New Zealand certification
Self-containment certification
What your campervan actually needs for a green warrant — and why the toilet is the part that catches people out.
The short version
Self-containment, in brief
What is a green warrant?
The current New Zealand certification confirming a vehicle is self-contained, which you need to freedom camp on public land.
Did the rules change?
Yes. Blue warrants stopped being recognised on public land from 7 June 2026, so vehicles now need certification under the current system.
What is the hardest requirement?
A toilet permanently fixed to the vehicle and usable inside it. Portable toilets do not qualify.
How long is it valid?
Four years, then re-certification.
Who issues it?
A certification authority appointed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board — not us, and not any converter.
How does Nomado help?
We design and build cabinetry that meets the requirements — including the fixed toilet cabinet — and tell you what is still outstanding before you book an inspection.
The requirements
What an inspection looks for
The current self-contained vehicle system is built on the New Zealand standard for self-containment and is administered by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. Broadly, a certified vehicle must be able to keep its occupants — and their waste — self sufficient for three days without discharging anything.
| Requirement | What it means in a van conversion |
|---|---|
| Fixed toilet | A toilet permanently attached to the vehicle and usable inside it, with the occupant able to use it with the doors closed. This normally means a cassette toilet in a purpose-built cabinet bolted to the floor. |
| Fresh water | A fresh water supply sized for the vehicle’s occupancy, in a tank plumbed to the sink rather than a jerry can on the floor. |
| Wastewater | A sealed grey water tank that captures everything draining from the sink, with adequate capacity relative to the fresh water. |
| Sink | A sink plumbed to the wastewater tank — not draining to the ground. |
| Ventilation | Adequate ventilation to the living space. |
| Rubbish | A sealed, secure rubbish container. |
Requirements are summarised here in plain language for planning purposes. The authoritative source is the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, which also publishes the register of appointed certification authorities. Check it before you build — and definitely before you book an inspection.
The part that catches people
Why the toilet is a cabinetry problem
Most campervans that fail certification fail on the toilet. A portable chemical toilet sitting in a cupboard, or even strapped down, does not satisfy a requirement for a toilet permanently fixed to the vehicle. It has to be attached — and it has to be usable inside the van with the doors shut, which means the layout has to leave real, usable space around it.
In a small van that is a genuine design constraint rather than an afterthought. In a Toyota Hiace you are working with roughly 2.4 metres of usable floor behind the seats, and a toilet cabinet has to coexist with a full-width bed, a galley and two water tanks. Decide where it goes after the bed is built and you will be compromising.
This is exactly why our layouts allow for a fixed cassette toilet from the first drawing, in both the DIY conversion kit and a full conversion. It is much cheaper to design the space in than to cut it in later.
Already own a campervan that needs certifying?
Send us photos of your current fitout along with your van’s make, model and year. We will tell you what it needs — often a properly built fixed toilet cabinet plus tank work — and what that involves. If it is straightforward we will say so.
Getting certified
How the process works
Design for it
Plan the fixed toilet, fresh and grey water tanks, sink and ventilation into the layout from the start — not once the bed is in.
Build to the requirements
Cabinetry, tanks and plumbing installed so an inspector can see everything is permanent, sealed and adequately sized.
Pre-check
We walk through the requirements with you and flag anything outstanding before you spend money on an inspection.
Book an appointed authority
Certification is carried out by an authority appointed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. The PGDB register lists who can certify.
Inspection and warrant
Once the vehicle passes, the authority issues the certification. A green warrant is valid for four years.
A word on costs
Certification involves an inspection fee set by the certification authority plus a government levy. Those are paid to the certifier, not to us, and they change from time to time — so check current figures with the PGDB or your chosen authority rather than relying on a number on a converter’s website.
How we help
Two routes to a certifiable van
DIY conversion kit
Cabinetry designed with space for a fixed cassette toilet, plumbed tanks and a sink. You add the systems and book the inspection; we tell you exactly what is required.
Full conversion
We build the whole thing in Auckland to meet the requirements, test the systems, and help you get the inspection booked and signed off.
Common questions
Self-containment FAQ
What does a campervan need to be self-contained in New Zealand?
Under the current rules a self-contained vehicle needs a toilet permanently fixed to the vehicle and usable inside it, a fresh water supply, a wastewater tank that captures grey water, a sink that drains to that tank, ventilation, and sealed rubbish storage. The system is administered by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board.
Can I get a green warrant with a portable toilet?
No. A portable or chemical toilet that can be lifted out does not meet the current standard, even if it is strapped or bolted down. The toilet must be permanently fixed to the vehicle. This is the single most common reason an otherwise good van fails.
My blue warrant expired — what do I do now?
Blue warrants ceased to be recognised on public land from 7 June 2026, so you need to be certified under the current green warrant system. In practice that means having your van assessed against the current requirements, fixing whatever falls short — most often the toilet — and then booking an inspection with an appointed certification authority.
What is the difference between a green, blue and yellow warrant?
The green warrant is the current certification for freedom camping on public land. The blue warrant was the previous card and expired on 7 June 2026. A yellow NZMCA warrant permits portable toilets but only applies at NZMCA parks and private grounds, not at public freedom-camping sites.
How long does self-containment certification last?
A green warrant is valid for four years, after which the vehicle needs to be re-certified.
Can a Toyota Hiace be certified self-contained?
Yes. A Hiace has enough length to accommodate a fixed cassette toilet, plumbed fresh and grey water and a sink alongside a full-width bed, provided the layout is designed for it from the start. Retrofitting a fixed toilet into a layout that did not allow for one is much harder, which is why we design for certification from the first drawing.
Does Nomado issue the certificate?
No, and be wary of anyone who implies otherwise without being appointed. Certificates are issued by certification authorities appointed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. What we do is build to what an inspection looks for, and tell you plainly what is still outstanding before you book one.
Can you make my existing campervan self-contained?
Often, yes. The usual work is fitting a permanently fixed toilet in a proper cabinet, adding or correcting fresh and grey water tanks, and sorting ventilation. Send us photos of your current fitout and we will tell you what it needs.
Ready when you are
Get your van certification-ready
Tell us about your van and whether you’re starting fresh or fixing an existing fitout. We’ll tell you what it needs.