ModiCert®

VASS Signatory Services
Engineering Services
Design, FEA, Calculations

Your Innovation, Certified. From Concept to Compliance

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Heavy Vehicle Engineering, Design, and Compliance Services in Victoria

With decades of industry experience, ModiCert delivers tailored, advanced solutions that address the unique requirements of heavy vehicles while maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance. Our commitment to engineering excellence and regulatory adherence underpins safer, more efficient road transport. We provide expert consultancy, precise engineering assessments, and dependable approvals for heavy vehicle modifications in Victoria.

Specialising in VASS certification (Blue Plate) for heavy vehicle modifications, we ensure full compliance with all relevant regulations. Our team includes an authorised signatory who is a qualified heavy vehicle engineer and VASS engineer, capable of issuing the essential VASS approval certificate required for modified vehicles. Partnering with ModiCert means accessing accurate, reliable engineering services designed to keep your fleet safe, compliant, and roadworthy-driving innovation and confidence in every journey.

Heavy Vehicle engineer in high-visibility vest writing on a clipboard in front of a truck engine with visible cables and mechanical components.

ModiCert provide Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) certifications for a range of heavy vehicle modifications, including:

  • Suspensions
  • Brakes
  • Wheelbase & Chassis
  • Body Mounting
  • Tow Couplings
  • Mass Rating

As a registered VASS signatory and VASS engineer, ensures all modifications meet regulatory standards.

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Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Services:

  • Drawbar FEA – Compliant certificate to ADR 62
  • Towbar FEA – Compliant certificate to ADR62
  • Skidplate FEA – Compliant certificate to AS4968.1&3
  • Chassis FEA
  • Truck body/Tray FEA
  • Lifting spreader bar FEA – WWL certificate
  • Structural FEA Services
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Why VASS is Necessary

If you’ve made changes to your heavy vehicle or brought one in from another state or overseas, you might need a VASS certificate to legally register and drive it on the road. VASS (Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme) is a system designed to make sure heavy vehicle modifications meet proper safety and design standards.

VASS approval is required in several situations, including:

  • Your heavy vehicle has been modified or upgraded (such as changes to the chassis, engine, fuel type, or body structure).
  • You’re trying to register an imported vehicle.
  • The vehicle has been written off and repaired.
  • It doesn’t meet the standard registration requirements.

A VASS certificate proves that your vehicle is safe, roadworthy, and built to the required standards. It’s an important step to ensure your vehicle is not only compliant but also safe for everyone on the road.

If you’re unsure whether you need one, don’t worry—we can help. At Modicert, we provide professional VASS certification and heavy vehicle modification services to make the process smooth and hassle-free.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Australia, a heavy vehicle has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) or aggregate trailer mass (ATM) over 4.5 tonnes. Only changes that affect design, safety, or compliance need approval. Small additions like extra lights, aerials, or air-conditioning usually do not require it if the vehicle stays compliant. Major or safety-related changes such as suspension work, chassis modifications, or mass rating upgrades must be approved by an engineer under the Heavy Vehicle Modifications Code (VSB6).

A VASS (Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme) certificate is an engineer’s approval for a heavy vehicle modification. It confirms the work meets all required standards. Any heavy vehicle over 4.5 tonnes GVM modified under VSB6 rules needs a VASS certificate. This approval is accepted across Australia.

Any change to structure or systems that affects safety or compliance often needs certification. Examples include suspension upgrades, brake changes, chassis or wheelbase adjustments, custom body mounts, tow coupling or fifth wheel installation, and changes to mass ratings (GVM, ATM, GCM). Accessories like extra lights or radio aerials usually don’t require it.

Only a certified engineer, known as an Approved Vehicle Examiner (AVE) or VASS signatory can approve and certify heavy-vehicle modifications. They inspect the work and issue the compliance certificate required for the modification to be legally recognised.
Certification ensures the modification meets safety and legal standards. It keeps the vehicle roadworthy and compliant with national Heavy Vehicle Standards. Without it, a modified heavy vehicle may be unsafe, illegal to drive, or fail registration checks.
Timeframes vary with the engineer’s schedule and the complexity of the work. After passing inspection and providing all documents, most certificates are issued in a few days. Some engineers offer faster service for urgent cases.
FEA is a computer simulation used to predict how structural changes will perform in real use. Engineers use it to test the strength and durability of changes like chassis extensions or body mounts before approval.
Only a Chartered Engineer can legally certify heavy vehicle modifications. Their approval confirms the work meets all Australian Design Rules and safety requirements.
Yes. Certificates from approved engineers in other states are generally valid nationwide. You don’t need to recertify when moving or selling the vehicle across states.