25 Year Rule CONFIRMED !

Just confirmed – the new 25 Year Rule for car imports to Australia WILL START on 10 December 2019.

Quick summary from today’s official update received today from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development:

– The 25 Year Rule will start on 10 December 2019 (applications for import approval won’t be accepted before this date)

– Vehicles must be 25 years or older at the time of application

– If the vehicle has modifications fitted, the age will be based on the youngest of these

– Information on how to apply will be provided by mid-November 2019

– Other vehicle models set to be eligible under the new import criteria (specifically hybrid / electric and significantly different specifications of locally sold vehicles) will also be made available from 10 Dec 2019 using the existing SEVS structure

Relevant excerpt included in italics below:

As per the Department’s announcement on the RAWS website on Friday 27^th September 2019, the Department is implementing a range of measures to minimise the negative impact of the postponement on affected stakeholders.

This will entail enabling access to specialist, enthusiast vehicles and older vehicles (vehicles older than 25 years old) that would have been available under the RVS legislation had it commenced.

The Department is working with industry representative organisations on the detail for these measures to enable practical implementation from 10 December 2019.

Applications will not be accepted prior to this date. More detailed information will be published on this website once this work has been finalised.

Vehicles 25 years and older

Firstly, applications will be able to be made from 10 December 2019, for older vehicles (vehicles older than 25 years). Under this option, the vehicle must meet the eligibility criteria under rule 36 of the Road Vehicle Standards Rules 2019.

Further information in relation to this option, including how to apply, will be available and published on the Department’s website in mid-November 2019.

Rule 36 of the Road Vehicles Standards Rules 2019 is included below for reference:

36  Eligibility criterion—older vehicles

(1)  A road vehicle satisfies the eligibility criterion set out in this section if the Minister is satisfied that:

                     (a)  the vehicle is in one of the following vehicle categories:

                              (i)  Passenger Car (MA);

                             (ii)  Forward‑control Passenger Vehicle (MB);

                            (iii)  Off‑road Passenger Vehicle (MC);

                            (iv)  Moped ‑ 2 wheels (LA);

                             (v)  Moped ‑ 3 wheels (LB);

                            (vi)  Motor cycle (LC);

                           (vii)  Motor cycle and side‑car (LD);

                          (viii)  Motor tricycle (LE);

                            (ix)  Light Goods Vehicle (NA); and

                     (b)  the vehicle has a relevant build date that is at least 25 years before the date of the application.

Note:          Vehicle categories are set out in the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule—Definitions and Categories) 2005. See the definition of vehicle category in section 5.

(2)  For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), the relevant build date for a road vehicle is the date that the Minister is satisfied is:

                     (a)  the date that assembly of the vehicle was first completed; or

                     (b)  if the Minister is satisfied that significant modifications were made to the vehicle after assembly of the vehicle was first completed—the date that the last of the significant modifications were completed.

Read about the New Vehicle Import Regulations for Australia here