To obtain a Green Self-Containment:

• Fresh water tanks: 4 L per person per day (12 L per person minimum); eg. 24 litres is required for 2 people for 3 days & 48 litres is required for 4 people for 3 days;
• A sink: (via a smell trap/water trap connected to a water tight sealed waste water tank;
• Grey/black waste water tank: 4 L per person per day (12 L per person minimum, vented and monitored if capacity is less than the fresh water tank);
• Evacuation hose: (3 m for fitted tanks) or long enough to connect to a sealed portable tank;
• Sealable refuse container (rubbish bin with a lid).
• Toilet: Minimum capacity 1 L per person per day (3 L net holding tank capacity per person minimum), fixed and installed to the manufacturers specifications;

To obtain a Yellow Self-Containment:

The same requirements are needed as the Green self-containment, bar the requirement for the toilet to be fixed. Therefore portable toilets comply for a Yellow self-containment.

A portable toilet must be adequately restrained or secured when travelling. The portable toilet shall be usable within the motor caravan or caravan, including sufficient head and elbow room whenever required, even with the bed made up. 

For blue and yellow warrant cards, when these conditions are met, a portable toilet may be used externally e.g. within a toilet tent or awning, where it is appropriate and convenient to do so.

This enables decision-makers to generally permit freedom camping and private camping in areas with limited or no immediate access to external facilities. 

Furthermore, under the NZMCA’s constitution, as of 01 July 2009 all new members that join the Association with a vehicle designed for camping are required to certify their vehicle within 12 months of joining. 

We strongly recommend including certified self-containment as a condition of any vehicle sale and purchase agreement, ensuring the certificate is issued by an approved certification authority.

Financial members are welcome to engage one of our 300-plus volunteer vehicle inspectors located across the country. These volunteers will inspect your vehicle at a mutually convenient time and/or offer you technical advice if required.

Following the inspection, your inspection form will be sent to the NZMCA national office for processing. Please allow up to five working days from receipt of the inspection form.

For government green certification you will then be sent a request to pay the $120 government levy. Upon receipt of payment, your certification will be issued.

For NZMCA yellow certification your certification will be issued upon receipt of the inspection form.

Certification is valid for up to 4 years for government certification and 10 years for NZMCA certification unless the vehicle is modified or alterations are made to an item covered by the self-containment certificate, in which case a recheck is required. 

If your blue warrant card was issued on or after 7/6/2024 (or 7 June 2023 for vehicles with a portable toilet) then you cannot rely on this certification to freedom camp unless the site specifically allows vehicles that are not self-contained to stay.  These warrant cards have the words "Certification is NOT for freedom camping purposes" printed on them.

If your blue warrant card was issued before 7/6/2024 (or 7 June 2023 for vehicles with a portable toilet) then you can rely on this certification to freedom camp until it expires or 7/6/2025, whichever occurs first. After this date, green government certification will be required to freedom camp. 

All NZS5465 blue certification can continue to be used until expiry at NZMCA parks and any other site which  accepts NZMCA yellow certification. Each site in the travel app and online travel directory will indicate if they accept NZMCA yellow certification.