Club Permit Modified Vehicles Victoria: VSI 33 & VASS
A modified vehicle is welcome on the Club Permit Scheme, and VicRoads says so directly: the scheme “also applies to trailers, heavy vehicles, modified vehicles like street rods and motorbikes”. What changes is the paperwork. Modified vehicles are measured against two guideline documents, and anything outside them needs a VASS approval certificate before VicRoads will issue the permit. This page sets out which document applies to what, when VASS is required, and how street rods, replicas and imports are handled.
Guidelines for modifications to vehicles operated under Victoria's club permit scheme (VSI 33)
That heading is the full official name of VSI 33, and it is the document that decides most modified club permit applications. Transport Victoria sets the hierarchy plainly. Vehicles on a club permit “must meet Schedule 2 of the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2021”. Modified vehicles must also meet:
- “vehicle standards information (VSI) 8 guide to modifications for motor vehicles”, the general modification guide for Victorian vehicles; and
- “VSI 33 - guide to modifications to vehicles operated under Victoria’s club permit scheme”, the club-permit-specific guide.
Motorcycles have their own: they “must meet the VSI 4 - summary of registration requirements for motorcycles and mopeds”. All three sit on the Transport Victoria vehicle standards information page, where VSI 33 is listed under Current standards with a publish date of October 2021. Both are worth reading in full before you spend money, because VSI 33 is the difference between a signature and a rejection.
Where a vehicle does not comply, Transport Victoria describes what happens next: VicRoads may ask you to “give the club a roadworthy certificate or vehicle assessment signatory scheme (VASS) approval certificate showing the vehicle meets standards for club permit vehicles”, or to “take the vehicle to a nominated testing site, or for inspection by an authorised officer/vehicle inspector”. And if the rules are not followed, “VicRoads may suspend or cancel your club permit”.
What counts as modified, and where each modification lands
There is no list of banned modifications. There is a standard, two guideline documents, and a certification path for anything outside them. The table below shows the usual route for common work; VSI 8, VSI 33 and a VASS signatory decide the actual outcome for your vehicle.
| The modification | The usual path |
|---|---|
| Rebuild to original specification | Within standards; declared on the eligibility form |
| Period accessories and period-correct parts | Normally within standards; check VSI 33 |
| Wheels and tyres outside the original size | Check VSI 8; VASS if outside the guideline |
| Suspension lift or lowering | Check VSI 8; VASS if outside the guideline |
| Brake, steering or driveline upgrade | Check VSI 8; VASS if outside the guideline |
| Engine swap | Assessed under VSI 8 and VSI 33; commonly a VASS approval certificate |
| Turbocharger or supercharger added | Commonly VASS; also restricts probationary drivers |
| Street rod | ASRF endorsement for SR plates; VASS in the cases listed below |
| Replica or Individually Constructed Vehicle | VASS approval certificate if never registered or permitted before |
| Import built 1969 to 1988 under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 | VASS approval certificate |
| Left-hand drive | Permitted; night driving restricted unless the lamps suit right-hand driving |
Two rules sit behind the whole table. Vehicles must “meet the standards relevant to [their] year of manufacture”, and modifying a club permit vehicle beyond vehicle standards is something Transport Victoria explicitly asks the public to report.
The stationary noise limits an older vehicle has to meet
Exhaust work is the modification most likely to be measured rather than argued about, and the numbers are not on the EPA website. They are in Part 5.6 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 (S.R. 47/2021, version 010, in force from 8 November 2023). Regulation 135 sets the scope: the Part “does not apply to a new vehicle or a heavy vehicle”. Regulation 141 sets the method: noise “must be determined using the method set out in the National Stationary Exhaust Noise Test”.
Which limit applies depends on whether the vehicle was approved to ADR 83/00. If it was, regulation 142 applies instead of the tables below: the limit is the vehicle’s own stationary noise level, and the offence is exceeding it by at least 5 dB(A). Most club permit vehicles pre-date ADR 83/00 and fall under the tables.
