Kiwi Self Contained Inspector Portal

The question is not whether a vehicle is small. The question is whether the toilet is genuinely accessible and usable inside the vehicle in its certified configuration and in realistic normal use.

• Do not assess a toilet only in an artificially cleared inspection setup.
• Consider normal trip loading, luggage and supplies for the certified number of occupants.
• Toilets under beds or in cabinets: record what must be moved (in text or with a photo) and whether that is reasonable in normal use. A modular mattress that easily pulls back to reach the toilet is fine.
• Check there is enough access and clearance for an occupant to use the toilet.
• Take clear photos of the toilet in its usable position plus the surrounding space.

Do not determine the certified occupant number from fresh-water or wastewater tank capacity alone. The facilities as a whole must be sufficient and practical for the maximum certified occupants for at least three days. Consider water, wastewater, toilet capacity and usability, rubbish storage, access and how the facilities will function when the vehicle is realistically loaded.

Inspection forms are important, but extra objective evidence may be needed where something is difficult to verify. Use vehicle-specific notes and clear photos for constrained layouts, retrospectively fixed portable toilets, unusual installations, conditional/follow-up work or other higher-risk cases. If the evidence is unclear, obtain more information before the vehicle is passed.

You can carry out a remote inspection when you and the owner prefer it. Use live two-way video, with the owner showing you every facility in real time, and complete the same online form. Record the reason for the remote inspection on the form and keep robust evidence: screenshots for the four required photos, plus contextual images showing where items are located, so Kiwi Self Contained can verify compliance without physically sighting the vehicle. Do not pass anything you could not verify.

Identify actual, potential and perceived conflicts and declare them on the inspection form before you inspect.

• If you installed, repaired or modified the self-containment system, you can still inspect and certify it. Declare it on the form.
• You must not inspect a vehicle you own, or one owned by your immediate family or your business.
• Close personal, family or business relationships must be declared and assessed first.

If impartiality is uncertain, stop and refer it to Kiwi Self Contained before certification.

Applicants should receive privacy information before or when their personal information is collected. Direct them to the Self-Contained Vehicle Certification Privacy Notice if needed.

For a current registered or non-registered certification record, an Admin user can use Vehicle Details → Edit → Update Owner Details to update owner contact information and upload a revised certificate. This cannot be used for expired or revoked records. Any certification authority can complete this administrative owner update; doing so does not transfer responsibility for the original certification decision. After the update, a new warrant card print file becomes available under Organisation Details → Warrant Cards.

A slide-on camper can still be inspected and certified if it has no registration plates. Treat the slide-on camper itself as the vehicle being inspected and certified.

• Record the slide-on camper's make and model.
• Where there is no registration number, record any available VIN, chassis number and/or serial number.
• Do not use the tow vehicle or ute registration number as the registration number for the slide-on camper.
• Take a clear identifying photo of the slide-on camper and, where available, its manufacturer, data or serial plate.
• Complete the normal self-containment inspection and assess all facilities for the proposed occupant number in the usual way.
• If there is no reliable make, model, VIN, chassis or serial information to identify the camper, stop and refer it to Kiwi Self Contained before passing it.

For the SCV Register and warrant, a slide-on camper without registration plates can be identified by its make and model. Wherever possible, capture both the make/model and any VIN, chassis or serial details so the inspection record clearly identifies the physical camper.

View the PGDB recommended vehicle inspection form

A Kiwi Self Contained certification decision was reviewed by the Board and the review was closed with no further action. The Board nevertheless reinforced two points for future decisions: assess the maximum occupant number using all facilities and practical three-day use, not tank volume alone; and retain photos as good supporting evidence in smaller, constrained, retrofit-fixed or borderline layouts. These points are now built into our training, inspection form and pre-issue review process.

• Blue warrant transition: the transition ended on 7 June 2026; work to the current green-warrant certification regime.
• 2026 consultation material: treat proposed changes as draft/awareness only until formally made. Current Regulations and the Motor Vehicle Inspections Notice remain operative.
• Vehicle-specific records: do not copy generic findings from one inspection to another. Notes must describe the vehicle actually inspected.
• Pre-issue control: failed, conditional or unclear inspections are not approved until all required matters and evidence are resolved.

PGDB's early audit themes are now reflected in Kiwi Self Contained's procedures. The main themes are: sufficient objective evidence; documented inspector competency and oversight; clear pre-issue certification controls and audit trails; robust controls for any remote inspection; conflict-of-interest records; and privacy information for applicants.

PGDB reported that, as at 11 August 2026, 65,719 privately owned vehicles and 7,595 rental vehicles were certified as self-contained.

• PGDB publication
• PGDB article 1
• PGDB article 2
• PGDB article 3