SUPPORT - FAQ's
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My vehicle has passed LVV certification, when will my EDP be livened up?
To see if your plate is live, you can check here, you will require the EDP number and the last 6 digits of your VIN.
If it is not live and you want to know when your plate will be livened up, once we receive the paperwork from the certifier, LVVTA’s turnaround time is 3 business days (often it is same day).
If it has been longer than 3 business days, please follow up with your certifier to enquire if there is any further information they are waiting for. Otherwise, they should be able to provide you with an indication of when the paperwork will be sent to LVVTA.
My certification plate has had an error or omission since the vehicle was certified, how do I get it corrected?
The process to correct an LVV certification plate error is to contact LVVTA on info@lvvta.org.nz to advise us of the error or omission and we will recall of the certification paperwork from off-site storage. This will cost you $50 (it takes a few days for the paperwork to get back to us). If we find the plate production sheet shows LVVTA were responsible for the plate being recorded incorrectly, we will refund the $50. If not, then we can look through the paperwork to see if there is any evidence of the modifications being present and assessed at the time of certification to give us reasonable grounds to agree to a plate correction.
If we can establish that there are suitable grounds for a plate correction, an LVV certifier will be required to inspect the vehicle to ensure the rest of the vehicle still matches the current certification plate. If there are any new modifications, then the vehicle will need to be recertified, if there are only removed modifications it will require a partial return to standard process. But if the vehicle matches the certification plate other than the error or omission, then the certifier will contact us requesting a plate correction and confirm the vehicle matches the plate, LVVTA will update the EDP or engrave a new plate and send it to the certifier to fit when they remove the old plate.
If there is no evidence of the modifications being present or assessed at the time of certification, then the vehicle will need to be re-certified for the uncertified modifications, but we do try our best to find the information in the paperwork where there are suitable grounds to believe there was an error.
There are abbreviations on my certification plate - what do they mean?
It can be difficult, if not impossible to fit full descriptions of all the modifications on a certification plate. Therefore it is often necessary for us to abbreviate some modifications. Click here for a list of common used abbreviations that you may find on your LVV certification plate. If you can’t find what you’re looking for on the list, feel free to give us a call and we can hopefully solve the mystery.
Where is my nearest LVV Certifier?
Click here to find a complete list of LVV Certifiers in New Zealand (the list includes certifiers who can perform an Objective Noise Test). Be sure to select a Certifier who holds the appropriate 'LVV Certifier Category' for your modification. For a brief list of the categories see here.
Does my vehicle require LVV Certification?
The Certification Threshold Guide details which level of certain modifications require LVV Certification. If the specific modification is not shown in this table, usually the vehicle will require LVV certification.
Some of the common examples of modifications that require certification is as follows,
Seat or seatbelt modifications.
Engine re-powers with increased capacity, power, weight and different fuel or engine type.
Engine modifications leading to 20% or more power, including addition of turbos, supercharger, different waste gates, re-chipping of computer chips on turbo cars.
Suspension modifications, e.g. lowering under 100mm road clearance, spring changes (non-Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) items), shock absorber changes, brakes and steering modifications.
Left to right hand drive steering conversions.
Wheel and tyre changes (non-OEM items), e.g. wheels wider than the bodywork, or with spacers or a different offset to the OEM design. Tyres with more than 5% greater rolling circumference than the OEM tyres.
Modifications to doors.
Frontal Impact modifications, e.g. removal or disabling of airbags, changes to crumple zones or energy absorbing areas e.g. bull-bars may affect the frontal impact design.
Motor home modifications.
Cars with disability controls.
Vans fitted with extra seats and seatbelts.
Scratch-built cars, kit cars, trikes, and low volume manufactured cars.
Vehicles that were modified prior to 1 January 1992 and were issued with a Modification Declaration Certificate at that time do not require LVV certification providing the vehicle has been continually registered since 1st January 1992 and no further modifications have been made other than what is listed on the Modification Declaration Certificate. The WOF issuer can check with LVVTA or NZTA to verify details on a modification certificate. To get a copy of the declaration certificate, email info@lvvta.org.nz with details of your vehicle and if we have it on file, we can send you a copy for a small fee. Once changes are made to the vehicle or the registration lapses, the vehicle must be LVV certified and issued with an LVV plate.
