All Vehicles imported through the Specialist and Enthusiast Scheme (SEVS) are required to be complied with by a Registered Automotive Workshop (RAW).
About the Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme
The Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme (RAWS) allows for the importation and supply of used specialist or enthusiast vehicles to the market in Australia. Under this scheme only a RAW can import a used vehicle into Australia. RAWS arrangements do not apply for vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1989 or vehicles that are to be imported under the Personal Import Scheme.
For these vehicles please refer to Vehicle Safety Standards Bulletin 10 (VSB10) Importing Vehicles into Australia.
You can find a listing of approved workshops and their schedule of Approved vehicle models through the Search for a RAW. Before the vehicle can be fitted with a Used Import Plate (required for first registration and for use as transport in Australia) the RAW must modify the vehicle to meet the Australian Design Rule (ADR) requirements as referenced in the RAWS legislation.
In order to be eligible for importation and supply through RAWS, a vehicle must be:
A Used Vehicle – the vehicle must have been used in transport outside Australia and either be:
- SEVS Eligible – a vehicle that is listed as eligible under the Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles Scheme. The details of the vehicle must be as specified under the SEVS ruling; or
- A two or three wheeled L-group category vehicle (motorcycle) that meets the evidence requirements for unrestricted importation through RAWS.
SEVS Eligibility does not automatically imply that a vehicle complies with the ADR or other RAWS legislation, nor does it imply that a vehicle model can be economically made to comply. In order for the RAW to fit a Used Import Plate to a vehicle, the workshop is required to hold evidence that the vehicle, as modified, meets the RAWS requirements. This may require testing or modification of the vehicle. If a vehicle cannot meet the RAWS requirements it must be exported or destroyed.
Damaged Vehicles – A vehicle that has been structurally damaged cannot be fitted with a Used Import Plate. The RAW must assess each vehicle for damage against guidelines prescribed in legislation – if the vehicle does not meet these requirements it must be exported or destroyed – irrespective of whether the damage has been repaired or is repairable.
SEVs eligibility criteria
The following table provides an overview of the RVS legislation SEVs criteria.
Note that several terms are defined in Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule – Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005.
Performance
The performance criterion requires a vehicle to exceed a power to weight threshold dependent on manufacture date: a. For vehicles originally manufactured before 1 January 2020—110 kW/tonne; b. For vehicles originally manufactured on or after 1 January 2020— 130 kW/tonne.
Note: The mass value used in the power to weight calculation is the tare mass of the vehicle.
Environmental
The environmental criterion requires a vehicle to meet or exceed either: • the national road vehicle standards for emissions that are applicable to new vehicles at the time the application is made, or • standards that require similar or better emissions performance compared with the applicable national road vehicle standards for emissions; and either: • use a means of propulsion other than an internal combustion engine (ICE) – either instead of or as well as an ICE (ie EV or hybrid), or • be an M-group or N-group vehicle with a maximum engine capacity of 660 cc, maximum power of 47 kW, maximum length of 3.4 m & maximum width of 1.48 m.
Note: The current emissions standards that are applicable to new vehicles are: • for light vehicles, Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 79/04 — Emission Control for Light Vehicles) 2011 and • for heavy vehicles, Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 80/03 – Emission Control for Heavy Vehicles) 2006
Mobility
The mobility criterion requires a vehicle must either: • be originally manufactured with features specifically designed to assist people with a disability or • be modified, before it was first provided in any market in the world, to include features specifically designed to assist people with a disability and such modifications were sponsored or supported by the original manufacturer.
Note: There are technical requirements, detailed at Appendix D, that apply specifically to vehicles under the mobility criterion.
VSS-GUI-8.5.3 Interim arrangements—guidance relating to specialist and enthusiast vehicles
Left hand drive
The left-hand drive criterion requires that a vehicle: • was originally manufactured as a left-hand drive vehicle; and • either: o is not available as a right-hand drive vehicle in any market in the world; or o if the vehicle is available as a right-hand drive vehicle in a market—the vehicle was not originally manufactured as a right-hand drive vehicle for that market; and • is in one of the following vehicle categories: MA, MC, NA, NB or NC.
Note: Vehicles under the left-hand drive criterion must be converted to right-hand drive before they can be supplied to the market.
Campervans and Motorhomes
The campervans and motorhomes criterion requires that a vehicle either: • was originally manufactured as a campervan or motorhome; or • is suitable for modifications necessary to convert it into a campervan or motorhome that would comply with technical requirements. Campervans, or vehicles to be converted into campervans, must have: • a gross vehicle mass (GVM) or 3.5 tonnes or less and • one of the following body shapes: o van/people mover; o utility; or o cab chassis. Motorhomes, or vehicles to be converted into motorhomes, must have one of the following body shapes: • van/people mover; • utility; • bus; • truck; or • cab chassis.
Note: Technical requirements for campervans and motorhomes, detailed at Appendix D, include that the requirements in Administrator’s Circular 0-4-12 must be met and that the modifications to satisfy those requirements must be permanent.
VSS-GUI-8.5.3 Interim arrangements—guidance relating to specialist and enthusiast vehicles
Rarity
The rarity criterion requires any one of the following: • less than 3,000 vehicles of the make and vehicle category of the road vehicle are produced per year (averaged over the number of years that the make of the road vehicle is, or was, available as a new vehicle in any market in the world); • less than 1,000 vehicles of the model of the road vehicle are produced per year (averaged over the number of years that the model of the road vehicle is, or was, available as a new vehicle in any market in the world); • less than 100 vehicles of the variant of the model of the road vehicle are produced per year (averaged over the number of years that the variant of the road vehicle is, or was, available as a new vehicle in any market in the world).
Note: Vehicles under the rarity criterion do not need to be converted to right-hand drive before they can be supplied to the market, though such vehicles will still be subject to state and territory registration requirements.
How do vehicles get on the Register?
An application for inclusion of a vehicle on the Register under the Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme (SEVS) can be made to the Department. If the application is approved, the vehicle make and model will be added to the Register.
The Department may also make a decision without an application having been made.
The criteria DOCX: 15 KB PDF: 70 KB and SEVS Application for Eligibility form for the Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme and a list of all the vehicle models already assessed under the Scheme are available on the Register.