Since 11 October 2020, the Australian government has made it illegal to supply new and second hand imported quad bikes, also known as All-terrain vehicles (ATVs), in or into Australia which do not comply with the requirements of a new mandatory safety standard.
If you sell a quad bike that fails to comply, you may be in breach of the Australian Consumer Law, which can result in fines and penalties. You should seek legal advice to ensure you comply with the safety standard.
What is the purpose of the safety standard?
The purpose of the safety standard is to reduce the risk of death or serious injury associated with the use of quad bikes. It sets out the requirements for new quad bikes and imported second-hand quad bikes. It is intended to improve information for consumers, to reduce the number of rollovers that are occurring and to protect riders from death and serious crush injuries in the event of a rollover.
What are the new requirements?
The Consumer Goods (Quad Bikes) Safety Standard 2019 commenced on 11 October 2019, and applies to all new and imported second-hand quad bikes. From 11 October 2020, suppliers must ensure their quad bikes:
- meet the requirements within sections 4 to 8 of the American National Standard for four wheel ATVs (ANSI/SVIA 1-2017) or sections 5 to 7 of the European ATV Standard (EN15997:2011)
- have a spark arrester fitted that conforms to Australian Standard AS 1019-2000 or US Standard 5100-d
- have been tested for lateral static stability as per Schedule 1 of the Standard and have a hang tag attached at the point of sale that displays the angle at which it will tip on to two wheels
- have a rollover warning label affixed in a position that is easily visible and legible when the quad bike is in operation
- have an owner's manual that includes rollover safety information
Stay up to date
Subscribe to the ACCC quad bike safety standard newsletter to receive important information about the safety standard. The newsletter will provide you with general guidance on how to comply, links to online resources and reminders of important dates.
More information
The ACCC's Product Safety Australia website contains general guidance material to assist quad bike suppliers to comply with the safety standard. The following resources will help you ensure that your quad bike meets product safety laws:
- Dealers fact sheet
- Manufacturers, importers & distributors fact sheet
- Frequently asked questions
- Selling online
- Quad bikes media release