The Ministry of Construction is currently seeking public feedback on a draft Circular. This new regulation outlines procedures for vehicle inspection, initial inspection exemptions for motor vehicles and specialized machinery, technical safety and environmental protection certification for modified vehicles, and emission inspections for motorcycles and mopeds. This draft aims to replace Circular 47/2024.

The new draft specifies scenarios where changes to a car's interior or exterior equipment will not be classified as "modifications." In such instances, if all other inspection criteria are met, the vehicle will receive an electronic inspection certificate and inspection stamp.

Interior equipment not considered modifications includes: upholstery, changes to seat adjustment mechanisms, entertainment screens, audio systems, surveillance cameras, dashcams, air conditioning controls, and interior decorative lights.

A vehicle inspection station in Hanoi. Photo: *Pham Chieu*.

Exterior equipment that falls under this category includes: changes to front and rear bumpers, grilles, side skirts, fender flares, rear spoilers, and wheel arch covers, provided they are manufacturer-supplied options. After installation, the vehicle's overall dimensions (length x width x height) must not exceed the original specifications by more than 100 mm. Additionally, the basic weight must remain within the permissible tolerance defined by national technical regulations.

The draft also stipulates that changes to certain cargo box structures on motor vehicles will not be considered modifications. These include: sealing or altering the structure of cargo box doors, replacing flat sheet metal with corrugated sheets or vice versa, adding sheet metal to the frame of canvas-top vehicles, installing or removing dust covers for the cargo beds of dump trucks, dump trailers, and semi-dump trailers. Furthermore, replacing or removing cargo/luggage compartment covers on pickup trucks, adding step boards, decorative exhaust pipes, decorative protective belts for headlights and signal lights, spoilers, and roof fairings are also not classified as modifications.

However, the draft Circular mandates that these changes must still ensure the vehicle's basic dimensions, cargo box dimensions, and basic weight do not deviate from the corresponding specifications on the inspection certificate by more than the permissible tolerance, as outlined in national technical regulations.

According to the drafting committee, expanding the list of motor vehicle equipment not considered "modifications" or requiring modification design dossiers aims to alleviate bottlenecks in the modification certification process. This change will allow vehicle owners to reduce costs associated with hiring design firms, drawing appraisal fees, and waiting times when performing basic, reasonable upgrades to their vehicles. The technical additions and revisions clarify regulations and streamline the process for owners upgrading their vehicles.

By Anh Duy