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Whether you're in the Waikato, Canterbury or Southland, the aim is usually the same: a car that's quick at the track on Saturday and still gets you a pie and a coffee on Sunday without a pink sticker.
The LVVTA (Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association) thresholds decide which modifications are fine on a normal WOF and which need certifying. Getting it wrong is a costly headache at the testing station.
We've gone through the LVVTA Modification Threshold Guide to show what passes a standard WOF and what needs an LVV cert.
The short version
- Suspension: replacement springs are fine if they stay in the factory seats through full travel and aren't height adjustable. Anything with a thread (coilovers) or a spacer needs a cert.
- Engine tuning: naturally aspirated cars can gain up to 20% power. Turbo and supercharged cars need a cert for any ECU remap.
- Seats and belts: seats are fine if they bolt to the factory rails. Harnesses and airbag removal always need a cert.
- Ground clearance: 100 mm is the minimum without a cert.
When do I need an LVV Cert for suspension?
Suspension is usually the first thing people change for the track, and it's where inspectors look hardest at anything adjustable.
Side-by-side comparison of a WOF-compliant lowering spring and an adjustable coilover requiring an LVV Cert in a New Zealand track car build.
Passes a WOF as-is
You can improve the handling without a cert if you stick to direct replacements: aftermarket springs or shocks that keep the factory geometry and are not height adjustable.
- Captive springs: under the LVVTA Threshold Schedule, replacement springs (including lowering springs) don't need a cert only if they stay in the unmodified factory spring seats through full travel, stay seated at full droop without anything non-standard holding them (no cable ties), aren't heated or cut, and leave at least 40 mm of droop travel and clearance from the factory bump stops.
- Sway bars and braces: bolt-on sway bars and strut braces are fine if you haven't cut or welded the chassis to fit them.
- Bushes and alignment: polyurethane bushes and eccentric camber bolts are allowed.
Needs an LVV cert
Once your suspension has a thread on it, it needs certifying. All coilovers (adjustable platforms) need a cert, and so does replacing factory arms with adjustable camber or toe arms.
Quick reference: suspension
- Non-adjustable lowering springs: WOF only. Must stay in the factory seats through full travel, stay seated at full droop and keep 40 mm of droop.
- Adjustable coilovers: cert required. Any height adjustment triggers it.
- Bolt-on sway bars: WOF only. Must use the original mounting points.
- Strut or spring spacers: cert required. Never WOF legal.
- Adjustable camber or toe arms: cert required. Replacing factory arms triggers it.
Ground clearance: to stay WOF-only, the car needs at least 100 mm ground clearance (unladen, no driver) and at least 40 mm of rebound (droop) travel. A certified car can sit lower than 100 mm if the certifier is satisfied it has enough suspension travel.
Does remapping my ECU require an LVV Cert?
It depends what's under the bonnet, and the 20% rule is the key number.
Naturally aspirated tuning
With a naturally aspirated engine you have some room. Minor changes to fuel injection or ignition, including piggy-back systems, are WOF compliant as long as power or torque goes up by no more than 20% over the factory figure.
Turbo and supercharged tuning
With forced induction the rules are much tighter. Tuning or re-chipping the ECU of a turbocharged or supercharged engine needs an LVV cert. That includes any software change to boost pressure, fuelling or ignition timing. Fitting an aftermarket turbo or wastegate needs a cert too.
Can I install racing seats and harnesses for track days?
Modern cars make this harder. On "stressed" seats, where the seatbelt buckle is attached to the seat, swapping seats gets complicated.
Passes a WOF as-is
You can fit "unstressed" aftermarket buckets if they use unmodified factory seat anchorages and rails and don't require removing or disabling any airbags.
Needs an LVV cert
- Harnesses: 4, 5 or 6-point harnesses almost always need a cert, because you're adding new anchorages like eye bolts or a harness bar.
- Airbags: removing or disabling any airbag (steering wheel, side or curtain) needs a cert, and is usually only allowed on cars being built for motorsport.
- Modified rails: any drilling or welding to make a seat fit needs a cert.
Final scrutineering
Sticking to WOF-legal mods is the quickest way through your warrant. If you're serious about racing and finding lap time, you'll probably need an LVV cert at some point. It also helps the car's legality and resale value.
Not sure about a specific part? Treat this guide as general information and talk to a local LVVTA certifier before you start spannering.
