The issue and why we are consulting
On this page
Overview
In 2023, the Government passed a new law for self-contained vehicles to better manage the impacts of freedom camping on our communities and environment. The self-containment requirements for private motor vehicles certified under the old system come into effect in June 2025. However, currently only a small number of the estimated 73,000 self-contained vehicles in New Zealand have been certified under the new system. This paper is consulting on whether the deadline for private self-contained vehicles should be extended to reduce the pressure on Certification Authorities (and their vehicle inspectors), noting that such a delay may have other implications.
A new freedom camping system has been put in place
In 2023, the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (the Act) came into force. The Act addresses concerns about freedom campers who stay in vehicles that are not self-contained, establishing a new regulatory system for vehicles to become certified as self-contained. The Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) regulates the self-contained vehicles certification system, namely the Certification Authorities and vehicle inspectors who are certifying vehicles.
The freedom camping legislation has a transitional period
For most self-contained vehicle owners, the obligation to use a vehicle certified as self-contained when staying on certain types of land is being phased in over a two-year transitional period (starting from the commencement of the Act on 7 June 2023). The change is being operationalised by moving from the old ‘blue warrant’ system to a new ‘green warrant’ system. For vehicles owned by a rental company, a slightly shorter period of 18 months was set. An overview of the default transitional period is shown in Annex 1.
The key dates are:
- 7 December 2024 - all motor vehicles owned by a rental company (approximately 5,000 vehicles) must be certified as self-contained under the new system.
- 7 June 2025 - all privately owned vehicles [1] (approximately 68,000 vehicles) must be certified as self-contained under the new system. This is referred to as transitional period 4.
Transitional period 4 can be extended by up to 2 years
The Act includes 4 transitional periods[2]. We are only consulting on potential changes to period 4. Period 4 starts on 7 December 2024 and ends on 7 June 2025. During this period, a privately owned motor vehicle is deemed to be self-contained through the blue warrant system if it has been certified:
- before 7 June 2023 under the standard at that time, or
- between 7 June 2023 and 7 June 2024 under the modified standard[3].
There is the ability to extend the end date of period 4 for privately owned vehicles by up to 2 years (the maximum length permitted under the Freedom Camping Act 2011) by an Order in Council, which is the focus of this consultation.
Footnotes
[1] For the purpose of this document, the term ‘privately owned vehicle’ is used, rather than ‘the vehicle is not owned by a rental vehicle company’ as within Freedom Camping Act 2011 sch 1AA cl 6(2)(d).
[2] Under the Freedom Camping Act 2011, Schedule 1AA clause 2, transitional periods 1, 2 and 3 covered periods for when vehicles were determined to be self-contained. Periods 1 and 2 have ended, and period 3 ends on 7 December 2024. Transitional periods 1-3 are set in primary legislation and, as a result, are out of scope of this consultation.
[3] After June 2024, all vehicles requiring certification were required to have this completed under the new requirements (green warrant system).