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Importing Road Vehicles into Australia | RVSA Ready

Importing Road Vehicles into Australia

Import pathways under the Road Vehicle Standards Act

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On 1 July 2021, the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 came into full effect, replacing the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989. A 24-month transitional period began for certain segments of the industry, during which some MVSA approvals continued to be in force. Within the transition period, importers of recreational vehicles needed to obtain vehicle type approvals, or concessional RAV entry approvals, depending on the importer’s circumstances. All applications for approvals are managed through ROVER, the Road Vehicle Regulator, which is the Department’s administration system for the RVSA.

A limited range of MVSA approval pathways, for example import of trailers complying with VSB 1 Version 5, within the transition period could still be submitted through the Vehicle Import System. More information about transitional arrangements is on the Department’s website.

Vehicle type approvals

Vehicle type approvals allow an unlimited number of vehicles of a particular type to be imported based on a Vehicle Category Code. This option is generally used for commercial importation requirements.

The Assistant Secretary of the Department’s Vehicle Standards Policy and Partnerships Branch issued a letter of confirmation that a vehicle type approval holder, or a person authorised by the approval holder, is permitted to import the road vehicle that the approval applies to.

More information on vehicle type approvals is on our Low ATM Trailers and Campervan and Motorhome Manufacturers pages.

Concessional RAV entry approvals

A concessional RAV entry approval allows certain types of road vehicles to be imported and entered on the Register of Approved Vehicles. A concessional RAV entry approval is also taken to be an import approval for the imported vehicles. This allows vehicles from overseas markets to be imported into Australia and entered on the RAV.

Vehicles that may be eligible for importation under this application type include:

  • vehicles to be modified by a registered automotive workshop
  • vehicles more than 25 years old
  • vehicles imported when the applicant is moving to Australia
  • special purpose vehicles, and
  • certain trailers.

For more information on importing a road vehicle, read the Department’s guidance on importing a vehicle. For questions or assistance, see the contact us page.