How to Get a Roadworthy Certificate in the Australian Capital Territory
NOTE: Be aware that owners of vehicles that are subject to the compulsory defective Takata airbag recall may be required to provide proof that the defective airbags have been replaced by an authorised vehicle dealer before a roadworthy inspection can be performed.
Registering a vehicle in the Australian Capital Territory requires that all vehicles be inspected and issued with a roadworthy certificate, aka a Certificate of Inspection, before the registration can be completed under the following conditions-
- if the vehicle is older than 6 years, reckoned from the date of manufacture
- if the vehicle had previously been registered in a jurisdiction other than the Australian Capital Territory
- if an ACT registration had lapsed, or been cancelled for any reason, or the vehicle had not been registered for the previous 12 months
- if a first-time registration must be established without a TAN (Type Approval Number) being available
- if the vehicle is used for public transport, including being registered as a rideshare vehicle and a new registration must be established
- if the registration of a vehicle used for public transport, including being registered as a rideshare vehicle, must be renewed for any reason
if the description of the vehicle changes; such changes include, but are not limited to, replacing the engine with one of the same displacement, or changing the vehicle’s main colour - if the vehicle had been issued with adefect notice during a random vehicle inspection on any public road, or in any road-related area such as a public parking area, regardless of whether (or not) the vehicle was occupied at the time of the random inspection
Note that all vehicles used for public transport, including rideshare vehicles, as well as all LPG-powered vehicles, must undergo annual roadworthy and gas inspections, respectively. However, while rideshare vehicles can undergo roadworthy inspections at any authorized inspection station, all other public vehicles are legally obliged to have inspections carried out only atAccess Canberra Motor Vehicle Inspection Station, and then strictly by appointment only.
Note that the above requirement also applies to vehicles with a GVM of more than 4 500kg, all modified vehicles, all imported vehicles, and vehicles without compliance plates.
What vehicles do not require a roadworthy inspection?
The only exception to the requirement to have a vehicle inspected is in respect of new vehicles purchased from licensed Intestate Motor Dealers for whichTAN (Type Approval Numbers) are available. Assistance with obtaining a TAN number if one is not available can be had from Access Canberra at tel. no. (02) 6207 7236. Note that you may be required to provide the following information about the affected vehicle-
- Vehicle Compliance Plate Approval (CPA) number
- Vehicle make and model
- Vehicle body type
- Engine size
- Motive power
What categories of vehicles require Vehicle Identity Inspections?
While vehicle identity inspections are performed on some vehicles in efforts to reduce vehicle theft and the illegal re-introduction of some vehicles into the market, these inspections are currently restricted to certain circumstances, which we will quote directly from an official state government source-
- a used vehicle with a year of manufacture equal to or less than 10 years old and is an interstate registered vehicle being registered under a different name in the ACT
- you do not have any documentation for the vehicle to establish its history
- your vehicle doesn't have identifiers such as the vehicle identification number (VIN) or engine number
- your vehicle has been declared a "repairable written off" vehicle and it was registered in the ACT at the time it was declared a repairable write-off. (Vehicles that were registered in another jurisdiction at the time they were declared a repairable write-off must not be inspected or registered in the ACT unless they have been registered since the WOVR was cleared). (Source:https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/motor-vehicle-inspections-tab-vehicle-identity-inspections )
Note that while some vehicles are exempted from vehicle identity inspections, the list of exemptions and the circumstances that establish an exemption is too extensive to reproduce here. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you visithttps://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/motor-vehicle-inspections-tab-vehicle-identity-inspections for more information on this crucially important step in the vehicle registration process in the Australian Capital Territory.
How long are roadworthy certificates valid in the ACT?
Roadworthy certificates, aka Certificates of Inspection, are valid for one month from the date of inspection.
Who issues roadworthy certificates in the ACT?
Provided your vehicle meets certain criteria, you may have your roadworthy inspection conducted at an Authorised Inspection Station, a list of which is availablehere. Note that if your vehicle does not meet the above criteria, you must have the inspection carried out at Access Canberra Motor Vehicle Inspection Station at Hume, which can be contacted by calling 13 22 81.
How much does a roadworthy inspection cost in the ACT?
The ACT both offers and requires a wide range of vehicle inspections, all of which come at different prices and fees, two examples of which are-
- $18.80 for a simple vehicle inspection within one month of an initial statutory inspection
- $640.80 for a written-off vehicle and complex [vehicle] identity inspection
Note that while the above fees were correct as of 11 October 2022, these, and other fees can change with no notice. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you visithttps://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/motor-vehicle-inspections-tab-fees for more details on current fees and possible changes in fees that might occur from time to time.