Chapter 7: Next steps

The Self-Contained Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill sets out a two-year transition from the current unregulated voluntary Standard to the new regulated self-contained vehicle system. This transition is set out in the timeline below, and is based on the Ministry’s preferred options.

What happens next? The Timeline for regulatory changes

Self-Contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill enacted

• Vehicle-based freedom camping on council land will now be done in a certified self-contained vehicle, unless at a site specifically designated by the local council for freedom camping in non-self-contained vehicles. Councils will be able to use bylaws to designate sites as appropriate for non-self-contained vehicles.
• Existing bylaws that designate areas as suitable for non-self-contained vehicles will continue to apply.
• The voluntary Standard will still be used to demonstrate proof of self-containment and blue warrant cards will still be issued.
• Only vehicles with a fixed toilet (not portable) will be able to be certified as self-contained from now on, but vehicles with a portable toilet which are already certified will still be able to freedom camp.
• New freedom camping offences will be introduced, and infringements will now be emailed.

Six months after enactment: regulations will be made

• Organisations, including existing issuing authorities, will be able to apply to the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board to become certification authorities, and once approved, will be able to start issuing green warrant cards.
• The register of self-contained vehicles will be operational and enforcement officers will be able to access it to verify whether a vehicle has been certified as self-contained. Certification authorities will start recording the details of certifications. The public will be able to access the register of self-contained vehicles to see whether a vehicle has been certified as self-contained.
• Certification will be able to be done by either: existing issuing authorities (using the voluntary Standard and issuing blue warrant cards), or new certification authorities (using the technical requirements in regulations and issuing green warrant cards).
• Vehicle owners wishing to have their vehicles certified under the new regulatory requirements will be required to pay a levy.
• The new tiered infringement framework will be in place. Higher fines may be issued for non-compliance with freedom camping rules.
• Blue warrant cards will still be evidence of self-containment as well as green warrant cards.

One year after enactment

• Vehicles will no longer be able to be certified using the old voluntary Standard with blue warrant cards. However, existing blue warrant cards will still be evidence of self-containment.
• Only certification authorities will be able to certify vehicles. Only green warrant cards will be able to be issued. Any self-containment vehicle certification or re-certification must be done the new regulatory requirements.

One and half years after enactment

• Rental vehicles used for freedom camping must now be certified with a green warrant card.
• Existing blue warrant cards on rental vehicles will no longer be evidence of self-containment.
• Existing blue warrant cards on non-rental vehicles will still be evidence of self-containment.

Two years after enactment

• All vehicles used for freedom camping must now be certified with a green warrant card.
• Blue warrant cards will no longer meet the minimum requirements for demonstrating that a vehicle is self-contained.

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