Thread: Licensing question - WA (unsure if similar elsewhere?)

I don't have authoritative answers, but a couple of points:-

1. ADRs apply to the date of manufacture, not the date of import. Note that some equipment (such as reversing lights and seat belts) will have dates of requirement that vary from state to state, and are not specified in the ADRs. The ADR has a date on it, but the state may not have required it to be implemented by that date, or may have required it earlier. And being on an ADR does not automatically mean that it is a requirement in all states for registration, and conversely, there will be state requirements that are not in ADRs.

ADRs are a requirement for import or manufacture of new vehicles. Used vehicles are a bit greyer, especially for historic vehicles, but just because you can import it does not mean you can register it, let alone register it in a particular state.

2. VINs replace chassis number. No vehicle can have both. They are applied by the manufacturer, chassis numbers using their own scheme, VINs by an internationally agreed scheme that identifies the manufacturer and model as well as the individual vehicle. While they replaced chassis numbers in most vehicles in Australia in the 1970s I am not sure that they necessarily are a requirement for all new vehicles today for registration, and are certainly not a requirement for older ones - they can only be applied by the manufacturer or in rare cases the importer, and cannot be applied or changed retrospectively, although a number can be applied by police - but this is not a VIN number - it does not track the vehicle from its manufacturer.

Three of my vehicles do not have compliance plates - all manufactured after compliance plates came in. The 71 Jag was imported in 83, the 73 Haflinger was assembled and sold in Melbourne and the 77 101FC was made in the UK, used by the Aust Army and released about 92.

None have compliance plates, the Haflinger and 101 are currently registered and the Jag has been in the past in NSW and the ACT. No issues getting any registered. No notes on the rego papers etc about not having compliance plates.

Originally Posted by davros

My Series III Lightweight was an import in the early ‘90s to WA.

The registration papers note:

“Imported vehicle. Exempted from the Australian Design Rules and the fitment of a Compliance Plate.” And indeed it doesn’t have one. No VIN, just the chassis number.
What exactly does that mean? And does anyone know if that rule still applies to imports?
It also reads “licensed to carry: 000000”.
It’s a “utility”, annoying as I can’t use the rear sideways seat.

It did have to have a reverse light wired up, rather dubiously done through the convoy lights (which also kill the other lights and the horn… as I found out…). So it must have had to jump through some kind of roadworthiness. It may have had to have Australian compliant seatbelts fitted too I think.

Does the non-compliance with ADR mean “of the day it was imported”? Does it have implications if I want to modify it (child restraint for booster seat on passenger side for example).
Interested in what that wording refers to and allows for.
Cheers,
Dave

Believe it or not, I contacted the office of the vehicle inspection group some time ago (used to be in Vic Park I think), and found them very helpful with a number of similar questions. You may even have a local inspector who is still a human being and willing to help/point you in the right direction.

I think this last post emphasises the point that in many cases the rules are not absolute, or perhaps more accurately, they often don't seem to apply sensibly to the case in question, and the actual outcome is an interpretation of the rules, not the actual rule - and so depends on who is making the interpretation.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

I think this last post emphasises the point that in many cases the rules are not absolute, or perhaps more accurately, they often don't seem to apply sensibly to the case in question, and the actual outcome is an interpretation of the rules, not the actual rule - and so depends on who is making the interpretation.

Yes, hear you on that. I have posed questions in the past to the firearms department here in WA along similar lines. Some I could hear people debating the answers when I was on hold unmuted. The long and short of answers being, “We don’t know but the easy way to find out is charge you then see what the court says, at cost to you!”. Seems similar with cars! Not saying we have a messed up system- in fact as long as (hopefully!!) you meet an intelligent and understanding bureaucrat/police officer, they have room to make an intelligent choice. And if you can play a “dumb” one you can make the choice for them!
Jokes but thanks people for the feedback. Love this site. Always solid answers and examples, from programming fuel injectors to road law advice….

The 'classic' with this sort of stuff is RRC's pre 1990 ish (can't recall the exact year) that have a chassis number (VIN) but it's not stamped on the body behind the windscreen.

You can't put an earlier body on a later chassis without engineering cert, but a later body with no VIN on an earlier chassis for me was just a 'colour change'.

DL