Roadworthy certification

Roadworthy certificate

A roadworthy certificate shows that your vehicle's safe enough to be used on public roads.

You'll need a roadworthy certificate when selling a car, re-registering it, or clearing some defect notices.

A roadworthy certificate shows your car is currently safe to drive, but doesn't guarantee it's mechanically reliable.

Keep in mind that some vehicles don't require a roadworthy certificate.

What’s checked

A roadworthy inspection checks your car's main parts are safe enough for driving. This includes:

wheels and tyres
steering, suspensions and brakes
seats and seatbelts
lights and reflectors
windscreen, and windows including front wipers and washers
vehicle structure
other safety related items on the body, chassis or engine

What isn't checked

A roadworthy inspection doesn't tell you if your car is mechanically reliable or what the general condition of the vehicle is.

A roadworthy certificate doesn't mean:

the vehicle is in good condition without any wear and tear.
non-safety related items (such as the air-con, electric windows and rear-window wipers) are working
the items checked during the inspection will continue working –for example, a brake light could stop working right after the inspection
the vehicle follows all of the Australian Design Rules (ADRs

If you require a comprehensive vehicle inspection

If you need an inspection of your vehicle's overall condition and reliability, you should organise a separate independent vehicle inspection.

Who issues certificates

In Victoria, you must get your roadworthy certificate from a licensed vehicle tester for VicRoads to accept it.

Find a licensed vehicle tester.

Find out more about the roadworthiness scheme.

Length of time a certificate remains current

An roadworthy is 'current' and usable for 30 days from when it's issued to you. You can use the certificate more than once to register your car or for transfer purposes, as long as it's within those 30 days.

Remember: Just because you have a roadworthy, it doesn't mean your car will remain in a roadworthy condition for the whole 30 days from the date the certificate was issued.

The cost of a certificate

How much a roadworthy certificate costs depends on your car's age, what type of car it is, and its condition. You should ask your licensed vehicle tester for a quote before starting the process.

If your car fails the first roadworthy inspection, your licensed vehicle tester will give you a report, identifying the issues.

You'll have 14 days to fix these and get it checked again. If you take longer than 14 days, you'll have to pay for a new test.

What to do if you don’t agree with the outcome of your roadworthy test

If you don't agree with the outcome of your roadworthy inspection, you can:

Check if the part you're worried about is on the guidelines for a roadworthy test in vehicle standards information 26 - roadworthiness requirements. Then, contact the tester and explain your concerns.
If talking to them doesn't help, get another roadworthy test from a different licensed vehicle tester to support your claim, and then show that to the first tester. Try to do this within 30 days of the first test.
If the second test confirms your concerns, but the first tester still won't fix it, you can let us know with a written complaint. Make sure to include copies of both roadworthy certificates and any other supporting documents.
Email to [email protected]
Mail to:
Vehicle Safety Partners and Standards
GPO Box 2392
Melbourne VIC 3001

Remember: the roadworthy certificate only means your vehicle is safe to drive on public roads now. It doesn't mean it’s mechanically sound or in perfect condition.