We can only fund vehicle modifications that are legal and safe for you to use. We can’t fund a support if it’s likely to cause harm to you or others.
The vehicle modifications must be legal in the state or territory where you live and where the vehicle is registered. We can’t fund supports that are against the law.
It’s your responsibility to get advice on whether the modifications are legal and safe for you. Most assistive technology used in vehicles is higher risk. People can be injured by these items when they’re not used or set up correctly.
For more information about what you need to do before you buy your assistive technology and what we mean by risk, refer to Our Guideline – Assistive technology.
You can also refer to our factsheet Understanding assistive technology evidence, advice, assessments and quotes .
Structural, restraint or control modifications to new or second-hand vehicles
For modifications to a new or second hand vehicle, we need to know the vehicle and modifications you want are safe and appropriate for you.
To do this, you’ll need to give us evidence or a Vehicle Modification assessment template from your driver-trained occupational therapist or suitably qualified assessor. This will let us know what modifications you need and how they’ll work for you.
We also need to know:
you’ll be able to register the vehicle with your state or territory government once the modifications are complete
you’ll be able to give us an engineering certificate or authorisation report from a licensed vehicle modifier or certifier (to permit registration with the transport authority) when the modifications are complete.
The engineering certificate or authorisation report must confirm your vehicle will comply with safety requirements in your state or territory if it has the proposed modifications completed. It will also need to confirm the modifications meet the Australian standards and rules relevant in your state or territory. We’ll fund this engineering certificate or authorisation report. You shouldn’t make a final payment for any vehicle modifications until you receive the certificate or report.
Existing imported or factory fitted modifications
We need to know that any vehicle modifications already installed in a vehicle, or modifications that are factory fitted in an imported vehicle, are legal, safe, and appropriate for you. Foreign imported vehicles that are factory fitted with modifications may not meet Australian standards for vehicle registration.
To confirm these modifications are legal and safe for you, you’ll need to give us:
- evidence or a Vehicle Modification assessment template from your occupational therapist or suitably qualified assessor. This will explain what modifications you need and how they’ll work for you
- an engineering certificate or authorisation report from a licensed vehicle modifier or certifier, before we can decide whether to fund your vehicle modification supports.
The engineering certificate or authorisation report must confirm the modifications meet Australian standards and rules relevant in your state or territory. You’ll need to fund this, unless a valid certificate or report is already available.
You can find out more about what you need to do to register modified vehicles with the registration authority for your state or territory. When you register your vehicle, you’ll need to give your registration authority a copy of the engineering certificate or authorisation report. Your licensed vehicle modifier will give you the certificate or report.