Vehicle Standards and
Codes of Practice
VEHICLE STANDARDS and CODES OF PRACTICE
There are many layers of legislation which impact on the building of ICVs, re-bodied style vehicles and trike conversions in Queensland an Tasmania.
The Australian Vehicle Standards Rules (AVSR)
The Australian Vehicle Standards Rules is part of the Federal Road Transport Reform (Vehicles and Traffic) Act. The AVSR sets standards that vehicles must comply with to be driven on roads and road-related areas
Under the AVSR any vehicle that is subject to an Australian Design Rule (ADR) when built or imported must continue to comply with the ADR.
Every Australian State and Territory has adopted the AVSR in their legislation, either by direct reference or by incorporating it into their own regulations, and there may be variations in some rules or rule numbers.
Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation (TORUM-VSSR)
In Queensland the AVSR is incorporated into the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation, so if ever you read AVSR in the following codes and standards you should refer to the TORUM-VSSR.
A link to this document is included on our Resources page.
Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Regulation
In Tasmania the AVSR is incorporated into the Vehicle and Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Regulation, so if ever you read AVSR in the following codes and standards you should refer to the VTVSR.
A link to this document is included on our Resources page.
The Australian Design Rules (ADRs)
The ADRs are rules for designing and building vehicles. Most people are aware of the ADRs, but these Rules were primarily written to govern the mass production of new road vehicles. They are not very user friendly for the one-off vehicle builder or vehicle modifier however ICV builders and vehicle modifiers (unless specifically exempted) must still comply with the intent of any applicable ADR but are not required to go to the expense and complexities of providing the evidence to demonstarate full compliance with the ADR.
ICV builders in Qld are given exemptions from compliance with any ADR that requires crash testing as well as the ADRs requiring Electronic Stability Control and Anti-lock Braking Systems. There is also a relaxation on emissions with four wheeled vehicles only required to meet the emissions standards applicable in 1997.
Motorcycles do not need to comply with emissions standards but some trikes and cycle-cars do. (Check with us if you are planning a three-wheeler project.)
A link to this document is included on our Resources page.
Vehicle Standards Bulletin No.14 (VSB 14) also known as the National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Construction and Modification (NCOP)
The NCOP is the first step towards providing consistent technical requirements for light vehicle modifications around Australia.
The NCOP is a live document, meaning that over time, changes can be made to improve the document or include requirements for new modifications.
Please Note: Not all parts of the NCOP have been accepted for use in Queensland, with variations applied for certain sections. For the most part these variations will not affect ICV, Re-bodied Vehicle builders or Trike converters.
A link to this document is included on our Resources page, but the following sections are of most interest to the ICV, Re-bodied Vehicle or Trike Conversion builder.
LO1 Australian Design Rule Compliance Checklists
LO1-1 ADR Compliance Summary
(Applicable to all Third Edition ADR Category Vehicles)
Checklist LO1-2 – Second Edition (Applicable to all Second Edition ADR Category Vehicles)
Checklist LO1-3 - Third Edition MA, MB and MC (Applicable to MA, MB and MC ADR Category
Vehicles)
Checklist LO1-4 -Third Edition MD, NA and NB (Applicable to MD, NA and NB ADR Category
Vehicles)
LO2 ICV Passenger Cars and Derivatives (For Category MA, MB and MC vehicles use
LO1-1, LO1-3 Checklists) (For Category MD, NA and NB vehicles use LO1-1, LO1-4 Checklists)
LO4 ICV Tricycle (ADR Category LEM1) and Checklist
LO5 ICV Tricycle (ADR Category LEP1) and Checklist
LO7 ICV Motorcycle (Category LA, LB, LC and LD) and Checklist
LH5 Vehicle Construction (Design) and Checklist
LH6 Vehicle Construction and Checklist
Talk to Us
There is a complicated maze of compliance standards and codes of practice for the individual builder to navigate. Please talk to us about your project. We can lead you through all the relevant sections of that maze.
Remember as a builder you are not required to learn the legislation, the vehicle standards or the codes of practice but you are required to comply with them, so ask us which parts are relevant to your project.