Helpful Guides
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How Long Does A Roadworthy Last?
July 02, 2024
Quick summary: For a private seller a roadworthy certificates last for 2000 kms or 2 months (whichever comes first), and for a dealership 1000 kms and 3 months before the certificate expires, becoming invalid and therefore illegal to sell the vehicle.
Table of Contents
How Long Does A Roadworthy Last?
So, if the time has come that you are required to get your vehicle roadworthy it’s important to know how long it’s valid for. This is a common question among those who are selling a vehicle because you need to consider when you get your roadworthy certificate and how quickly you can sell your car.
In short, you don’t want to get a roadworthy certificate too early then not be able to sell your vehicle and the certificate becomes invalid. This would leave you frustrated and out of pocket… So make sure that you have got your timing right…
Or at least get a company (like us 😉) who offer same day service and bookings.
If you are currently confused about what a roadworthy certificate is, then please don’t hesitate to read our full guide on roadworthys here. If you need to know how much roadworthys costs, read here.
Finally, if you’re ready to book then don’t hesitate to book online with us for your roadworthy inspection. I promise we will take care of you! 😇
Right, let’s jump straight into this. Here’s how long does a roadworthys last.
What Is A Roadworthy Certificate?
I don’t want to spend too much time on this, but I’ll briefly explain it. A roadworthy certificate is required to ensure the safety for all road users.
In more simple terms, the Queensland government is making sure that all vehicles are safe to be driven on the road. We don’t want to have drivers with areas of their vehicle hanging off and flying into other vehicles.
This would cause accidents and a lot of upset. The same applies for all areas of cars and bikes to ensure they are safe for the driver and other road users.
Why Do You Need A Roadworthy Certificate
You’ll need a valid Roadworthy when selling a vehicle
Okay guys so if you want to sell your car you’re legally going to need to have a valid roadworthy certificate to do so. In Fact you can’t physically transfer ownership to another person without a valid roadworthy certificate.
Honestly this works in everyone’s favour, as a buyer can have peace of mind that they are buying a vehicle that is actually safe to drive and not going to lead to an injury to themselves or others.
While the sellers benefit as they can prove that their car is in a safe condition and attract serious buyers that have peace of mind.
This rule is backed up by law, meaning in QLD you can face fines of around $500 for illegally selling a vehicle without a roadworthy certificate. If the vehicle is in an accident and found to be unsafe, and sold by you without a valid roadworthy certificate you could be in a lot more legal trouble.
This example mostly applies to people planning to sell a car to family or friends but keep their name on the registration because they don’t want to get a roadworthy.
For legal reasons, as well as morality, it’s very important to stay within the law when it comes to getting a roadworthy to sell a car
Transferring ownership of a vehicle requires a roadworthy
Okay guys so if you want to sell your car you’re legally going to need to have a valid roadworthy certificate to do so. In Fact you can’t physically transfer ownership to another person without a valid roadworthy certificate.
Honestly this works in everyone’s favour, as a buyer can have peace of mind that they are buying a vehicle that is actually safe to drive and not going to lead to an injury to themselves or others.
While the sellers benefit as they can prove that their car is in a safe condition and attract serious buyers that have peace of mind.
This rule is backed up by law, meaning in QLD you can face fines of around $500 for illegally selling a vehicle without a roadworthy certificate. If the vehicle is in an accident and found to be unsafe, and sold by you without a valid roadworthy certificate you could be in a lot more legal trouble.
This example mostly applies to people planning to sell a car to family or friends but keep their name on the registration because they don’t want to get a roadworthy.
For legal reasons, as well as morality, it’s very important to stay within the law when it comes to getting a roadworthy to sell a car
So, when is a roadworthy needed?
Okay, so in simple terms here is when you a roadworthy is needed.
- You are registering an unregistered vehicle
- You are selling a registered light vehicle (car, bike, trailer)
- You are transferring the registration to another person or state
Where And How To Get A Roadworthy
Alright so you know what a roadworthy is and why you’ll need one, now let’s take a look at how and where you can get one in Queensland Australia.
Where to get a roadworthy certificate
Alright so you’ll have to engage with an inspector that has been licensed by the Queensland Government to give out certificates. You can either take your car in to an approved inspection station, such as our Miami station, or have a mobile roadworthy inspection where we come to you.
Approved Inspection Stations are physical workshops where the roadworthy is done, this could be a good option for locals or for those with flexible work schedules. However, for others mobile roadworthys can give you the convenience you need. Fortunately, you have the choice.
Honestly this is a fantastic option, as you can get an inspector to come to you. This means you won’t have to take a day off work or have the hassle of dropping off or picking up vehicles from a garage.
The inspection can take place almost anywhere, so from your workplace, home or even a friend’s house. You provide the address and the inspector will come to you, making this a great option as you’ll save a lot of time and hassle.
The only exception to where would be if the location is unsafe or not practical. For example a mobile roadworthy in brisbane would be difficult if it was in the middle of the CBD.
