WA rear seat removal

Nothing in the WA documentation that I saw mentions temporary or permanent modification Warren. They do EXPLICITLY state the following though:

• All vehicles using Western Australian roads must comply, where applicable, with the Road
Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014 (The Regulations) and the Australian Design Rules (ADR).
• The National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Modifications (VSB14 Ver.2) is utilised by the
Department of Transport (DoT) to assist defining the requirements and standards of light vehicle
modifications to ensure compliance with the relevant ADRs and legislation is maintained.

The fact that WA makes distinctions between: (1) mods requiring no inspection (mostly cosmetic/additions of basic things like lights, bars, roof racks etc), (2) mods requiring basic inspection ("simple"), and (3) more complex mods requiring engineering certification suggests to me that to be strictly legal on WA roads you need to comply as stated.

HOWEVER, as you and others suggest, in practice it seems unless your vehicle is inspected for rego, rules may (are) not often enforced.

Probably irrelevant now but decades ago I temporarily removed the rear fold up seat of my MQ Patrol SWB. When I later went for rego inspection I was told that either the seat goes back in or the rego category would change from station wagon to goods vehicle (more expensive). Half hour job so I put the seat back in.

It goes without saying that any storage structure/luggage which replaces the rear seat should be properly secured.

Hey Bazooka,

My B-I-L had the same issue in Victoria when he went to transfer the registration over of a 200 Series GXL that had had the rear (3rd.) row of seats removed. He required a roadworthy certificate, and was advised that unless the seats went back in, the vehicle would not pass a roadworthy test. When he contacted VicRoads for confirmation, he was advised that for roadworthy and re-registration, as the vehicle was registered as a 7 seater, it had to have the rear seats in place. However, once the re-registration process was complete, as long as the removal of the rear seats was temporary and could be replaced at any time, there was no need for an engineering sign off. If however, the removal was permanent, the vehicle would need to have an engineering sign off and be re-registered as a 5 seater.

Macca.

Probably still would have passed muster with many private roadworthy inspectors though Macca.

Does it really matter? In most cases I suspect not. There are always exceptions but I doubt there are stats which show significant safety issues are involved. Dodgy bros inc still exists but not nearly to the extent it once did with vehicle mods. And, if someone was stupid enough to carry passengers in the "freight" area then they can be sanctioned via other rules anyway.

Still better to be compliant in case I guess, esp where insurance is concerned.

In Victoria no certificate is required for such modifications in a light vehicle.

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/modify-or-build-a-vehicle/modify-or-build-a-light-vehicle-or-trailer/removing-adding-and-replacing-seats

Lots of 7 seaters also have 3rd row removed as well.

Interestingly (in WA) I was told that if the modification (seat removal) was NOT permanent, the seat belts MUST remain in place.

Zippo, I was quoting Tim Bates on YouTube, he explained it for Victoria as it applied to him, the rules are so different state to state. Michael

Michael, it remains a mystery to me WHY the states can't agree to have common (national) rules on all things vehicle and traffic.

ZIPPO...Answer is simple. To have standard rules and laws between the states and Territories would require common sense, cooperation and govt for the people. Pollies are too fixated on their own desires that citizens are not worth worrying about.

Ah Bigfish, you mean like THIS government?

Hey, it's Friday and that was funny, is that aloud? ;=))

Many wagons have third row seats that can be removed quickly without even touching a spanner - they are designed to be removed quickly and easily, though you won't pass a roadworthy inspection unless you put them back in because the vehicle is plated to seat 8, but can obviously only (legally) seat 5 without the third row.

I think you'd have to encounter a really cranky cop to be defected for it (or doing something stupid like having passengers 'sitting' where the seats were removed).