About LVVTA Approvals

LVVTA approvals perform a range of functions, from a hobby based build approval process for the person scratch-building a car at home, through to individual component approvals for manufacturers and importers from within the automotive industry. Due to this diversity in the range of approvals, it is important that the correct approval type is selected before proceeding. It is also important to understand that none of these LVVTA approvals waive any legal requirement for a vehicle to be LVV Certified; rather they provide a means of simplifying the certification process through assurance of design and quality. Items approved under the LVVTA Approval system must be manufactured and supplied exactly as described on the Approval Certificate. Any variation to the design of any approved item must be reassessed and approved by the TAC, or the original approval is deemed null and void.

All LVVTA approvals are assessed and approved by the LVVTA Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC is a sub-committee of LVVTA, established to provide LVVTA with expert technical direction on all technical matters relevant to the LVV certification system. TAC Members are nominated by the LVVTA Chief Executive Officer, and are appointed by the LVVTA Council. Members are selected for their high level of experience and knowledge in certain areas of vehicle design and construction. One of LVVTA’s objectives is to have as wide a range of experience, knowledge and skills as possible covered by the TAC at all times, including welding, materials, fabrication, formal and practical engineering, along with knowledge in a diverse range of vehicle types and construction methods. Some members are professional car builders, and all members have been in the vehicle modification and construction industry or hobby for at least 30 years. Click here to learn more about the TAC.

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Design Approval

Common examples: custom space-frame chassis, custom independent front or rear suspension system, composite chassis, seatbelt anchorages into composite structure, custom hub carriers, approval to weld a casting or forging, custom spindles or uprights, cast a critical component, custom steering wheel, weld a steering component, steering quickener, offset or bell-crank brake pedal, custom plastic fuel tank, custom wheels.

Is this approval required? Voluntary, unless specified by the HCTM

Cost for submitting design approval: $95 NZD

Instructions: In document, also see below

Valid for: One vehicle only

Download Form 4B (Design Approval Application Form):

The Design Approval Process is aimed at builders of all scratch-built or substantially modified vehicles. Unless specified in the NZ Hobby Car Technical Manual (HCTM), the Build Approval Process is a voluntary one, and is not a mandatory part of the LVV process. It’s here to help you, if you want help or peace of mind. The system has been developed to enable assistance to be provided to hobbyists, by experienced specialists within the car-building hobby who have a good understanding of vehicle construction, and the complex regime of new regulatory requirements progressively introduced by the New Zealand Government since 1990. Blindly forging ahead and building a low volume vehicle in this regulated age can result in costly and time-consuming consequences. The purpose of this Build Approval Process is to assist hobbyist motor vehicle builders and modifiers in achieving their aims and objectives in relation to hobby car construction, and to get them through the low volume vehicle certification process as painlessly as possible.

The system for which this document is provided, has been established to help builders and modifiers, not to hinder them. This may look at first glance like more bureaucracy, but in fact, it is quite the opposite. By providing the Technical Advisory Committee with information on what you want to do, these experts can help you by pointing out any potential areas of concern, ideas which could save you time, or processes which could produce better results. The main objective of this process is to provide you with the best possible chances of building a vehicle that will meet the requirements of the LVV certification process when, inevitably, you reach that critical point. Note that there is no charge for this service; the Technical Advisory Committee members are volunteers. The fee is just to cover the cost of copying, collating, and postage of your application to the committee members.

The essential ingredient in achieving this aim successfully is the information provided by you, the builder. The process can only advise based on the information supplied to it, and that’s the purpose of the forms contained within this application. The better the information the builder can provide, the more detailed advice and protection the system can provide back to the builder. In addition to using this Build Approval Process, the best advice available to a hobby vehicle builder is to make contact with an LVV Certifier at an early stage so that he can guide you down the right path. It’s important to use an LVV Certifier who has lots of hands-on practical experience in car
building, such as hot rod or sports car construction, so that you can benefit from the combination of that LVV Certifier’s practical car building expertise, plus his knowledge of the Low Volume Vehicle Certification system.

