All vehicles first registered or re-registered in New Zealand on or after 1 April 1994 must have a vehicle identification number (VIN) assigned and affixed.

Under Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002, the VIN must be assigned and affixed as soon as practicable. A VIN must be:

• assigned to a vehicle before any compliance work is carried out on the vehicle, and
• affixed to the vehicle before the initial compliance inspection is completed.

An entry certifier may assign and affix a VIN while documentation is pending, but must make a note of this on the notes screen to ensure that it is subsequently obtained and verified. In cases where a particular entry-level inspector is only carrying out the VIN assignment process, the VIN must be affixed immediately.

A vehicle may have an original VIN assigned by the manufacturer, or it may need to have an NZTA ‘7AT’ VIN assigned to it.

When a vehicle record is retrieved from the database and the details are displayed on the screen, the entry certifier must check these details to ensure they match the vehicle presented.

Scratchbuilt vehicles with used donor parts from high volume production vehicles (eg Ford, Holden, Range Rover) should not be assigned any high volume VIN from the donor parts.

1 Determining VIN requirements

To determine whether or not the identifier located on the vehicle is a valid VIN, type the identifier into the escape field of the ‘VIN authority allocation/confirmation’ screen and transmit.

1.1 Valid VIN

If the identifier entered in the escape field of the ‘VIN authority allocation/confirmation’ screen is a valid VIN, the ‘VIN allocation’ screen will display with message ‘Valid VIN entered’. The identifier will display in the VIN field.

The entry certifier must check, correct and complete all vehicle details required for the vehicle type.

If there is a substantial difference (Note 1) in any of the vehicle attributes listed below between the vehicle attributes displayed and the actual vehicle presented, complete a VIN approval request form (CA01).

Do not alter the displayed vehicle details without approval from Waka Kotahi.

Contact NZTA on 0800 804 580 and select option 4 - inspections.

1.2 17-character identifier not recognised by LANDATA

If the identifier entered in the escape field of the ‘VIN authority allocation/confirmation’ screen is a 17-character identifier that LANDATA cannot decode, the ‘VIN allocation’ screen will display the message ‘WARNING VIN does not decode – Contact TRC’.

Some invalid VINs may be difficult to identify, as they look like a VIN and have the correct vehicle year recorded as the tenth character and a valid check digit as the ninth character. However, the world manufacturer identifier (WMI) belongs to someone other than the vehicle manufacturer. This problem is not identified until the VIN decode is investigated in detail. In such cases, the Permitting Assessments team may ask the importer to provide VIN decode information, and may advise that a ‘7AT’ VIN be issued following investigation.

Do not continue. Please refer all 17-digit numbers that do not decode to Waka Kotahi (contact 0800 804 580). If you have the manufacturer's VIN decode information available email it directly to vindecode@nzta.govt.nz

1.3 Other

If an identifier was not entered, or if the identifier entered in the escape field of the ‘VIN authority allocation/confirmation’ screen is not a valid VIN, the ‘VIN allocation’ screen will display the message ‘Chassis number entered’.

LANDATA will assign a ‘7AT’ VIN to the vehicle.

Most Japanese imports require a new VIN to be assigned.

2 Checking vehicle details

Once a VIN has been recognised or assigned to the vehicle and the vehicle details are displayed on the ‘VIN allocation’ screen, the entry certifier must ensure that the vehicle details that are mandatory for the vehicle type are correct and complete. If no vehicle details are displayed, the vehicle attributes recorded on the vehicle attributes checksheet must be entered.

When all mandatory vehicle attributes are correct and complete, the entry certifier must ensure the following fields are set as explained below.

3 System validation

Transmit once all fields have been completed as above.

LANDATA will validate the data entered and redisplay the ‘VIN allocation’ screen with the vehicle’s VIN displayed in the VIN field.

The system will display an error message at the bottom of the screen if any data entry errors were made (eg an invalid country or vehicle model). Correct errors and transmit.

Note 1

Substantial difference means a variation that cannot be satisfactorily explained.

Most vehicle types are required to have a VIN if they are registered or re-registered in New Zealand on or after 1 April 1994. Vehicles that were registered in New Zealand before this date and have their original chassis identification attached are not required to have a VIN affixed. However, a VIN may be affixed at the vehicle owner’s request.

If a vehicle does not have any identifiers (ie a VIN or chassis number), it is required to have a VIN assigned and affixed before its next warrant of fitness inspection.

Most motor vehicles have had some form of chassis number assigned to them. Where chassis numbers or VINs are missing or where the LANDATA chassis number does not match the actual chassis number, the vehicle may have been stolen or involved in a major accident at some point in its life. Because of this, you are required to:

1. complete a VIN approval request form (CA01) 
2. email a copy to assessments@nzta.govt.nz

Before assigning the VIN, the entry certifier must inspect the vehicle and record its attributes on a vehicle attributes worksheet. This worksheet must be retained for a minimum of two years. The VIN must be assigned to a registered vehicle using the ‘vehicle details by plate’ screen.

The following process outlines how to assign a VIN to a registered vehicle.

Many manufacturers who make vehicles in small quantities (ie fewer than 500 per year) do not have the authority to issue VINs. These manufacturers must obtain a VIN for each vehicle they make from an entry certifier. The entry certifier then stamps the VIN directly on to a nominated structural part of the vehicle.

However, some low volume vehicle manufacturers do have the necessary authority to assign and affix a VIN, so will not have to go through this process. These VINs will all start with ‘7A9’, '6Y9', or '6Z9'.

1 Application for VIN assignment

A low volume vehicle manufacturer must complete a vehicle attributes worksheet, similar to the sheet used by entry certifiers. This describes the vehicle that is being (or will be) manufactured. This worksheet comprises two parts that describe the attributes required based on the vehicle type.

The vehicle attributes worksheet is submitted with an application for a VIN. If the vehicle is covered by the Low Volume Vehicle Code, the application must be endorsed by one of the organisations belonging to the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (LVVTA), which is responsible for checking that the vehicle is built in accordance with the requirements of the Low Volume Vehicle Code.

Particular care is required for the recording of make, model and year of manufacture attributes.

The completed and endorsed application must be presented to an entry certifier for the assignment of a VIN. If the vehicle attributes worksheet is not complete in any way, the application must be rejected.

Vehicle attributes must be entered into LANDATA as described in
Pre-registration and VIN 3-1 and Pre-registration and VIN 3-2, with the exception of the ‘print MR2A checksheet’ field.

This field must be set to >Y< to print a VIN checksheet that is used to notify the vehicle manufacturer of the assigned VIN. It is not to be used as a registration document. The system will print an MR2A checksheet displaying:

• the vehicle details, and
• the VIN assigned to the vehicle, and
• the words ‘Affix this VIN to vehicle with chassis number XXXXXX’.

Attach the MR2A to one copy of the vehicle attributes worksheet and send it to the vehicle manufacturer.

Retain the other copy of the vehicle attributes worksheet for future reference. The documents should be filed so that they can be easily retrieved.