What you can expect from our mobile roadworthy inspectors
Our friendly team will start by making sure your car is in a safe place to be inspected, this may include laying cones out to ensure their safety as well as your cars.
Now our inspector will get to work checking over the key working parts of your vehicle to make sure it meets safety standards. Key parts that we inspect include:
- Seats and Restraints
- Lamps (lights) and Electrical Components
- Windscreen and Glazing (windows)
- Body, Chassis and Frame
- Tow Couplings
- Steering and Suspension
- Wheels and Tyres
- Brakes
- Engine, Driveline and Emissions
- Vehicle Safety Features
- Identification
- Modifications
- Road Test
- Service Brake Test
Once the inspection is done we will write a detailed report that will be emailed to you. If your vehicle passes the inspection, the AIS will give you a Safety Certificate. This certificate is valid for 2 months or 2,000 km (whichever comes first) for private sales.
If your vehicle fails the inspection, the mechanic will provide a list of issues that need to be fixed. You will need to fix these issues and organise a re-inspection. Note that you will have up to 14 days to get the reinspection done before you’ll need to book a new inspection from scratch..
Does a Roadworthy Expire
The answer is yes, they do expire. However this is different for private sellers and dealerships.
So once you have obtained a roadworthy check and are planning to make a private sale, you will have either 2000 km or two months (whichever comes first) until the roadworthy expires and becomes invalid.
If you think about it, this makes sense. As if a car is considered safe and has a certificate on it then you drive it for a month and do a good few kilometres then the state of the car may change, maybe becoming unsafe.
This is why the government has put an expiry date on it, capping the time at 2 months and the distance at 2000 kms, this way you can be sure the car will still be in at least a very similar state as when the certificate was given.
Alright but what about dealerships then? So they will have up to 3 months and 1000 kms until their roadworthy certificate is invalid. The rulers are different as of course private sellers may still be driving their cars so more distance is allowed than dealerships, but at a shorter time of one month.
They do expire so make sure that when buying or selling a car the roadworthy is definitely valid, so within the allowed distance and date of the certificate.
How Long Is A Roadworthy Valid For?
Ok, so I’m going to answer this in the most simple way possible.
Once you have passed your roadworthy inspection and got your certificate, it will be valid for a period of 2 months from the issue date. This is the most common timeframe for vehicle owners unless exempt (which I’ll go into more details below).
So in short, a roadworthy will last for 2 months before it will expire and you will need a new one.
So, I know this should never be the case 😆 but if you are selling your vehicle make sure you kinda leave it a little last minute to get your roadworthy inspection to ensure you leave enough time for people to buy.
For example, you don’t want to get your roadworthy then not be able to sell your car for 6 months and your roadworthy certificate then becomes invalid.
There is also a chance that you may fail your inspection as well, you can find out what happens if you fail your roadworthy inspection here.
How Long Does A Roadworthy Last For?
You are expected to obtain and display a roadworthy certificate before selling your registered car. Sales within very remote areas are also exempted.
If you are still wondering, “How long is a roadworthy valid for?” I’ve gone through in more detail below about anyone who might be exempt or the different timeframes for certain types of road users or dealers.
It’s important to know if you can get a roadworthy that is valid for longer due to any special reason. Some people might be able to obtain a roadworthy certificate that is valid for longer than others.
Here’s the following areas of each roadworthy certificate and how long they last for, depending on whichever comes first.
- Licensed car dealers – Roadworthy certificates are valid up to 1,000km or 3 months from the issue date.
- Every other seller – Roadworthy certificates are valid up to 2,000km or 2 months from the issue date.
So, with this information you can see how long your roadworthy is valid for. Again, ensure you are leaving enough time to do what you need to do before your roadworthy certificate expires.
It’s good to remember, a roadworthy will last for either 2 months or 2,000km’s. So make sure you take this into consideration when selling your car.
When Is The Best Time To Get A Roadworthy Certificate?
You will really need to consider the validity period here. If you are a normal seller you have 2 months or 2000kms. So, if you are doing a lot of long trips you might need to think about leaving your roadworthy last minute when you’ve got a confirmed seller.
Although it’s never best to leave anything last minute, we’d hate for anyone to have to do their roadworthy more than once at full price.
However, if you’re reregistering an unregistered vehicle, you can be a bit more flexible. As long as you have the correct paperwork you can pretty much get the roadworthy done and then go down to the department of transport and get it registered.
This really depends on you. If you get a roadworthy but then decide not to go to the DOT and get it re-registered then it will become invalid.
I think it’s all about taking into consideration what you are doing and when you will need to get a roadworthy for. This will help you understand when the best time to get your certificate would be.
Conclusion:
Well, it’s safe to say we’ve pretty much covered everything regarding how long a roadworthy is valid for. I hope now you consider the best time to get your roadworthy inspection.
You shouldn’t just be aware, go ahead and educate a friend. You could refer them to this blog post so that they can have firsthand information.
If you are ready for a roadworthy inspection, don’t hesitate to contact our team of qualified examiners to get it booked in.