Campervan compliance in Australia rests on three pieces: the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), a code called VSB14, and something called second-stage manufacturing. Get them right and registration, insurance and resale are easy. Get them wrong and a beautiful van can turn into an expensive problem.
We hear a version of the same story more often than we’d like. Someone finds a converted van online, it looks great and the price seems fair. Then they try to register it, or sell it a few years later, and nobody can show it was ever done properly.
So this guide keeps it simple. We’ll explain what each rule actually means, without the jargon, and then show how a brand-new Toyota HiAce campervan gets from a bare H300 to a certified, road-ready camper.
A quick heads-up before we start. This is general information, not legal advice, and your state transport authority always has the final word. We’ve linked the official pages as we go so you can check anything yourself.
What are the Australian Design Rules (ADRs)?
The ADRs are the national standards every road vehicle has to meet for safety, emissions and theft protection when it’s first supplied in Australia. They sit under the federal Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018, usually shortened to the RVSA.
They cover the stuff you never think about until it matters. Seatbelts and where they bolt in. Lights. Brakes. How the vehicle is marked and identified. Every approved vehicle goes onto the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV), which anyone can search online.
So how do the ADRs apply to a campervan?
A new Toyota campervan begins as a van Toyota has already certified. That certification covers the van as it left the factory, though, not what happens next.
Once you cut a hole in the roof for a pop-top, fit a bed seat people will travel in, or bolt a kitchen to the floor, you’ve changed things the original approval relied on. ADR compliance for a campervan means proving the finished vehicle still ticks every box. The usual pressure points are seating and seatbelt anchorages, the roof structure, and weight, because a fully fitted van has to stay under its gross vehicle mass (GVM).
How you prove all that depends on one question. Was the van brand new when it was converted, or already registered? The answer decides whether VSB14 or second-stage manufacturing applies.
What is VSB14, and when does it apply to a campervan?
VSB14 is short for Vehicle Standards Bulletin 14, the National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Construction and Modification. The states and territories all endorse it, and it covers light vehicles up to 4.5 tonnes GVM, which takes in a HiAce.
It’s the code engineers and certifiers reach for when a vehicle gets modified after it’s already on the road. Say you buy a five-year-old HiAce and fit it out yourself over a few months of weekends. That build gets measured against VSB14.
LH11: the bit written for campervans
VSB14 is broken into sections by the type of work. Section LH deals with body and chassis changes, and inside it, code LH11 sets the minimum safety requirements for turning a vehicle into a campervan or motorhome. Depending on the build, other codes can apply too, seating being a common one.
Whatever goes inside has its own standards as well. Fixed gas appliances fall under AS 5601. Any mains-style 240V wiring has to meet AS/NZS 3001. Portable inverters are covered by AS/NZS 4763, but only where there’s no mains-style wiring in the van. A VSB14 campervan conversion that skips these will struggle at inspection.
Where VSB14 stops and second-stage manufacturing starts
This is the part people often mix up. VSB14 is generally for vehicles that are already registered. A brand-new van that’s converted before anyone has bought it usually follows a different federal path altogether, called second-stage manufacturing.
Second-stage manufacturing explained
Second-stage manufacture, or SSM, is when a new vehicle is turned into a different type of vehicle before it’s ever sold to a customer. The government’s own examples are a motorhome, an ambulance or a fire truck body fitted to a new chassis. A new van converted into a campervan fits the same mould.
It works under the RVSA, and the Department of Infrastructure’s SSM guidance sets two conditions. The base vehicle has to be approved and listed on the RAV. And it has to be genuinely new, meaning it hasn’t yet been supplied to the Australian market.
How a builder gets approved
There’s more than one route. A second stage manufacturer in Australia might hold an SSM vehicle type approval, which covers a specific modification to a specific base vehicle, with a separate application for each one. A registered automotive workshop can modify individual vehicles to an approved Model Report, and an authorised vehicle verifier checks the work. Some builders carried older approvals across from the previous law, but the department says all of those expire in 2026.
Whichever route is used, the finished vehicle is entered on the RAV under a second-stage manufacture category. It also needs the right identification under ADR 61/03.
Why this matters if you’re buying new
For a brand-new converted van, SSM is what you want to see. It means the conversion was approved federally, the finished camper is on the RAV, and you register it as a compliant new vehicle, not a modified old one. It’s the pathway Coastal Campers builds under as a certified second-stage manufacturer.
Worked example: how a new Toyota HiAce H300 campervan is certified
Theory’s fine, but it’s easier to picture with a real van. Here’s roughly how a new Toyota HiAce campervan moves through our West Gosford workshop, from delivery to handover.
- It arrives brand new. Every build starts with a zero-kilometre, sixth-generation HiAce H300. It’s already approved and on the RAV, and nobody has owned it yet. That’s what opens the door to SSM.
- Compliance is planned before a single cut. We work out where the bed seat goes and how its integrated seatbelts anchor. We also tally the weight of the fit-out against the van’s 3,300kg GVM, because it’s far easier to design it right than fix it later.
- The roof goes on. Fitting the front-elevation pop-top means cutting into the body, so it’s one of the areas that gets the closest look.
