Motor vehicle standards

The laws governing motor vehicle standards underwent a significant evolution in Australia from July 1989 until July 1, 2021, under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 (MVSA) and Motor Vehicle Standards Regulations 1989. During this period, it was considered a violation to import, sell, or introduce new or used imported vehicles to the Australian market for the first time unless they adhered to national standards, with exemptions granted only under specific circumstances.

The MVSA applied comprehensively to all road vehicles, spanning cars, vans, utilities, buses, trucks, trailers, motorcycles, and three-wheeled vehicles. Its purview encompassed both domestic and international vehicle manufacturers, importers, automotive parts manufacturers, vehicle owner/operators, and other road users, ensuring uniform standards applied across Australia’s road vehicles.

Approved vehicles were mandated to be equipped with an identification plate containing compliance information and a certification statement from the manufacturer.

Regarding vehicle standards, the MVSA facilitated national uniformity in applying Australian Design Rules, with Administrator’s Circulars offering guidance on the administrative aspects supporting the vehicle certification process. Vehicle Standards Bulletins (VSBs) disseminated information on vehicle design, manufacture, and modification, with VSB Bulletin 1 (Revision 5) summarizing construction requirements for trailers with an aggregated trailer mass of 4.5 tonnes or less.

Post-July 1, 2021, marked the commencement of the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018, fully replacing the MVSA. Concurrently, a transitional period commenced for certain industry segments, allowing them to continue operating under the MVSA until June 30, 2023.

From July 1, 2023, importers and manufacturers of road vehicles, including trailers, are mandated to hold Road Vehicle Standards approval before introducing a vehicle to the Australian market for the first time. Additionally, road vehicles must be entered on the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV), obviating the need for physical compliance plates fitted to MVSA-approved vehicles.

Some vehicle marking arrangements from the MVSA persist, including Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and vehicle plates for trailers and some heavy vehicles.

Emissions

Regarding vehicle emission standards, noxious emissions from vehicle exhausts, such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen, and particulates, have been subject to standards since the early 1970s in Australia. These standards set maximum limits for noxious emissions from vehicle exhausts for new road vehicles supplied to Australia, progressively tightening over four decades.

The current minimum noxious emission standard for new light vehicles in Australia is ADR 79/04, based on the international standard Euro 5. For new heavy vehicles, ADR 80/03, based on Euro V, is the current minimum standard, with vehicles meeting equivalent US or Japanese standards also accepted.

A new standard, ADR 80/04, based on Euro VI (Stage C) requirements, will apply to newly approved heavy vehicle models supplied from November 1, 2024, and all new heavy vehicles supplied to the Australian market on or after November 1, 2025. Similarly, new standards, ADRs 111/00, 112/00, and 79/05, based on Euro 6d requirements, will apply to newly approved light vehicle models supplied from December 1, 2025, and all new light vehicles supplied to the Australian market on or after July 1, 2028. The text of these new ADRs is presently being settled in consultation with stakeholders most directly affected by the change and will be available on the Federal Register of Legislation in the coming weeks.