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VIN Submissions to NEVDIS | RVSA Ready

VIN Submissions to NEVDIS

Providing vehicle identification numbers before a RAV submission

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To allow vehicles to be registered for public road use in Australia, vehicle approval holders should provide Vehicle Identification Numbers to the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System for each vehicle covered by a Road Vehicle Standards approval. The VIN database is managed by NEVDIS on behalf of the Department.

VINs may be submitted at any stage of a vehicle’s manufacture. However, this should happen before any Register of Approved Vehicles submission, as it is a prerequisite step for a successful RAV submission. Approval holders are advised to allow seven days for the VIN to be processed.

VINs can be provided to NEVDIS by an authorised submitter, which could be either:

  • a representative of a vehicle type approval holder, with an application required using Attachment A of the Guide to submitting VINs to NEVDIS, or
  • an agent appointed by the approval holder. A list of accredited VIN submitter agents is on the NEVDIS website.

Note that the Department adds VINs for all concessional RAV entry vehicles.

What is included in a VIN submission?

To ensure that VINs are on record before road registration, the following arrangements apply:

  1. VIN decode data for a particular make and model of vehicle must be submitted to NEVDIS at least 30 days before vehicles of that make and model are presented for first registration. VINs cannot be processed onto NEVDIS unless the VIN decode information has already been loaded.
  2. Under the RVS legislation, vehicle type approval holders can only supply VINs for vehicles covered by a type approval.

Administrative arrangements

VINs may be transmitted by vehicle type approval holders or authorised submitters to NEVDIS by email to [email protected]. VIN batches may be transmitted as a text file attachment to an email, and the text file attachment must have a unique file name. Contact details are on the NEVDIS contacts page.

VIN batch reports are returned the next business day. Future improvements will allow NEVDIS to process other file types and file transfer mechanisms.

Arrangements for individually constructed vehicles

State and territory registration authorities issue VINs on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis for individually constructed vehicles. The VINs for these vehicles will be lodged with NEVDIS by the responsible authority. The Department may also issue a VIN where a concessional RAV entry approval is granted under the RVS legislation.

What should I do now?

This change will predominantly affect importers of vehicles imported to Australia without VINs. This would potentially mean that these vehicles will need to have their own World Manufacturer Identifier and VIN generated from the country of origin.

For vehicles manufactured in Australia, some of the lower volume makers may still be using state-issued VINs, but there may be a capped lower limit. Some states may possibly move away from this process by limiting to very low numbers. All state transport authorities have an upper limit of 500 per year.

To ensure all manufacturers and importers have a smooth transition in this process, it is advised to reach out to your state transport authority, as they should be able to provide you with more information and guidance. Alternatively, you can contact NEVDIS through their contacts page.

How to establish an entity as an Australian vehicle manufacturer

Road vehicle manufacturers assign vehicle identification numbers to the vehicles they produce. The first three digits of a VIN are known as the World Manufacturer Identifier, and this is provided to the manufacturer by an authority in the country where the vehicles are manufactured.

When a manufacturer requests a World Manufacturer Identifier from NEVDIS to be able to issue VINs for vehicles covered by their vehicle type approval, NEVDIS needs to establish them as an Australian vehicle manufacturer. Concessional RAV entry approval holders do not require a World Manufacturer Identifier or VIN from NEVDIS.

A manufacturer must provide the following to NEVDIS:

  • a copy of the vehicle type approval
  • a copy of the application made to decide the vehicle type approval, including the location details of production and manufacturing facilities
  • NEVDIS may also ask questions about any import activities that were undertaken, such as presenting approval documentation to an import broker or to secure customs clearance for the vehicle.

More information on how an Australian road vehicle manufacturer requests a World Manufacturer Identifier from NEVDIS is on the Department’s vehicle identification number page, and more information about submitting VINs is in the Guide to submitting VINs to NEVDIS. Note that the guide may be updated from time to time in response to changing circumstances, system upgrades, feedback, or to reflect changes to legislation or policy.