If you want to sell your car, motorcycle, or caravan in QLD, you need a valid road safety certificate. Effective September 1, 2021, owners are no longer required to have a safety certificate before listing a vehicle for sale although safety certificates must be obtained prior to the transfer of ownership.
If you want to know more about how to get your roadworthy certificate and the costs involved, keep reading.
What is a roadworthy certificate?
For a vehicle to be considered roadworthy, it must pass an inspection at an approved testing center and receive a safety certificate. The inspection will check the vehicle’s basic safety requirements, including brakes, tires, steering, suspension, rust or damage to the body, windshield, and lights.
Vehicle inspections are conducted in accordance with vehicle inspection manuals, which are the same manuals used by transportation inspectors and police officers to determine if a vehicle is defective. The Queensland Light Vehicle Inspection Manual and the National Vehicle Inspection Manual provide the benchmark with consistent guidelines for all accredited vehicle inspection agencies.
For more detailed information on roadworthy certificates including why vehicles fail an inspection, copies of the manuals are available on the Queensland Department for Transport and Main Roads website.
How much does a roadworthy inspection cost?
With roadside checks, the federal government ensures that your vehicle meets the minimum safety requirements. However, each state and territory has its own names and regulations for when you need a traffic inspection.
The cost of a traffic inspection may vary depending on the state or territory you are in and the level of traffic control required.
Do I need a roadworthy certificate?
In Queensland, a traffic stop is called a ‘safety certificate’. They used to be called roadworthy certificates or Blue Tickets because the sheet is blue. Over the past year, the Queensland Government has phased out handwritten safety certificates and introduced an electronic version.
A roadworthy safety certificate is required when you:
- sell a registered light vehicle
- transfer the registration to a new owner
- transfer to a QLD registration in another state or territory
- re-register an unregistered vehicle.
There are some exceptions. Unregistered vehicles or those traded with or between licensed car dealers do not require safety certification. Vehicle owners in some remote areas may be exempt, as may beneficiaries of an estate. You also do not need a security clearance to transfer a vehicle between spouses, including separated couples or domestic partners pending divorce, or the like.
There are four categories of vehicles that require safety certificates:
- Automobiles
- Motorcycles
- Caravans or trailers between 750 kg and 3,500 kg Total Trailer Mass (ATM)
- All other vehicles with a GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) of up to 4,500 kg
If your vehicle fails the safety certification test, you can get an unregistered permit to take your vehicle to an auto electrician or mechanic for repair or have it towed. Queensland safety certificate inspection fees are set by the government, which means they do not vary.
Motor vehicles up to 4,500 kg GVM (Large Vehicle Mass) costs $86.20.
Trailers over 750 kg up to 3500 kg pay a fee of $43.15.
Motorcycles pay $55.40.
To sell a vehicle, you must provide the new owner with a current roadworthy certificate. As the vehicle owner, it is your responsibility to ensure the certificate is presented or you could be fined more than $650. You can give the new owner the original handwritten certificate, a digital copy of an electronically issued security certificate, or the certificate number of an electronic certificate.
What do they check in a roadworthy test?
The following aspects of the vehicle are checked:
- Identification and documentation.
- electrical systems.
- accessories and equipment (including mirrors, seat belts)
- braking system.Wheels (including the tire condition)
- suspension and chassis.
- engine
What makes a vehicle unroadworthy?
General conditions are normally the main cause of it (corrosion and suspension). In short, a vehicle can be classified as unroadworthy if it is in such a condition that its use on the road can threaten the safety of the driver, passengers, other road users, or pedestrians.
How long is a roadworthy certificate valid?
For authorized car dealers, the roadworthy certificates are valid for up to 3 months or 1,000 km, whichever comes first. For all other sellers, the safety certificates are valid for 2 months or up to 2,000 km from the date of issue.
Every vehicle sale requires a new safety certificate, even if the old certificate is still valid. However, you can use the same security certificate that was used to register an unregistered vehicle to put it up for sale.
Why do I need a roadworthy inspection?
Depending on the state or territory you are in, traffic inspections may be required when you sell, declare or renew your vehicle registration. This shows that a vehicle meets the minimum safety requirements.
The Australian Design Rules (ADR) have developed a set of minimum standards. This gives the Australian Government control over vehicles before they are placed on the market. It is the responsibility of the state and territory governments to regulate all vehicles in use. This includes maintenance, approval, technical surveillance, and operational requirements.
The cost of a roadworthy inspection certificate can vary from year to year. Every year the government changes the cost of an inspection. This means it could be cheap one year and higher the next.
Prices were more affordable last year and have since gone up this year. That may be equivalent to inflation, but don’t wait for your vehicle to be roadworthy. It can get more expensive over time. But the price can also go down. We haven’t seen it yet, but there’s always a first time for everything.
Fast auto Care with years of extensive experience under its belt, is a leading provider of automotive solutions. They offer a wide range of services such as roadworthy certificate inspections, general vehicle maintenance, brakes, clutch, simple to complex mechanical and electrical diagnostics, engine repair and overhaul, transmission repair, pre-sales vehicle inspection, and certified logbook services.
Supported by a qualified and experienced team of auto electricians, Fast Auto Care has the necessary experience and knowledge to provide quality car repair services.
