The Director of Land Transport (the Director) has decided to extend the modified cabs class exemption for another 3 years.

The exemption applies to heavy vehicles over 3501kg with cab modifications completed on or before October 2018 that were not certified at the time. It allows these vehicles to continue operating and obtain a certificate of fitness (CoF) without requiring retrospective certification of those modifications.

This class exemption will be valid from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2029.

Class exemption New Zealand Gazette notice

Why we’re extending this class exemption

The exemption was introduced in 2021 to address historical inconsistencies in how cab modification certification requirements were applied.

Since it came into effect, NZTA has not identified any safety issues or been made aware of any safety concerns involving vehicles operating under the exemption.

Extending the exemption will give vehicle owners greater certainty while we continue work on a permanent solution.

What the extension means

Nothing will change:

• the exemption will continue to apply to heavy vehicles over 3501kg with uncertified cab modifications completed on or before 31 October 2018
• affected vehicle owners can continue using their vehicles without obtaining specialist certification for these historical modifications
• these vehicles can continue to obtain a certificate of fitness (CoF) while the exemption remains in place
• vehicle inspectors will continue to check the cab structure as part of the standard CoF inspection process
• vehicles with safety concerns, such as cracking, deformation or damage, will still need to be referred to a heavy vehicle specialist certifier
• the exemption will continue to apply automatically, and vehicle owners will not need to take any action.

Certification requirements for newer modifications

The extension doesn’t change the requirements for cab modifications completed from November 2018 onwards.

Cab modifications completed from 1 November 2018 must be certified by a heavy vehicle specialist certifier in line with the current requirements in the Vehicle inspections requirement manual (VIRM).

If you have any concerns about the extension, send an email to classexemption@nzta.govt.nz. We’ll record and monitor feedback to help inform future decisions.