Registering a street rod

What is a street rod?

A street rod is a modified vehicle that:

• has a body and frame built before 1949, or
• is a relica of a vehicle, the and frame of which were built before 1949.

A replica street rod is an Individually Constructed Vehicle (ICV)

Registration options for street rods

Before you build a street rod or a replica street rod that you want to register, you need to contact a VSCCS licensed certifier.

The certifier will explain the inspections and testing required during the build process, to ensure the vehicle is safe for use on roads.

General registration for street rods

Street rods and replica street rods need a Compliance Certificate issued by a licensed certifier before they can apply for general registration.

Replica street rods must comply with the vehicle standards that apply to its Date of Manufacture (DoM).

Pre-1949 vehicles modified to be a street rod must comply with the construction and performance requirements found in:

• National Guidelines for the Construction and Modification of Street Rods in Australia
• NSW supplement to the second edition of the National Guidelines for the Construction and Modification of Street Rods in Australia (PDF 66.43KB)

Once your vehicle has been assessed, found to pass and comply with the standards a VSCCS Compliance Certificate will be issued. You can then apply for NSW registration.

To do this, follow the steps for registering a used or secondhand vehicle.

Conditional registration for street rods

To conditionally register a street rod, you must meet these minimum conditions:

• As the registered operator you must be a NSW resident and a member of a NSW Street Rod Club approved by the NSW Street Rod Committee (condition code OL3).
• Your street rod must be used only for the following purposes (condition code GO94):
  • club events authorised by a NSW Street Rod Club or the Australian Street Rod Federation
  • refuelling or servicing within a short distance from where the vehicle is garaged
  • inspection of the vehicle by the nearest recognised NSW Street Rod Committee-approved authorised inspection station within a reasonable distance (no more than 20km).
• Your vehicle must display conditional registration number plates.
• You must carry the Certificate of Approved Operations and Travelling Authority Card in the vehicle whenever it is used on a road or road-related area.

Condition codes will be listed on your Certificate of Approved Operations and your registration certificate. See condition codes and descriptions for the full list of codes.

Find out how to apply for conditional registration.

Find out how to renew, transfer or cancel conditional registration.

Equipment requirements

Conditionally registered street rods have the following equipment requirements.

All lighting must be fitted as near as possible to the position specified in Schedule 2 of:

• Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2017 for light vehicles, or
• Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (NSW).

Using your street rod interstate

You can use your conditionally registered street rod in other states as a visiting vehicle under the same conditions that apply in NSW.

Interstate registered street rods may be used in NSW if they operate under a similar registration scheme in their home state. They must follow the same conditions that apply to them in the state where they're registered.

Transport for NSW office use