VASS & AVE certification
Many owners of a motor vehicle or trailer will require the vehicle to be modified to suit their required corporate or personal use. Government regulations require most significant modifications to be certified. Each state in Australia has their own scheme where approved vehicle examiners (AVEs) are licensed to certify vehicle modifications through the issue of a modification plate and/or modification certificate.
Engineering certificates are an important part of vehicle modifications as they ensure that a vehicle's compliance has not been detrimentally affected. They ensure that compliance against the required standards has been achieved, the vehicle's safety has been maintained and protect owners from defects or refused insurance claims due to illegal or uncertified modifications.
Heavy vehicles (over 4.5t gross vehicle mass - GVM) operate under the National Heavy Vehicle Regulations (NHVR) and therefore a VASS approval certificate or AVCAIS certification will cover all states and territories that subscribe to the NHVR.
Our certification services
BTT Engineering has multiple signatories employed in Victoria under the Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) and in Tasmania under the Approved Vehicle Certifier Approved Inspection Station (AVCAIS) scheme. In addition, as our signatories are all approved to certify and specialise in heavy vehicles, we can issue modification certifications for heavy vehicles under NHVR jurisdiction.
Comprehensive vehicle assessments
We at BTT Engineering are able to sign off on various types of modifications on both light and heavy vehicles. If you have multiple modifications that affect the safety standards and government regulations we are able to assess all of them in the same certification. If you have modified a light vehicle (under 4.5t GVM) then you will need a VicRoads specific approval in Victoria which means you need to contact an approved vehicle examiner and get a VASS approval certificate and blue modification plate. In some instances, a VASS approval letter will suffice for minor modifications.
J4 Tipper Design Certification
With the NHVR's new J4 tipper design modification code coming into force from April 2025, many heavy salespeople, body builders and operators will need to consider the requirement of J4 certification on any of their future tipper body installations.
BTT Engineering's approach to J4 certification aims to maintain design novelty across the many approaches to building a tipper body and instead work out the capacity of such designs and how they can be improved. Our team have completed extensive validation of our calculations ensuring confidence in the accuracy of the results obtained. Our certification includes manufacturing drawings as a standard item so that a manufacturer has records of the design which can be used over and over again. For those just looking for an economical and compliant tipper design, we can also provide certification and drawings for known appropriate configurations.
GVM Upgrade Certification
BTT Engineering works closely with a number of the leading aftermarket GVM upgrade suppliers in Australia and is an endorsed signatory for multiple suppliers. This allows for us to provide clients with advice on potential GVM upgrade options as well as being a reliable and competent supplier of certifications for aftermarket modifiers offering GVM upgrade kits as part of their services. We are the trusted partner for modifiers in both Tasmania and Victoria, inspecting vehicles on site as soon as completed to ensure a smooth and pain-free process for the modifier and vehicle owner.
Not all GVM modifications require the fitment of an aftermarket kit - some vehicles have optional ratings which can be accessed by operators through completion of certification against a letter of endorsement from the manufacturer. This can enable owners to get additional payload through an upgrade or downgrade a vehicle to suit a desired license category provided the vehicle has been designed to suit the revised rating
Certification of GVM upgrades not endorsed by the manufacturer or an aftermarket supplier is still possible, but will require extensive engineering analysis including component strength tests and brake testing. BTT has completed a handful of these projects before and has the facilities to complete all necessary testing and analysis required.
Caravan ATM Upgrade Certification (Tasmania only)
With most commercially available caravans only providing 300-400kg of payload, many prospective travellers look to engineering certification to increase their carrying capacity and avoid being left with no choice but to leave required equipment at home. An ATM upgrade consists of a number of aspects including making sure that the components are all rated for purpose and completing a structural analysis of the drawbar and chassis for the increased loads. Some caravans are capable of achieving an upgrade as they are while others require structural improvements or component replacement to be suitable for a higher ATM. In some cases, caravan manufacturers are prepared to assist in the process by providing a certification letter for a higher ATM but this is not common.
To complete a caravan ATM upgrade we will first inspect the caravan on site to take all details including components used, drawbar/chassis dimensions and other miscellaneous information required for a certification. After inspection we'll assess the caravan and advise on any necessary changes before completing the final inspection. Those looking to have a caravan ATM Upgrade completed in Tasmania should get in contact with us and ask for our brochure for more information on costs.
Our certification process
Initial consultation
All modification certification jobs should start with contact with an AVE prior to starting works. This enables the AVE to make the modifier aware of the required standards and if any testing is required. This prevents any nasty surprises when time comes for final approval such as work needing to be completed again!
There are plenty of circumstances where the first contact will be to certify a completed vehicle, such as uncertified modifications from a previous owner picked up at a roadworthy or the modifier not being aware that they require certification prior to starting. These certifications are still possible to complete however caution is advised when modifying without AVE advice - if the modification doesn't meet the standards or requires testing the cost for certification could be far higher or all the hard work to do the modification may be in vain if the modification has to be reversed.
Inspection and assessment phases
If a pre-inspection is required, this will be carried out prior to initial assessment and providing modification advice. Otherwise if the modification can be carried out based on the AVE's advice, the AVE will inspect the completed vehicle and make sure that the modification has been performed in accordance with their directives.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There are a large number of modifications requiring certification which affect both light and heavy vehicles, such as
Chassis modifications such as wheelbase modifications
Engine modifications (or anything affecting emissions performance)
Suspension and axle modifications
Body fitments (mainly for heavy vehicles)
Towbar fitments (heavy vehicles)
Crane fitments
Braking modifications
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The certification process can vary in duration depending on the scope of modifications and amount of analysis required. BTT aims to provide final certification documentation within a week of the final inspection, pending payment and plate fitment.
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For heavy vehicles, Vehicle Standards Bulletin 6 (VSB6) is hosted on the NHVR website and contains all modifications covered by Section 86 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law. Light vehicles are covered primarily by Vehicle Standards Bulletin 14 (VSB14) which is available on the Dept. of Infrastructure's website. Both sets of standards are free to access for any member of the public.
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This will depend on the amount for work required and if any testing is necessary. All certifications do include a fee from the state body operating the scheme which will be on-charged to the applicant.
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It is a requirement for an AVE to safely store paperwork and evidence from a certification for at least 7 years. Depending on the circumstance, there may be a reprint fee or recertification may even be required if paperwork was not lodged by the owner with VicRoads in an appropriate timeframe.