To the Minister of Transport, the Hon Chris Bishop and the Minister for Regulation, the Hon David Seymour

We, the undersigned, petition the Minister for Transport to remove onerous, expensive and unwarranted regulation related to older, collectible motor vehicles intended for domestic, social, recreational or promotional purposes. A “collectible motor vehicle” is 30 years old or older with historic value, this includes a “vintage motor vehicle” as defined in Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2011 s3 (40 years or older).  We petition for the following changes:

1. No VIN inspection (entry level certification) on first-time collectible motor vehicle imports; instead a WOF or club inspection.
2. NO VIN inspection (on road certification) on lapsed collectible motor vehicles, instead re-register after a one-time WOF.
3. No WOF on 40 year old collectible motor vehicles, five-year WOF for 30-40 year old collectibles, and elimination of the 6 month WOF on motor vehicles made before 2000 (one year for 3-30 years).
4. Low Volume (modified) collectible motor vehicle regulations to be improved in consultation with specialist car clubs (such as hot rod clubs) to ensure safety while controlling costs and avoiding unreasonable compliance demands.

Why: Collectible vehicles are cherished, generally kept in good condition and not used as daily drivers. Yet they are subject to onerous regulation promoted by persons with pecuniary interest such as the Motor Trade Association, AA, approved entry certifiers, LVV Certifiers and others who benefit from regulation and who retain influential lobbyists with contacts within the regulatory ministries. The authorised certifiers are for the most part unfamiliar with historic vehicles and the regulations become a barrier to enjoyment of the collectable vehicle hobby and deprives NZ of an important part of its culture that is worthy of preservation.

Overseas: In the UK, a highly-regulated nation, vehicles 3-40 years have one year WOF equivalent (MOT) and over 40 years are exempt from WOF equivalent, road tax, are permitted in ULEZ zones and new imports pay a GST equivalent of 5% (or zero) and only must pass a WOF equivalent initial inspection, not the onerous inspection called VIN. In France, after 30 years, the WOF equivalent is good for 5 years, not the 6 months in NZ.

History: Before regulations adopted in response to used car dealers importing written-off, flood damaged Japanese used cars, New Zealand had one of the most talented classic car restoration industries in the world. In a “do-something” response to flood-damaged cars, the government reacted with a much stricter regime, but failed to consider older collectable vehicles that were swept up in new regulations not appropriate for them. This badly damaged the collectible-vehicle industry and became a barrier for ordinary Kiwis to enjoy their safe, low-impact hobby that preserves living history.

We petition for the following changes.  

1)       First-Time Import: For motor vehicles over 30 years of age (built or first registered), eliminate “proof of compliance with vehicle standards” (commonly known as the VIN inspection or entry level cerification). Instead require the vehicle either pass a Warrant of Fitness inspection or pass an inspection by a recognised car club familiar with the marque and qualified to identify defects that would make the vehicle unsafe on New Zealand roads. Once passed, an Approved Entry Certifier (such as AA or VINZ) confirms the vehicle is legally owned by the applicant, the vehicle identifier has not been tampered with, and assigns a VIN to be recorded in LANDATA for tracking and enforcement purposes. Set a fixed fee of $50 for the vehicle identifier process and a total fee of $50 for the registration plate (which may have a historic identifier on it, should the regulators prefer)

2)       Lapsed Registration: For motor vehicles over 30 years, do not require a VIN inspection (on road certification) if the registration lapses. Add 30-year-old or older collectible vehicles to Land Transport (Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2011 Sched. 2 Part 1: Motor vehicles exempt from continuous licensing requirement.

3)       Warrant of Fitness (WOF): Eliminate the 6 month WOF, and when a vehicle reaches 30 years, the WOF runs for 5 years, and when a vehicle becomes a vintage vehicle (40 years) exempt it from WOF with an exemption sticker to prevent ticketing by traffic wardens.  This does not eliminate the obligation of the driver to keep the vehicle in roadworthy condition, subject to enforcement by the police.

4)       Substantial modification: In consultation with specialist vehicle clubs improve regulations to permit modifications (such as hot rods) that ensure road safety while limiting regulatory costs and delays. This may include club technical committees to approve a set of predefined changes that can be replicated without repetitive engineering documentation.

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UPDATE: The submissions closed on 4 April, and the VSC Committee submitted 9,600 signatures under the petition as a single submission -  a 200 page PDF. But this is just the beginning. As the photo shows, the Minister is sympathetic to our plight, but changing 6 months to 12 month WOF for age 40+ is not enough. Collectors of vintage and special interest motor vehicles do not need a 3rd party to warrant or certify the safety of their collectibles. Instead, allow annual self-certification in a log book; holding the collector responsible for safety and roadworthiness of their collectibles.

Let's keep the petition going - we will keep the Minister informed. And use the Comment option (you may need to be registered to use it) to tell your story.