LVVTA - Certification plate production - Timeline

Certifier carries out inspection.
After booking in with a suitable LVV Certifier, the certifier will inspect your vehicle and identify all current modifications. He may ask you what work you have done, who did the work, where you got the parts etc. and may also ask for additional information such as a wheel alignment report, part invoices and specifications. The certifier will then assess those modifications to the relevant LVV standards or Hobby Car Technical Manual (HCTM) chapters, filling out the applicable LVV formsets as he goes. Once the inspection is complete, the certifier will take photos of all the modifications and list any rectifications required. All rectifications must be completed before the certifier can apply for a LVV plate.

Certifier completes paperwork and sends to LVV office.
Once the vehicle has passed its final inspection the certifier will gather up all the formsets, invoices, photos etc and send them off to us here in Wellington at the LVV office. Depending on the amount and degree of modifications this can be anywhere from 15 to over 100 pages and can include the same amount of photos.

Invoice certifier and begin data entry
When the paperwork arrives in our office, we invoice the certifier for a plate processing fee and assign the fomsets an internal reference number. The Plate Production Officer will then check the vehicle in NZTA’s database to confirm the make, model, year and VIN recorded on the formsets are correct.

Carry out admin audit and tech audit if required
Once the Plate Production Officer has confirmed the vehicle details are correct, they will begin an administrative formset review. As part of this process they will check all required formsets have been provided and are filled out correctly, the photos cover all modifications, and that the modifications are with the specified category. Where necessary, the plating officer will pass the certification on to the technical team for a technical audit. If any issues are found, we will contact the certifier directly to clarify and if necessary, ask them to remedy the issue.

LVV plate produced and dispatched
At this point, the rest of the data entry will be completed. This means taking all the information the certifier has provided and putting as much as possible on the LVV plate. It will then be given a LVV plate number and a plate will be produced. We will then send the plate via courier to the LVV certifier. The entire process from when it arrives in the office to when the plate is dispatched takes less than 3 days, unless an issue is raised during the auditing process or the vehicle is extensively modified (scratchbuilts etc).

Certifier checks plate and fits to vehicle
When the plate arrives with the certifier, he will check the plate over to ensure that all the information is correct. He will then affix the plate to the vehicle using rivets and adhesive. It is not until this point that the vehicle is considered LVV certified.

LVVTA updates NZTA’s database to match plate
As part of the LVV certification process we update NZTA’s database to reflect the items certified, these changes include engine size, fuel type and removal or addition of seating positions. This is usually done within a few days of the plate being dispatched.