Land Transport Noise

The government has announced its decision on changes to the vehicle equipment rule to target excessively noisy vehicles. The Rule will be fully implemented by June and will reduce exhaust noise decibel limits for light vehicles, as well as toughening the subjective noise inspection criteria.

Cars and light trucks entering the New Zealand vehicle fleet after June 2008 will need to comply with a reduced noise limit of 90 decibels.

An objective noise test, which uses scientific procedures to measure noise levels, will now be a part of the warrant (WoF) and certificate of fitness (CoF) tests. This will strengthen the interim measures implemented in July 2006, which enabled the Police and certifiers of vehicles for first registration in New Zealand to refer a vehicle for an objective exhaust noise test.

Media releases:

Next steps for noisy vehicles (25 February 2008)
Rule to target noisy cars gets green light (12 December 2007)

The Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Equipment Amendment 2007 

Vehicle Equipment Amendment Rule 2007

Background  

Questions and Answers - Vehicle Equipment Amendment Rule 2007
Questions and Answers - Further proposed amendments to Vehicle Equipment Amendment Rule 2007

Links:

Land Transport Rules