Info about Street legal amphibious vehicles

This page was last update at 27 - Apr - 2010

The LAW and the Amphibs.

These days the laws to get a vehicle on the road get more and more strict.

Import of a vehicle within the EU is more or less easy since 2006
at least to the Netherlands

If a manufacturer can convince you
that his vehicle can be road legal into your country then

GO FOR IT!

But any idiot can promise you a tour vehicle
and there are to many jokes about car sales men!

Make sure that you know your local laws.
But it is hard to get the right info.

After Jan 2009 most EU county's have the rule that a vehicle must for fill the environment laws that are in place on the date of first registration.
IVA (UK) rules that the date of the registration of the original donor vehicle is the date for the environment laws.

That will give problems when you import a vehicle to a country where the registration date of the new vehicle is the date for the environment laws.

Euro I, 1992
Euro II, 2000
Euro III, 2003
Euro IV, 2005
Euro V, After Sept 2009.

Euro VI, will come but after Sept 2014
Euro VI level is (2009) already law in 5 American states.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BUILD YOU OWN AMPHIB.

The "SVA" now know as IVA can, after may 2009, only do cars that are build by residents of the UK.

NEW EUROPEAN RULES!!!! after May 2009.
EVERY EU COUNTRY MUST HAVE SOMETHING LIKE IVA.

Below is the link to the Dutch SVA/IVA named "IKS" information (Oct 2009)
http://www.rdw.nl/NR/rdonlyres/474D4F2B-183C-44C7-91B1-9DEDC8850EF3/0/WijzevankeurenIndividueleGoedkeuringM1.pdf
The length of the link is indication how easy this info is to be found. :-)

No car has past the Dutch IVA/IKS after the start of the new rules in May 2009.
IVA/IKS organisation says they have no rules and do not know what and where to look for.
Complaining in writing or by telephone is pointless, nobody knows who is responsible!

I am looking for info on IVA, Individual Vehicle Approval from other Country's!!
Are things as bad as here in the Netherlands?
I know that in France one runs into a brick wall.
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By law EURO (E.G.) countries has to accept import vehicles from other E.G. countries as they are, without making extra demands.

Just and administrative process!

With the exception of SVA/IVA Kit-cars build in the UK after 1997,
they are potential dangerous and over the Euro exhaust norm. (not my words!)

At the IVA you have to provide data in writing that is some times not on the vehicle papers:
maximum axle loads
engine power e.t.c.
Nothing impossible, but you have to provide that data.

Building date and the law.

In most western countries:
The DAY that the vehicle passes the FIRST official license plate inspection gives the DATE the vehicle is officially build.
The vehicle has to conform to all the legal rules that are in function on THAT DAY.
This is also true when you import a used vehicle.

Second law, (the yearly check-up) can give problems with emission, lights and safety.

In Switzerland it is ILLEGAL to swim an amphibious vehicle.

There are more bumps in the world wide car import than on all the roads in the world
and the rules keep changing.

Different folks, differed laws.

Differed rules are in place when you import from USA to Europa and from the East to the USA e.t.c. and vice versa.

I'm talking about exhaust emission, break tests, seat belts, air bags, lights and crash tests e.t.c.

But there are NEW Hot Rods e.t.c. build without air bags, so there ARE ways to get your dream on the road.

Nothing is impossible. Some things are ILLEGAL. ;-)

You will have some explaining to do when you are selling
your model 2003 Amphib registered in 1999. ;-)

If you want to send E-Mail to the web master Hans Rosloot