Petition seeks to remove WoFs for cars over 40 years old

A petition has been put forward to the Minister of Regulation, David Seymour, which seeks to alter several regulations relating to classic cars in New Zealand, including the removal of Warrant of Fitness (WoF) inspections for vehicles over 40 years old.

The petition was published on Change.org by Ella Forrest, who outlined four key changes that should be made to legislation concerning older vehicles generally owned by enthusiasts.

Among them was the removal of vehicle identification number (VIN) inspections on cars over 30 years old when they are first imported into the country, instead being substituted with a WoF or assessment by a recognised car club.

The same is desired for vehicles 30 years or older with lapsed registrations, which currently require documents showing proof of the VIN to be re-registered. The petition advocates that for a vehicle in this situation to be re-registered, it should only have to undergo a one-time WoF instead.

By far the biggest change being called for is the elimination of six-month WoFs, which currently apply to all vehicles first registered in New Zealand before 1 January 2000. What’s being proposed as an alternative is five-year WoFs for vehicles over 30 years old, while cars over 40 should be exempt from inspection altogether.

The final port of call touches on modified vehicles that are currently subject to certification by the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (LVVTA) to be deemed road-legal. The petition suggests that these rules should be developed alongside specialist car clubs to ensure safety while keeping costs low and compliance demands reasonable.

In summary, the proposed changes intend to make classic car ownership easier and more enjoyable for Kiwis, as well bringing local regulations in line with those seen overseas.

“Collectible vehicles are cherished, generally kept in good condition, and not used as daily drivers. Yet they are subject to onerous regulation promoted by persons with pecuniary interest,” the petition states.

“The authorised certifiers are for the most part unfamiliar with historic vehicles and the regulations become a barrier to enjoyment of the collectible vehicle hobby and deprives NZ of an important part of its culture that is worthy of preservation.”

In the United Kingdom, vehicles aged between 30 and 40 have yearly roadworthy inspections instead of every six months as seen here in New Zealand, while vehicles over 40 don’t require any form of inspection at all. Similar rules are also in place in France, with its WoF equivalent spanning five years for vehicles over the age of 30.

The petition, which can be found here, was started on 11 February and currently has 1381 signatures as of 13 February.