Yes, you can import a car built more than 25 years ago. You still need an import approval before it is shipped, applied for in ROVER under the older vehicles criterion, but the car doesn't need an SEV Register entry, a model report or compliance at a workshop. Registration is then up to your state.
Check the car before you buy
A car that is a few months short of 25 years, has a recent significant modification, or contains asbestos can stop the import or the registration. Get advice on the exact car, using its chassis number and build date, before you bid. Our checklist before you buy covers what to look at.
01Which cars qualify
A car qualifies if it was originally built, or significantly modified, more than 25 years ago. The age is worked out from the build date, not the date it was first registered. Transport for NSW counts it at the date you apply for import approval.
If the build date shows only a year, the Department treats it as December of that year. A car built in 2001 with no month recorded may therefore have to wait until early 2027.
02The import approval
The approval is a concessional RAV entry approval under the older vehicles criterion, applied for online in ROVER as a single road vehicle approval. As with every import, you need it before the car is shipped. A car that arrives without one won't be released by Border Force.
The application asks for the car's details, its build date, and any significant modifications with when they were made and evidence such as photos. The fee must be paid before the Department will assess it, and it must decide within 30 business days.
Once approved, the car is added to the Register of Approved Vehicles, usually within 48 hours.
03Significant modifications
A significant modification is one that changes how the car was built, such as a different engine. If one was made in the last 25 years, the car no longer counts as an older vehicle. It can still be imported under the significantly modified pathway, but it won't be added to the RAV and can't get general registration.
Declare every modification and the date it was made. If you're not sure whether a change counts, ask before you buy.
04Asbestos
Asbestos can't be imported into Australia, and older cars carry the highest risk. It is most often found in brake pads and shoes, clutch linings and gaskets, and sometimes in heat shields, seals and insulation.
A seller's letter saying the car is asbestos-free isn't enough. If Border Force isn't satisfied, it can hold the car for sampling and testing at your cost, and importing asbestos can lead to fines or prosecution. The safest course is to have the risky parts replaced, or tested by an accredited laboratory, before the car is shipped, and to keep the records.
05Registering it in NSW
The import approval doesn't guarantee registration; each state decides. In NSW you'll need:
- the import approval, with the car showing on the Register of Approved Vehicles
- an inspection report from a Transport for NSW authorised examiner (an AUVIS inspection for most cars)
- a VSCCS compliance certificate, which Transport for NSW says the older vehicle scheme requires
- proof of identity, proof you're entitled to register the car (such as the bill of sale), and CTP insurance
The VIN or chassis number on the car must match the one on the RAV, or the car will be rejected. A left-hand-drive light vehicle can be registered in NSW under this pathway if it is 25 years old or older at the date of the import approval application.
06How it differs from cars under 25 years old
A car under 25 years old must be on the SEV Register, be covered by a model report, and be complied at a Registered Automotive Workshop before it goes on the RAV. Our guide to importing a car under 25 years old explains that pathway.
07How J-Import can help
J-Import Auto Compliance is a Registered Automotive Workshop (RAW-000151) in Greenacre, Sydney. If you're not sure whether a car qualifies as an older vehicle, or would be better imported under the SEV pathway, send us the chassis number and auction sheet and we'll tell you which pathway fits before you buy.
08Questions
How is the 25 years worked out?
From the car's build date, not its first registration date. Transport for NSW counts it at the date you apply for import approval, so check the build month before you buy a car that is close to the line.
Does a car over 25 years old need compliance at a workshop?
No. It doesn't need an SEV Register entry, a model report or compliance at a Registered Automotive Workshop. Once the import approval is granted, the Department adds it to the Register of Approved Vehicles.
Can I register a left-hand-drive car in NSW?
Transport for NSW allows a left-hand-drive light vehicle under this pathway if it is 25 years old or older at the date you apply for import approval. Check with Transport for NSW before you buy, as rules differ between states.
What counts as a significant modification?
Changes that alter how the car was built, such as a different engine. If one was made in the last 25 years, the car no longer counts as an older vehicle and can't get normal registration through this pathway. Declare every modification and when it was made.
Do I need to worry about asbestos?
Yes. Older cars are the highest risk. Asbestos can't be imported into Australia, and Border Force can hold the car for testing at your cost if you can't show it's free of asbestos. Have brakes, clutch and gaskets checked or replaced before the car is shipped.
Found a car at auction?
Send us the chassis number and auction sheet. We'll tell you if it can be complied before you bid.