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Concept Approval

The Concept Approval falls in the 'Build Approval Process', which is a voluntary approval process to be used when the project is just a concept, and you want confirmation that the ideas you have in mind can be legally built. This is generally intended for projects that are out of the ordinary, or are particularly unique in some manner of their construction.

Common examples: Composite unibody structured vehicle, one-off vehicle of unique design, reverse trike, V8 trike, stainless steel spaceframe, or an all-alloy chassis.

Is this approval required? Voluntary

Cost for submitting this approval: $65 NZD

Instructions: In document (coming soon)

Valid for: One vehicle only

Download Form 4A (Concept Approval Application Form):

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Type Approval

A Type Approval Application is to be used where a business or organisation wish to provide for sale or supply, a product or assembly which is required by the HCTM to have an ‘Individual approval in writing from the LVVTA Technical Advisory Committee’, but where for the purpose of providing a more streamlined certification process for purchasers of these products, an approval is required to cover numerous identical items or assemblies. This is predominantly for independent front and rear suspension system approval, but can also be used for all other items which require individual approval in writing from the LVVTA Technical Advisory Committee. This process is by no means an ‘easy work around’ of the legal requirements; successful applications will only comprise items or assemblies of the absolute highest quality and caliber.

Common examples: Custom independent front or rear suspension system, cast components, custom hub carriers, welded a casting or forging, custom spindles or uprights, cast a critical component, custom steering wheel, welded steering component, steering quickener, offset or bell-crank brake pedal, custom plastic fuel tank, custom wheels.

Is this approval required? This is a voluntary approval specifically for the vehicle modification industry

Cost for submitting this approval: Prices start from $360 NZD. Please contact us for more details.

Instructions: Click to download instructions (coming soon)

Valid for: Unlimited versions of the approved component or system

Sample: Click to see an example of a Type Approval Certificate (coming soon).

Application Form: Click to download a Type Approval Application Form (coming soon).

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  Component Approval

• A Component Approval Application is to be used where a business or organisation wish to provide for sale or supply, a product or assembly which does not meet one or more low volume vehicle technical requirements. This approval can be applied to any item, providing the TAC give their approval. Any items found to be sub-standard will not be approved. For more information regarding this process, please call an LVVTA Technical Team member for details.

• Common examples: Menox Hand Control (disability adaptive control), Probar (window spanning seatbelt anchorage).
  
  

• Is this approval required? Yes. A component approval allows a non-compliant component or system to deviate from mandatory LVV technical requirements, and is in place for the vehicle modification industry.

  Cost for submitting this approval: Prices start from $360 NZD. Please contact us for more details.

  Instructions: In application form

• Valid for: Unlimited versions of the approved component or system

• Sample: Click to see an example of a Component Approval Certificate (coming soon).

• Application Form: Click to download a Component Approval Application Form (coming soon).

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    LVVTA Product Endorsement

    • An LVVTA endorsement is a verification from the TAC, that a component, assembly or system is of a high quality, and that the TAC has confidence in the manufacturer to consistently supply items of a high quality. This endorsement is primarily offered as a marketing tool to the vehicle modification industry, to give their customers extra confidence that the item will pass LVV Certification, and that the item is of high quality.

    • Common examples: Juniors steering box, Juniors diff head, Jonesy's Garage steel framed T bodies, Juniors Brake pedal assembly, Juniors hairpin radius rods.
      
      

    • Is this approval is required? No. It's a voluntary endorsement specifically for the vehicle modification industry

      Cost for submitting this approval: Prices start from $360 NZD. Please contact us for more details.

      Instructions: In application form

    • Sample: Click to see an example of an LVVTA Endorsement Certificate (coming soon).

      Application Form: Click to download an LVVTA Endorsement Application Form (coming soon).

       

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