Passenger cars and derivatives, not approved to ADR 83/00 (reg 143)
Covers passenger cars, passenger car derivatives, and forward-control and off-road passenger vehicles.
| Date of manufacture | Noise level dB(A) |
|---|---|
| Before 1 November 1983 | 96 |
| On or after 1 November 1983 | 90 |
Petrol goods vehicles and buses, not approved to ADR 83/00 (reg 144(2))
| Date of manufacture | GVM (t) | Exhaust height (mm) | dB(A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | < 1500 | 92 |
| Before 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | < 1500 | 98 |
| Before 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | ≥ 1500 | 88 |
| Before 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | ≥ 1500 | 94 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | < 1500 | 89 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | < 1500 | 95 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | ≥ 1500 | 85 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | ≥ 1500 | 91 |
Diesel goods vehicles and buses, not approved to ADR 83/00 (reg 144(4))
| Date of manufacture | GVM (t) | Exhaust height (mm) | dB(A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 1 July 1980 | ≤ 3.5 | < 1500 | 105 |
| Before 1 July 1980 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | < 1500 | 107 |
| Before 1 July 1980 | ≤ 3.5 | ≥ 1500 | 101 |
| Before 1 July 1980 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | ≥ 1500 | 103 |
| 1 July 1980 to before 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | < 1500 | 102 |
| 1 July 1980 to before 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | < 1500 | 104 |
| 1 July 1980 to before 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | ≥ 1500 | 98 |
| 1 July 1980 to before 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | ≥ 1500 | 100 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | < 1500 | 99 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | < 1500 | 101 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | ≤ 3.5 | ≥ 1500 | 95 |
| On or after 1 July 1983 | > 3.5 and ≤ 4.5 | ≥ 1500 | 97 |
Motorcycles and motor trikes, not approved to ADR 83/00 (reg 145)
| Vehicle type | Date of manufacture | dB(A) |
|---|---|---|
| Motor cycle or motor trike, other than recreational | Before 1 March 1985 | 100 |
| Motor cycle or motor trike, other than recreational | On or after 1 March 1985 | 94 |
| Recreational motor cycle | On or after 1 January 1994 | 94 |
These limits are environment law, not club permit law, so they sit alongside VSI 8 and VSI 33 rather than replacing them. A vehicle can pass the noise test and still fall outside the modification guidelines, and the reverse. If your exhaust is close to a limit, have it measured on the National Stationary Exhaust Noise Test before you book the roadworthy.
When you need a VASS approval certificate, and what M plates are
VicRoads lists four triggers. You need a VASS approval certificate if your vehicle:
- “has been modified outside the vehicle’s standards or guidelines”;
- “is an Individually Constructed Vehicle replicating a club eligible vehicle that hasn’t been registered or issued a club permit before”;
- “is a street rod that hasn’t ever been registered in Australia or issued a Street Rod permit previously in Victoria”;
- “was manufactured after 31 December 1968 (30 June 1975 for motorcycles), but before 1 January 1989, and was imported under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989”.
There is one exemption worth knowing: “If you have a VASS approval certificate for past modifications on your vehicle and there are no new changes, you don’t need a new VASS approval certificate.” Keep the old certificate with the permit paperwork; it saves a repeat inspection every renewal.
A certified modified vehicle is issued its own plate type. On the club permit plates page VicRoads lists “Modified (M plate) club permit vehicle” as a distinct vehicle type, separate from classic and historic, vintage, veteran, street rod, motorcycle and trailer. That is where the M plate name comes from. The red plates guide covers the plate types and sizes.
When you apply, the VASS approval certificate is one of the originals you take to the VicRoads Customer Service Centre, alongside the forms and the roadworthy certificate. Bring the original, not a copy.
Street rods, SR plates and the ASRF
Street rods have their own path through the scheme, and it is easier in one respect and harder in another. Easier: VicRoads lists street rods among the vehicles that do not need a roadworthy certificate, with light trailers and plant-based special purpose vehicles such as a tractor.
Harder: the endorsement. “You’ll need to have your application endorsed by an authorised representative of the Australian Street Rod Federation if you want ‘SR’ plates for your vehicle.” VicRoads is careful about the scope of that endorsement: “Only requirements for street [rod] applications are covered. Applications for Vintage, veteran and classic historic are not covered.”
VicRoads also asks street rod owners to “check if you need an inspection report from the Australian Street Rod Federation” as part of the safety documents step, and requires a VASS approval certificate for a street rod that has never been registered in Australia or held a Victorian street rod permit before.
Replicas and individually constructed vehicles
Replicas are in the scheme by name. VicRoads defines the classic and historic category as vehicles “made after 31 December 1930, but more than 25 years old”, and adds: “This also includes replica vehicles.” So a well-built replica of an eligible vehicle can hold a club permit even though the replica itself is recent.
The certification requirement is the catch. An Individually Constructed Vehicle replicating a club-eligible vehicle needs a VASS approval certificate if it has not been registered or issued a club permit before. In practice that means engaging a VASS signatory early: the certificate is what your club officer needs to see before signing the Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration.
Kit cars and one-off builds follow the same logic. The question is never the badge on the bonnet, it is whether the vehicle meets the standards and whether a signatory will certify it.
