Vicroads and vehicle build/manufacture date for CPS eligibility

[Divano Veloce]

Foolishly I attempted to put a 1990 build alfa 75 on CPS plates today.... According the the chassis plate and Alfa Italy the car was built/manufactured in Italy in May 1990. According to Vicroads it was built/manufactured on the day of compliance which happened to occur 14 months later in Australia.

So although every reference to vehicle age on the Vicroads website and on the CPS application and the eligibility form refer to build or manufacture date, Vicroads actually mean compliance date. I'm not very happy with Vicroads at present.... Any advice?

[jazig.k]

Which VicRoads? I'd try another VicRoads office.
I only go to Maryborough. They're the only helpful, caring people who I do not get frustrated with... Last Bendigo visit for me, probably not welcome back because they didn't do their job correctly...

[Divano Veloce]

apparently its a "computer says no" situation. They enter the previous registration details and computer says 7/91. I've spoken with the special registration team and they say that build/manufacture date is actually compliance date. Maybe an alfa isnt a car, its an alfa romeo until a bogan rivets a compliance plate on it.

anyone want to buy an Australian made Alfa 75 twinspark with RWC?

[Garibaldi]

Yes, that's technically correct. VicRoads go on the compliance rather than the build date to determine the year of the vehicle. Dealers work on the real build date when it comes time to trade in. Go figure.

[Divano Veloce]

Its actually technically very incorrect. To 'Build' or 'manufacture'  are activities easily differentiated from  tag, label, approve or certify as compliant.

If vicroads special definition of the words build and manufacture were detailed and explained somewhere on the CPS documentation then this situation could be avoided. I doubt I'm the first person, or the last to encounter this problem.... MX-5s for instance are imported new and are now turning 25....

I understand that many vehicles that are eligible for the CPS don't have a compliance plate but they're probably a fair bit older than 25.

[Joe Garra]

I would ask VicRoads how they deal with an import that hasn't been registered in Australia yet.

[Divano Veloce]

From what I've gleaned from Vicroads, cars not built for the Australian market (private and grey imports) they go by the actual build date. Cars built for the Australian market they go by compliance date. This was not gleaned from the CPS documentation but from a page describing a prohibited vehicle for a probationary licence holder.

[Craig_m67]

I can't find club permit legislation. Only guidelines which state: Classic and Historic vehicles - manufactured after 31 December 1930, but more than 25 years before the date of the application for a club permit.

It's interesting to note that the overriding legislation; The Road Safety Act 1986 lists definitions for both an Identification Plate (Page 20, used to be compliance) AND a Manufacturers build plate (Page 24) ie. They accept and note that both have a meaning legally.


The vehicle import guys use similar definitions (from their glossary).
Date of manufacture: The date the vehicle was first driven or moved from the manufacturer's production line or production facility, after the vehicle's shell and powertrain assemblies were joined.
Identification plate: An identification plate is fitted to the vehicle by the manufacturer to confirm that the vehicle complies with Australian safety and environmental standards.


Clearly your vehicle has a manufacturers build plate which identifies it correctly. Unless the CPS legislation/guidelines specifically mentions using the Identification (Compliance) plate as the "manufacturers build date" then i'd argue they're just flat out wrong and have no legal basis to refuse your registration. Anything else is just for their convenience and doesn't sit with the overriding legislation. Anybody got a copy/link for the CPS stuff?

Good luck sorting it out though, you may find by the time you win, the car is 25years old


EDIT: it's interesting to note that the definition for what legally has to go on the Identification plate (section 10A) notes; the date of manufacture is the date the vehicle is available in Australia in a condition that will conform to its identification plate approval.

So they want it both ways. I'd suggest this has been lobbied and changed by the industry to make sure they can sell a car that is otherwise years old as "new".

[Craig_m67]

I would ask VicRoads how they deal with an import that hasn't been registered in Australia yet.

It's dealt with in the legislation, they go from the manufacturers build plate if present and the vehicle younger than 1968.

[Divano Veloce]

Thanks Craig, it may not change the outcome but it is more satisfying to use legal speak when dealing with these situations.

[Divano Veloce]

Thanks for your efforts Craig!

It seems like the definition of date of manufacture being compliance date is relatively new and was not the accepted definition in 1990.

also there's the issue of the Vicroads documents using the words 'build' and 'manufacture' interchangeably but ADR clauses only having a definition for 'manufacture' (as occurring on the day of compliance)

[Garibaldi]

Its actually technically very incorrect. To 'Build' or 'manufacture'  are activities easily differentiated from  tag, label, approve or certify as compliant.

If vicroads special definition of the words build and manufacture were detailed and explained somewhere on the CPS documentation then this situation could be avoided. I doubt I'm the first person, or the last to encounter this problem.... MX-5s for instance are imports that are now turning 25....

I understand that many vehicles that are eligible for the CPS don't have a compliance plate but they're probably a fair bit older than 25.

Technically correct or incorrect you must know by now that VicRoads are a law unto themselves. I have tried in the past to argue the point but to no avail. Their decision is final and no corespondence will be entered into. Good luck

[Divano Veloce]

I'll have one more go tomorrow. If unsuccessful it'll go on full reg.

Next time that you're confronted with accusations of being un-Australian for your choice of car, you can proudly tell your accuser that your Alfa (or any other foreign car) is made in Australia!

[Divano Veloce]

Car is now on full reg... Vicroads have not been able to provide me with any reference to legislation or act that defines date of manufacture however they have amended their website with a reference to their use of compliance plate date....

[Craig_m67]

Whilst not what you wanted I still call that a win (well done!).