A vehicle with an engraved certification plate or an EDP does not require re-certification when the registration lapses unless the vehicle has been further modified since the most recent certification.
Can I modify a vehicle which already has already been LVV Certified?
Yes, but the vehicle will need to be re-inspected by an LVV Certifier who will issue a new LVV plate covering all the car's modifications. Most modifications that fall within the Certification Thresholds do not need re-certification.
I have removed some or all the modifications on my vehicle, what do I do next?
When an LVV certified vehicle has had all modifications removed (refered to as a full return to standard process):
An LVV certifier must inspect the vehicle to ensure that all above threshold modifications have been removed safely and correctly and that there are no new modifications.
The certifier then advises LVVTA that the vehicle is returned to standard and a vehicle that has an engraved plate will have the plate removed and returned to LVVTA. (EDP’s will remain fitted)
LVVTA will update our systems to reflect that the vehicle has been returned to standard and remove the reference on NZTA’s database that identifies it as an LVV certified vehicle.
There will be a cost for the certifiers time to inspect the vehicle, but no cost from LVVTA to complete the removal from the system.
When an LVV certified vehicle has had some of the modifications removed (refered to as a partial return to standard process):
An LVV certifier must inspect the vehicle to ensure all remaining modifications match the original cert plate before requesting a plate update from LVVTA.
If it has an engraved plate, LVVTA update the plate with the removed modifications and send the plate to the LVV certifier to swap with the original plate.
If it has an EDP, LVVTA will update the EDP data and upload new photos as required to reflect the removed modifications.
There will be a cost for the certifiers time to inspect the vehicle, and a plate reprint fee from LVVTA for the plate update.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) If there are uncertified modifications identified during the inspection process for either a full or partial return to standard process, the vehicle will need to be re-certified for the uncertified modifications, and there will be a cost for the certifiers time to inspect the vehicle, and the usual certification fee from LVVTA.
2) Only an LVV certifier can remove an engraved plate and advise LVVTA that the vehicle has been returned to standard or partially returned to standard.
How much does LVV certification cost?
A certifier is the only person who can answer this for you as LVVTA do not set the prices for certification. The only set cost LVVTA has is a charge to the certifier of $270 for a certification or re-certification and $50 for a certification reprint, this charge covers the cost of running and maintaining the LVV certification system.
There are many different types of certifications, from very basic (adjustable suspension, or an engine swap), right up to full certification of a scratch-built vehicle. Therefore, prices will vary considerably dependent upon the extent of the modifications, and the number of times a certifier needs to re-inspect the vehicle if rectifications are required.
You can help to minimise the cost of your certification by reducing the number or re-inspections you require. This can be done by ensuring that all modifications meet the relevant technical requirements prior to your certification, and that all modifications and rectifications have been carried out in a tradesman-like manner.
Remember that your LVV Certifier is carrying out his certifications in a professional capacity, much like an engineer, dentist, or doctor, and as such, will charge a fair and reasonable hourly rate, taking into consideration his business costs and overheads, and the liability that each certifier must carry for the life of the vehicle while the certification plate remains.
What is the process for becoming an LVV certifier?
There is a lot of info in our ‘Operating Requirements Schedule’ detailing the requirements to become an LVV Certifier and some specific detail to help understand the process on our website here.
What is a Low Volume Vehicle?
Low volume vehicle means a make and model of a light vehicle (classes LC, LD, LE, MA, MB, MC, MD1, MD2 and NA) that is:
“(a) manufactured, assembled or scratch-built in quantities of 500 or less in any one year, and where the construction of the vehicle may directly or indirectly affect compliance of the vehicle with any of the vehicle standards prescribed by New Zealand law; or
“(b) modified uniquely, or in quantities of 500 or less in any one year, in such a way that compliance of the vehicle, its structure, systems, components or equipment with a legal requirement relating to safety performance applicable at the time of the modification may be affected.”
Definition taken from the Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002
