Low volume trailer VIN terms and conditions
Aligned with the introduction of Road Vehicle Standards legislation, VicRoads will only issue a maximum of 500 VINs in a 12-month period to a trailer manufacturer.
If you manufacture four or less trailers in a 12 month period you will need to apply to the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and Arts (DITRDCA) for a concessional RAV (External link) entry approval for each trailer. Your trailer will be issued with a VIN by DITRDCA when your application is approved.
If you are a trailer manufacturer building more than 500 trailers in a 12-month period, you will need to contact National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (External link) (NEVDIS) to get your VINs.
Use of trailer VINs issued by VicRoads
New low volume trailer VINs are intended for manufacturers in the business of constructing new trailers. Severe penalties apply under the Road Safety Act 1986 and the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2021 if a person alters, defaces, removes, substitutes or tampers with an existing vehicle identification number.
If a trailer is entered on an interstate Written Off Vehicles Register as a statutory write-off the entire chassis cannot be used to build a trailer or for any trailer repairs.
If VicRoads identifies any of these activities, the relevant VINs issued by VicRoads will be cancelled and the trailers will not be eligible for registration in Victoria. Any evidence indicating interference with an existing VIN will be referred to Victoria Police.
VicRoads may conduct field audits of a trailer manufacturing company applying for low volume VINs. These audits will be conducted to ensure that VIN allocation and record keeping procedures are maintained.
Imported trailers
A trailer VIN issued by VicRoads must not be assigned to a trailer manufactured overseas or listed on a Vehicle Import Approval.
For information regarding obtaining a VIN for an imported trailer please refer to: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (External link).
VicRoads is notified by the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS) if a VicRoads issued VIN is listed on a Vehicle Import Approval. If this occurs, you will not be able to register the trailer/s.
Non-standard trailers
A light trailer VIN must not be assigned to a trailer that does not meet the requirements of Vehicle Standards Bulletin 1 (VSB1) version 6 (External link), is non-compliant or over dimensional.
Non-standard trailers will be reported directly to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Communication and the Arts. It is an offence to supply a vehicle to the market that does not meet the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018
Interstate VIN requests
A trailer VIN will not be issued to a manufacturer based interstate. If you reside interstate, you must contact the registration authority in your jurisdiction.
Manufacturer errors or duplicate VINs
A trailer VIN describing a particular trailer type must not be allocated to a different trailer type. VicRoads may refuse registration where it is identified that the incorrect type of VIN is assigned to a trailer. For example, a ‘box trailer’ VIN must not be allocated to a caravan.
When a manufacturer has made an error, or a VIN is duplicated on more than one trailer, the customer will be referred back to the manufacturer. When a consistent pattern of poor quality control is evident, VicRoads may refuse to issue any further VINs to a manufacturer.
VIN stamping
A VIN must be stamped, embossed or otherwise permanently marked on a substantial part of a trailer's frame or chassis (eg. drawbar).
Quantity
If you are a business or company building trailers, you may request up to 500 low volume VINs in a 12-month period. Low volume VINs are restricted to 50 VINs per application.
If you estimate that you will require more than 500 VINs in a 12 month period, you need to contact the National Vehicle Identification Coordinator at the NEVDIS Administration Unit to request VINs.
Rejecting applications
VicRoads reserves the right to reject an application if incorrect, false or misleading information is provided.
VicRoads will refuse:
- to issue more than 500 VINs in a 12-month period to a manufacturer, and
- to issue a VIN if a trailer manufacturer does not have a Vehicle Type Approval under the Road Vehicle Standards legislation.
Privacy information
Personal information collected by R&L Services Victoria Pty Ltd ABN 28 657 005 493 as Trustee for the Victorian R&L Services Trust ABN 96 342 123 072 or the Department of Transport and Planning (together ‘VicRoads’) is collected for registration and licensing purposes and may be used by VicRoads as permitted or required by applicable laws. VicRoads may disclose the personal information it collects from you to various organisations and persons as permitted or required by applicable laws, particularly by the Road Safety Act 1986. This includes disclosing the information to third parties including contractors and agents of VicRoads, law enforcement agencies, other road and traffic authorities, Austroads, the Transport Accident Commission, vehicle manufacturers (for safety recalls), toll road operators, road safety researchers, courts and other organisations or people authorised to use the personal information.
You are required to provide this personal information. Your failure to provide the information may result in this form not being processed, or your records not being properly maintained. For further information about our use of your personal information and your right of access to it, go to: dtp.vic.gov.au/privacy.
Providing false or misleading information or documents is a serious offence under the Road Safety Act 1986 and Marine Safety Act 2010, as applicable, and can result in you being fined or imprisoned. Further, any authority or approval, given as a result of you providing such information/documents, may be reversed and have no effect.