1 April 2002 in order to enter the New Zealand vehicle fleet for the first time (except in the two cases outlined in (a) and (b) above). It is not sufficient for the vehicle to only have a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) issued, nor is it sufficient for the vehicle to be in the certification process but not yet certified (for instance, because it requires structural or other repairs).
For detailed information on how to prove that a vehicle meets an approved frontal impact standard, refer to the
LTNZ website.
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Purpose of CertificationThe purpose of certification is to establish that a vehicle was manufactured to comply with relevant approved vehicle standards, and is still within safe tolerance of those standards. The applicable standards depend on the vehicle type and date of manufacture and/or first registration.back to top
Certification ProcessCertification requires the identification of the vehicle and the sighting of documentation to prove its original compliance with approved standards. LTNZ-approved certifiers must be satisfied with any documentation provided for certification and may request confirmation or additional information.
The certification process also consists of a physical inspection of a vehicle to ensure that:
- the vehicle has not been modified
- replaceable components are original, or replacements comply with approved standards
- the vehicle and its components and systems are still within safe tolerance of their state when manufactured.
The importer is responsible for supplying evidence of a vehicle’s compliance with New Zealand legal requirements, in particular compliance of the vehicle with relevant approved standards.
In some cases, it may not be possible to certify a vehicle for registration and use in New Zealand. For example:
- often vehicles manufactured in Asia or Africa do not comply with approved vehicle standards
- some vehicle manufacturers do not or cannot supply information on compliance with approved vehicles standards.
Potential importers are strongly advised to contact the
Land Transport New Zealand (or Freephone: 0800 699 000), and obtain all necessary documentation prior to making arrangements for shipping a vehicle.
LTNZ has the following documents available for the potential importers:
- Factsheet 44: Bringing a light vehicle into New Zealand
- Infosheet 1.67: Certification of imported motor vehicles.
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