When we talk about vehicle modifications, we mean changes to a vehicle so you can drive or travel in it.
You or a family member need to own the vehicle or have found a vehicle you plan to purchase or lease.
If you don’t own the vehicle, you’ll need to be able to use it regularly and have permission from its owner to modify it.
We’ll only consider vehicle modifications you need because of your disability.
Without these changes, you wouldn’t be able to drive the vehicle or travel as a passenger.
Vehicle modifications and driving supports are one way we help you to:
- get to places you need to go and to the people you want to see
- become as independent as possible
- travel to work or activities
- go somewhere on holiday.
Vehicle modifications and driving supports we might fund because of your disability
- Making changes to a vehicle so you can drive it or be a passenger in it – this includes fitting assistive technology into the vehicle
- Help to remove modifications from an old vehicle and fit them to a new vehicle
- The value of modifications, allowing for age and depreciation, already made to a second-hand vehicle you buy
- A driver trained occupational therapist assessment and a driving instructor for the on-road part of the assessment, if you plan to drive the vehicle
- Specialised driving lessons
- Additional driving lessons where your disability impacts your ability to learn to drive
- Assessment and trial of passenger modifications
- Help with extra insurance costs because your vehicle has been modified
- Help with an engineering certificate or authorisation report you need to register a vehicle with modifications
- Help with your transport needs while your vehicle is being modified
- The costs of maintenance or repair of the modifications
- Inspection for a vehicle condition report for a vehicle older than 5 years and no longer under warranty to confirm it is safe and reliable for daily use, and suitable to modify
Vehicle modifications and driving supports we don’t fund
- Funding to cover usual vehicle registration, insurance or running costs, for example fuel, servicing, or repairs to the vehicle
- Driving supervision or driving lessons for you to make up practice hours to get your driver’s licence
- Funding to buy or lease a vehicle
- Non-standard equipment for modifications, for example installation of extra seats for transporting friends, because we can only fund the minimum needed to meet your disability-related needs
- Costs to upgrade a commercial vehicle to a passenger grade vehicle such as installation of windows, air conditioning and roof insulation or lining
- Changes to public vehicles, such as buses or taxis
- High cost modifications if it’s been less than 8 years since the last modifications were made, unless there are exceptional circumstances