Imports: compliance plate, build date and the 1969 to 1988 window
Two separate questions get tangled here. The first is federal: whether the vehicle could be imported at all, which is a Commonwealth matter with its own rules. The second is Victorian: what VicRoads needs to issue a club permit. Only the second is settled on this page.
VicRoads asks for evidence “that the vehicle was made for the Australian market”, for example a photo of the Australian compliance plate or the Australian build plate fitted to the vehicle. For vehicles not made for the Australian market it names the alternative: you need “a Vehicle Import Approval, or to enter the VIN on the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV)”.
Then there is the certification window that catches most grey imports: a VASS approval certificate is required if the vehicle “was manufactured after 31 December 1968 (30 June 1975 for motorcycles), but before 1 January 1989, and was imported under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989”. A 1970s or 1980s Japanese or European import therefore usually needs VASS; an Australian-delivered car of the same year usually does not.
On dating an import, use VicRoads’ own order: the Register of Approved Vehicles build date, then the Australian compliance plate, then the vehicle’s build plate. Compliance date and build date can differ by a year or more on an import, and the build date is what the 25-year test runs on.
Modifying a vehicle that is already on a club permit
The obligation does not end when the plates go on. VicRoads: “You need to tell us if you make changes to your club permit vehicle.” The process has three parts.
- Check whether the change needs an approval certificate, by reviewing the standards for club permit vehicles on the Transport Victoria site.
- “Have your club re-inspect the vehicle. They’ll then issue a new Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration for club permit vehicles form.”
- “Send the form back to us within 14 days of the modification.”
A change to the vehicle’s description has to be done in person at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre, with a letter giving the permit holder’s name, permit number and details of the change, “signed by a Club Safety Officer or Scrutineer of your club”. A colour change also has to be reported. Club Plate Co handles the re-inspection and the new declaration online. See roadworthy and inspection.
Modified vehicle club permit FAQ
What are the car modification laws in Victoria?
Modifications must keep the vehicle within the vehicle standards. For club permit vehicles that means Schedule 2 of the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2021, plus VSI 8, the guide to modifications for motor vehicles, and VSI 33, the guide to modifications to vehicles operated under Victoria’s club permit scheme. Anything beyond them needs a VASS approval certificate.
Does Australia have a 25 year import rule?
Vehicle imports are a Commonwealth matter with its own concessions for older vehicles, and the rules change, so check them with the federal department. For a Victorian club permit what matters is different: VicRoads wants a Vehicle Import Approval or the VIN entered on the Register of Approved Vehicles, and often a VASS certificate.
Can I put an engine swap on a club permit?
Usually yes, with paperwork. An engine swap is a modification, so it is assessed against VSI 8 and VSI 33. Where it falls outside those guidelines VicRoads requires a VASS approval certificate showing the vehicle meets the standards for club permit vehicles. Talk to a VASS signatory before you apply for the permit.
Can a turbocharged or supercharged car go on a club permit?
Yes, if the modification is certified. Added forced induction is a modification outside standard, so expect to need a VASS approval certificate. It also has a licence consequence: probationary drivers cannot drive a vehicle modified by anyone other than the manufacturer to increase performance, and Transport Victoria says this “includes cars with a club permit”.
Do I need a roadworthy certificate for a street rod?
No. VicRoads lists street rods among the vehicles exempt from the roadworthy certificate requirement, alongside light trailers and plant-based special purpose vehicles such as a tractor. You will still need ASRF endorsement for SR plates, and a VASS approval certificate if the street rod has never been registered in Australia or held a Victorian street rod permit.
Can a replica or kit car get a club permit?
Yes. VicRoads includes replica vehicles in the classic and historic category. An Individually Constructed Vehicle replicating a club-eligible vehicle needs a VASS approval certificate if it “hasn’t been registered or issued a club permit before”. The replica is judged on the vehicle it replicates, not the year it was built.
What happens if I modify the car after the permit is issued?
Tell VicRoads. Its instruction is short: have your club re-inspect the vehicle, the club issues a new Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration, and you “send the form back to us within 14 days of the modification”. Some changes need an additional approval certificate before that.
Can I drive a left-hand-drive car on a club permit?
Yes, with one restriction. Transport Victoria states: “You can only drive left-hand-drive vehicles at night if required lights/lamps (including dipping headlamps) are suitable for right-hand driving.” Get the lighting sorted before an evening club run, and expect it to be checked at inspection.
Start whenever it suits. Pay only when everything’s in.
Your classic deserves to be driven. Begin your application now and it waits for your roadworthy — we don’t charge you until it’s all in hand. Not sure you’re eligible? It’s just the build date: 25 years or older and you’re in.