Which car modifications are legal
PubTime:2018-11-26
According to the existing legislation, the vehicles are divided into the following four categories:
1. There is no need to apply for modification at all. A license plate can be obtained by passing the vehicle inspection like the general market version;
2. It is necessary to apply to "land transport bureau" for modification and change of the contents of automobile registration, but no prior examination is required;
3. Transforming vehicles;
4. The modified vehicle does not conform to Japan's [security benchmark] (equivalent to GB national security standard), no matter what the use
The application method will not be licensed.
In short, the fourth modification is out of the realm of streetcars and only applies to special vehicles such as racing cars. The first three categories are what we want to study.
Big principle
Regardless of the degree of modification, there are some basic principles that must be followed to obtain a vehicle licence. One of the more important conditions relates to vehicle size and weight (see schedule 1 for details). There are also detailed requirements, such as section 55 (2) of the [(Japan) road traffic act], that no modification shall interfere with the sight and steering wheel operation of the driver or the normal functioning of the rearview mirror and the external lighting system. At more detailed levels, there are also rules of principle, such as the replacement of camshafts, engines are not allowed to exceed exhaust standards.
There are more than 80 types of undeclared modified parts under Japanese law, collectively referred to as "designated parts". They are broadly divided into two broad categories, namely accessories and parts relating to manoeuvrability, each of which is subdivided into multiple groups (see schedule 2 for details). If the vehicle is simply refitted with [designated parts] and the major principles mentioned above are not violated after the modification (e.g. no major change in weight, no hindering driving or endangering the performance of the vehicle) and [security benchmark], the owner is not required to change the registration particulars of the vehicle. In order to prevent consumers from buying unqualified parts, all [designated parts] sold in Japan need to pass relevant tests to prove that the products conform to [security standards] before being sold. In this way, buyers can make sure that the product has a qualified label, and they are not afraid of violating the modification laws.
