Left hand drive vehicles

This information applies to left-hand drive vehicles with a gross vehicle mass less than or equal to 4.5 tonnes. It provides guidance information on the eligibility criteria for granting left-hand drive exemptions for vehicle registration.

It is the vehicle owner’s responsibility to read this information carefully and conform to the requirements.

Background

Under South Australian legislation, a motor vehicle must be a right-hand drive. A right-hand drive vehicle is defined as having at least one steering control to the right of the vehicle’s longitudinal centre line. However, it is recognised that the historic character of older vehicles may be compromised by converting them to right-hand drive.

The Minister for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport has approved the issue of left-hand drive exemptions for lefthand drive vehicles that are 25 years of age or older as of 1 January of the year of vehicle manufacture. The exemption must be obtained as a pre-requisite to these vehicles being granted registration in South Australia.

Note: A left-hand drive vehicle cannot be used to provide passenger transport services (unless the vehicle was being used for those purposes immediately before 17 June 1999 as per regulation 136 of the Passenger Transport Regulations 2009.

Eligibility for left-hand drive exemption

Two types of left-hand drive exemptions are available in South Australia:

• Single trip left-hand drive exemption.
• Unrestricted left-hand drive exemption.

Single trip left-hand drive exemption

This exemption allows a single nominated trip of a left-hand drive vehicle under given conditions. The use of this exemption is limited to trips related to initial delivery, government inspection, quote, or conversion to right-hand drive and driving to a place for mechanical repair. The exemption cannot be used for road testing or other purposes. The driver must carry the exemption in the vehicle at all times and it must be used in conjunction with:

• single-day registration permit, or
• trade plate, where applicable.

Single-trip left-hand drive exemption.

Unrestricted left-hand drive exemption

This exemption allows registration and operation of a left-hand drive vehicle that is 25 years of age or older as of 1 January of the year of vehicle manufacture.

The driver must carry the exemption in the vehicle at all times and it must be used in conjunction with:

• Full or historic registration,
• Single-day registration permit, or
• Trade plate, where applicable.

For the exemption to be issued, the vehicle must meet the requirements on this page and pass both identification and roadworthy inspections undertaken in South Australia.

Inspection

Note: an identification inspection must be undertaken and completed prior to a roadworthy inspection being started.

Identification inspection

Information about vehicle identity inspections.

Roadworthy inspection

Information about roadworthy inspections.

Country inspections can be arranged in regional areas.

A copy of the Import Approval documents issued by the Australian Government Department - Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts must be supplied and retained by the inspecting officer at the time of inspection, in addition to any requested engineering certification.

Vehicle modifications

Left-hand drive vehicles may be modified from their original design and exemptions from legislative requirements for the modification/s may be required. This is for cases where the modifications make a vehicle non-compliant with vehicle standards legislation.

Refer to the requirements and processes on light vehicle modification (685.6 KB PDF)s for guidance and contact Vehicle Standards, as required.

General requirements

The vehicle must comply with the following requirements, regardless of the year of manufacture, in addition to the requirements in the South Australian Road Traffic Act 1961 and its Regulations.

Mirrors

• A left-hand drive vehicle must be fitted with both left and right-hand side external mirrors.

Lighting

• Headlamps must be fitted with a dipping device to deflect the light projected from the headlamps downwards or downwards and to the left.
• Front parking lights must be white or yellow and rear parking lights must be red.
• A red rear-facing reflector must be mounted on either side at the rear of the vehicle at right angles to the road surface.
• Vehicles manufactured before August 1966 must be fitted with either:
  • Red or yellow rear indicator lamps and white or yellow front indicator lamps, or
  • A mechanical signalling device on the right-hand side of the vehicle that complies with the requirements of the South Australian Road Traffic (Light Vehicle Standards) Rules 2018.
• Vehicles manufactured after August 1966 but prior to 1 January 1973 must be fitted with red or yellow rear indicator lamps and white or yellow front indicator lamps.
• Vehicles manufactured on or after January 1973 must be fitted with yellow front and rear indicator lamps.
• For vehicles manufactured after December 1969, the parking lights must also be on when the headlamps are switched on.

Seat belt and seat belt anchorage

All seat belts must be fitted in accordance with either the vehicle or seatbelt manufacturer’s requirements.

If lap-sash seat belts are required to be fitted and the vehicle has insufficient original anchorage points a report from a Light vehicle engineering signatory may be required on the additional anchorage points.