- The living gear goes in. Cabinetry, the induction cooktop, sink, fridge, water tank and the 12V and 240V systems. Cooking on induction means there’s no fixed gas system to certify in this build.
- Safety gear is fitted. A smoke detector and fire extinguisher come standard.
- It’s checked before it goes on the register. Every van is built and checked against the Australian Design Rules under our second-stage manufacturing approval. Nothing goes on the RAV until that’s done.
- It’s entered on the RAV. As an SSM vehicle, the finished camper is recorded on the register with the right identification.
- It’s registered and handed over. The van’s compliance lives on the RAV, so there’s no folder of certificates to keep track of. Anyone, including a future buyer, can look it up. The owner also drives away with two 5-year warranties: Toyota’s factory warranty on the vehicle, and our own 5-year warranty on the conversion.
You can see the finished result on the Toyota HiAce gallery page. If you’d like to see how the build process works in more detail, our Toyota HiAce campervan conversion page walks through it.
Campervan registration in NSW and QLD
Campervan registration in Australia is run by each state, so the steps for a converted van aren’t the same in NSW and QLD. A new SSM vehicle that’s already on the RAV is generally registered like any other new car. It’s modified, already-registered vans where the state schemes come into play.
| NSW | QLD | |
| Authority | Transport for NSW | Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) |
| Who certifies modifications | A licensed certifier under the Vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Scheme (VSCCS) | A Queensland approved person, for modifications covered by an approved code |
| What you get | A VSCCS Compliance Certificate, which doesn’t expire | Certification from the approved person before registration |
| Interstate work | Check with a licensed certifier | Not automatically recognised; may need recertifying in QLD |
| Official source | Modified and non-standard vehicles | Vehicle modifications |
In NSW, Transport for NSW suggests talking to a licensed certifier before you touch the van, and the certifier may want to inspect the work at a few stages along the way. In QLD, TMR is clear that modifications for recreational use need a Queensland approved person’s sign-off before the van can be registered.
DIY vs professional builds: where the risk sits
Plenty of people build their own campervans legally, and some do a brilliant job. The catch is that the risk sits squarely with you, and it tends to surface at the worst possible moment.
The common snags are predictable. A seat or roof cut that wasn’t planned with a certifier might need redoing. Gas and 240V work generally needs licensed trades, each with their own certificates. Weight creeps up fast with timber, batteries and a full water tank, and an overweight van is non-compliant no matter how good it looks. Then there’s resale, where missing paperwork usually means a lower price, or no sale at all.
Buying a professionally built van under SSM moves that burden onto the builder. You’re buying a finished, approved vehicle rather than a project you’ll have to justify later.
Campervan compliance checklist before you buy
Take this list with you, or keep it open on your phone, when you talk to any builder or seller. A good one won’t blink at a single question.
- Was the van new when it was converted, or already registered?
- If new: is the builder an approved second-stage manufacturer, and under which approval?
- Is the finished vehicle on the RAV? (You can check the RAV public search yourself.)
- If modified after registration: which VSB14 codes were used, and who certified the work?
- How many seats are certified for travel, and do they all have compliant belts?
- What’s the tare weight, and how much payload is left within the GVM?
- Are gas and 240V systems certified by licensed trades, with their own certificates?
- Is the builder a licensed motor dealer? Ask for the licence number.
- Which warranties apply, to what, and for how long?
- Will the van register in your state without extra certification?
If an answer feels fuzzy, ask for it in writing. Compliance is the one part of buying a van where “she’ll be right” just doesn’t cut it. For everything else, from layouts to running costs, have a read of our guide to buying a Toyota HiAce campervan.
Campervan compliance FAQs
Is a campervan conversion legal in Australia?
Yes, provided the finished van meets the ADRs and is certified the right way. For a new vehicle that’s usually second-stage manufacture. For one that’s already registered, it’s state certification against VSB14, like a VSCCS certificate in NSW or sign-off from a Queensland approved person in QLD.
What’s the difference between VSB14 and second-stage manufacturing?
Timing, mostly. VSB14 is the national code for modifying light vehicles and is generally used once a vehicle is registered. Second-stage manufacturing is the federal approval for converting a brand-new vehicle before it’s first sold.
Does converting a Toyota camper van void the Toyota warranty?
Not by itself. Toyota’s factory warranty generally keeps covering the vehicle, and the converter warrants their own work. The fine print matters, though, so check both sets of terms before you commit.
Can I insure a campervan that isn’t certified?
Possibly, but you’re taking a gamble. Transport for NSW says insurance could be void if modifications haven’t been assessed and certified. Always tell your insurer about a conversion and keep your RAV details, any modification certificates and your warranty documents somewhere easy to find.
How do I check whether a campervan is compliant?
It depends how the van was built. If it was converted new by a second-stage manufacturer, look it up on the RAV public search. That entry is the record. If it was modified after it was registered, ask to see the state certification, a VSCCS certificate in NSW or an approved person’s sign-off in QLD. Either way, ask the builder for their approvals and dealer licence number. Still unsure? Your state transport authority is happy to help.
Ready to see a compliant Toyota campervan up close?
You know what to look for now, so the best next step is seeing it in a real van. Have a look at the brand-new Toyota HiAce campervan built on the HiAce H300, or see the van inside and out in our gallery.
