Register an imported vehicle

The minimum safety requirements are:

• front row outboard seats - lap sash seat belts in vehicles manufactured in 1969 or later
• centre front seat (where fitted) - lap seat belt in all vehicles manufactured in 1969 or later
• centre rear seat - lap seat belt in all vehicles manufactured in 1971 or later
• rear outboard seats - lap sash seat belts in all vehicles  manufactured in 1971 or later
• seatbelt approved markings
  • seatbelts to USA standards are generally not acceptable but concessions may be made where such seat belts are integral to supplementary restraint systems.
• child restraint anchorages
• glazing
• lights and reflectors
• head restraints
• driving position.

Glazing

All glazing used in the vehicle's windscreen, windows or interior partition must be approved safety glass.

In the case of a windscreen, it must have no tinted film in the area swept by windscreen wipers. Not less than 75% visible light transmission is allowed for the windscreen.

If the windscreen is heat-treated glass, it shall carry an appropriate identifying mark usually including the letters TP, TS or TF, and shall have a modified zone on the right hand side of the vehicle – eg: in front of the driver.

If it is a laminated windscreen, it shall carry a mark incorporating the symbol WHP or ASI.

Glazing other than windscreens may have limited tinting, but must carry an identifying mark which, for heat treated glass usually includes letters TP, TS or TF, or for laminated glass the symbol LP, LS, LF or AS2.

Any window tint applied to side and rear windows must meet the requirements in the NT for vehicle window tinting.

Lights and reflectors

All of the following lights and reflectors must be fitted:

• at least two white front parking lights
• amber turn-signal lights (two at the front and two at the rear)
• at least two white headlights which have a dipping device which deflects the beam downwards and to the left
• at least two red tail lights and two red stop lights
• a rear registration plate illumination light; and two rear red reflectors.

Head restraints

The front outer seats of vehicles built after 1988 must have head restraints.

If head restraints are of the removable type they will be accepted provided they would not be likely to collapse or separate from the seat in a crash. Clip-on head restraints are not acceptable.

Driving position

Personally imported left-hand drive vehicles may be acceptable in the NT. These vehicles must be fitted with external rear vision mirrors on both the left and right hand side of the vehicle.

If the vehicle is converted to right-hand drive, it must meet vehicle design regulations.

For more information, go to the Australian Government's Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications website.

More information

For more information, read the V48 imported vehicles information bulletin PDF (695.0 KB).