Requirements specific to the year of manufacture

The vehicle will also need to comply with certain requirements specific to the year of manufacture, in addition to General requirements.

Vehicles built before 1 January 1967

• There are no requirements for seat belts to be fitted to the vehicle.
• If seat belts are fitted they must comply with at least Australian Standard (AS) E35-1935 or AS 2596-83 and be fitted correctly.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1967 and 31 December 1968

• Seat belts for front outboard positions complying with at least Australian Standard (AS) E35 – 1935 or AS 2596 – 83.
• Lap or lap-sash seat belts are acceptable and must be fitted correctly.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1969 and 31 December 1970

• Seat belts for all front seating positions complying with at least Australian Design Rules (ADR) 4.
• Lap-sash seat belts for outboard positions and lap seat belts for the inboard position.
• All seat belts have non-partial engagement-type buckles.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1971 and 31 December 1971

• Seat belts for all seating positions complying with at least ADR 4.
• Lap-sash seat belts for outboard positions and lap seat belts for inboard positions.
• All seat belts have non-partial engagement-type buckles.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1972 and 31 December 1974

• Seat belts for all seating positions complying with at least ADR 4 and 4A for vehicles built after 1 January 1974.
• Lap-sash seat belts for outboard positions and lap seat belts for inboard positions.
• All seat belts have non-partial engagement-type buckles.
• Head restraints for all front outboard seating positions complying with at least ADR 22.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1975 and 31 December 1975

• Seat belts for all seating positions complying with at least ADR 4B.
• Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) lap-sash seat belts for front outboard positions, lap-sash seat belts for all rear outboard positions, and lap seat belts for inboard positions.
• ELR seat belts may be single or dual locking. All seat belts have non-partial engagement-type buckles.
• Head restraints for all front outboard seating positions complying with at least ADR 22A.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1976 and 31 December 1976

• Seat belts for all seating positions complying with at least ADR 4C.
• ELR lap-sash seat belts for front outboard positions, lap-sash seat belts for all rear outboard positions, and lap seat belts for inboard positions.
• ELR seat belts may be single or dual locking. All seatbelts have non-partial engagement-type buckles.
• Head restraints for all front outboard seating positions complying with at least ADR 22A.
• Child restraint anchorages must be fitted in accordance with at least ADR 34 for at least three seating positions.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1977 and 31 December 1983

• Seat belts for all seating positions complying with at least ADR 4C.
• ELR lap-sash seat belts for front outboard positions, lap-sash seat belts for all rear outboard positions, and lap seat belts for inboard positions.
• ELR seat belts must be dual locking and all seat belts to have non-partial engagement type buckles.
• Head restraints for all front outboard seating positions complying with at least ADR 22A.
• Child restraint anchorages must be fitted in accordance with at least ADR 34 for at least three seating positions.
• An engineering report is to be supplied by a Light Vehicle Engineering Signatory that verifies that the vehicle complies with the requirements of ADR 29 - Side Door Strength.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1984 and 31 December 1985

• Seat belts for all seating positions complying with at least ADR 4D.
• ELR lap-sash seat belts for both front and rear outboard positions and lap seat belts for inboard positions.
• ELR seat belts must be dual locking and all seat belts to have non-partial engagement type buckles.
• Head restraints for all front outboard seating positions complying with at least ADR 22A.
• Child restraint anchorages must be fitted in accordance with ADR 34 for at least three seating positions.
• An engineering report is to be supplied by a Light vehicle engineering signatory that verifies that the vehicle complies with the requirements of ADR 29 - Side Door Strength.

Vehicles built between 1 January 1986 and 30 June 2021 onwards

• Seat belts for all seating positions complying with at least ADR 4D.
• ELR lap-sash seat belts for both front and rear outboard positions and as a minimum lap seat belts for in-board positions.
• ELR seat belts must be dual locking and all seat belts to have non-partial engagement type buckles.
• Head restraints for all front outboard seating positions complying with at least ADR 22A.
• Child restraint anchorages must be fitted in accordance with ADR 34 for at least three seating positions.
• An engineering report is to be supplied by a Light vehicle engineering signatory that verifies that the vehicle complies with the requirements of ADR 29 - Side Door Strength.
• Petrol-powered vehicles must be fitted with an effective catalytic converter in the vehicle exhaust system.
• Note: 30 June 2021 is the date when the Motor Vehicle Standards Act is replaced with Road Vehicle Standards Act.

Vehicle Standards reference: MR629.