Not every business in the motor repair and servicing industry requires a repair business licence.

Vehicle and parts manufacturers are exempt if they do not actually repair vehicles.  If you manufacture parts but do not fit them to a vehicle you will not require a licence.  The question you must ask yourself is whether you actually repair, modify or service a vehicle itself.

However a body builder who modifies a vehicle by creating a new body is not considered to be a manufacturer and therefore must hold a licence.

Exempted activities

Some services have been specifically exempted from the Motor Vehicle Repairers Act 2003 and therefore will not require a licence, these are:

• vehicle washing and cleaning services;
• repairing and installing refrigeration units in trailers;
• repairing and installing fridges, stoves, sinks toilets and other furnishings in vehicles;
• repairing and installing equipment such as cranes, concrete mixers, welders and other industrial equipments fixed to vehicles;
• removal or dismantling only parts by wreckers; and
• window tinting.