Register an imported vehicle

Introduction

To register an imported vehicle in the Northern Territory (NT), you need the following:

Interstate transfer of NT imported vehicle registration

Imported vehicles accepted for registration in the NT may not necessarily be acceptable in other jurisdictions – e.g. left hand drive.

Selling an imported vehicle

If a vehicle has met the requirements for import approval and initial registration, there is no restriction preventing the sale unless conditions have been applied to the vehicle import approval (VIA) to restrict vehicle ownership.

It is an offence to sell an imported vehicle for use on a public road if:

  • it doesn't meet the Australian Design Rules or
  • it doesn't have one of the following fitted - as required by the VIA:

More information

Read the V48 Imported vehicles information bulletin PDF (695.0 KB).


Personal imports option

The personal import option is a concession that allows you to register a personally imported vehicle in Australia without needing to comply with all of the Australian Design Rules.

The vehicle must:

  • provide an accepted alternative minimum level of safety
  • be in a roadworthy condition
  • be fitted with a personal import plate.

Personally imported vehicles may be registered in the NT in right-hand or left-hand drive configuration.

To register a personally imported vehicle, you need to submit your vehicle import approval, issued by the Federal Government.

The vehicle import approval includes all of the following:

  • customs clearance
  • information for the registration authority
  • information for the issue of a personal import plate
  • information for the vehicle owner.

Personal import plate

You will get a personal import plate after the vehicle has been inspected by the MVR.

Once the vehicle has passed inspection, the vehicle import approval will be signed by an MVR officer and returned to you.

You must forward these to an approved plate manufacturer who will then manufacture and issue the personal import plate. The plate manufacturer will send the personal import plate to you.

The vehicle must be re-inspected by an MVR inspector to finalise the registration process. You should consult an MVR inspector regarding the location and fitment of the plate.

Modify your imported vehicle

If you want to undergo modifications, or your imported vehicle has undergone modifications, it may be subject to an assessment. Read about vehicle modifications.

More information

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


Safety requirements for personally imported light vehicles

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).