Left-hand drive vehicles

A

Class MA vehicles less than 20 years old:

• The vehicle must be class MA, and

1. be issued with a Category A left-hand drive vehicle permit by the Transport Agency, and

2. be manufactured in a country other than New Zealand less than 20 years before the vehicle is certified for entry in New Zealand

• The vehicle must not be operated in a transport service and must be registered in the name of the person who obtained the original Category A LHD permit for a period of 4 years.

Requirements that the vehicle must meet:

To issue a vehicle with a Category A LHD vehicle permit, the Transport Agency must either deem it to have historic value, or it must be a vehicle that was not manufactured in right-hand drive form that meets three of the following four requirements:

• The vehicle (or its make, model and submodel) is identified as being a collector’s item in a commercially produced motoring publication
• The vehicle’s make and model and submodel has been (or was) manufactured in annual volumes of 20,000 units or less
• The vehicle is, and was manufactured as, a two-door coupe or a convertible
• The vehicle is, and was manufactured as, a high-performance vehicle.

The owner must also comply with the following requirements:

• Must be a New Zealand citizen or resident
• Must not have received a Category A LHD vehicle permit during the two years before your application
• Have the vehicle registered in their name
• Must prove the other necessary standards for the vehicle year.

B

Light vehicles that are 20 years old or more:

• The vehicle must be class MA, MB, MC or NA. Its gross vehicle mass must not exceed 3.5 tonnes, and it must have been manufactured in a country other than New Zealand 20 years or more before the vehicle is certified.
• The vehicle must not be operated in a transport service.

C

Specialist vehicles. There are five sub-groups in this category:

Category C1:

• The vehicle must have dual steering columns and controls.

Category C2:

• The vehicle must be used solely or principally as:

a) a mobile crane, or

b) a vehicle which operates wholly or partly on self-laying tracks, or

c) an agricultural tractor or self-propelled agricultural harvesting machine, or

d) an earthmoving machine.

• The Transport Agency must confirm in writing that it is satisfied the operation of the vehicle requires it to be a left-hand drive vehicle or that the vehicle is only available as a left-hand drive vehicle

Category C3:

• The Transport Agency must confirm in writing that it is satisfied that the vehicle has special characteristics, or is equipped for special operational purposes, such that conversion to right-hand drive is impractical.

Category C4:

• The vehicle must be identified as a hearse by the original vehicle manufacturer (eg Ford, General Motors).

Category C5:

• The vehicle must be a class MA or class MC motor vehicle that is used in motor sport competition and is operated in accordance with the conditions of a valid motor sport authority card.

D

Vehicles operated by diplomats

• The vehicle must be operated by a person who is, for the time being, entitled to diplomatic immunity from jurisdiction.

E

Vehicles exempt from registration and licensing

• The vehicle must be exempt from registration and licensing requirements.

F

Former crown vehicles

• The vehicle must be formerly owned by the Crown.

G

Motorcycles with side cars

• The motorcycle may have a sidecar fitted to the right-hand side of the motorcycle.