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How Much Does A Roadworthy Cost 2025?

July 30, 2025

Quick Summary: Typically, the cost of a roadworthy certificate ranges from $120 to $180 for cars and light vehicles up to 4.5 tons gross vehicle mass, with unique or complex vehicles potentially incurring higher fees. While the government sets the cost of a roadworthy each year, inspectors will add on their labour and travel fees. So the more accurate answer is around $135-145.

The time has come, hey? It’s finally here, your roadworthy inspection… We’ve all got that burning desire to know exactly what to expect from a roadworthy.

And of course, how much a roadworthy certificate costs…

Luckily enough, the government makes sure that roadworthys don’t cost a lot. By keeping the prices reasonable they keep us happy and the qualified inspectors happy with work as well. We’ve got the full list of roadworthy prices coming up shortly.

There are some extra things that may get added to the cost of your roadworthy though, so it’s important that you are vigilant in finding those costs on your quote and understand exactly what they are.

Like with many things, factors may cause a change in the cost of your roadworthy, so we’ll help you go through what they could be and how to prepare for them.

DON’T FORGET, choose your roadworthy inspector wisely. We come across customers all the time who have gone for a cheap $60 roadworthy and the mobile mechanic will purposely fail them on something that isn’t an issue (Learn what happens if you fail a roadworthy here).

Then, the mechanic will try to sell them an on the spot fix of these issues charging extremely inflated prices. If it sounds too cheap, then it probably is. They will be cutting costs elsewhere.

If you would like to know the in’s and outs of a roadworthy, then please feel free to read my complete guide of roadworthy certificates here.

And of course, if you are in need of a roadworthy then please give my friend team a call to find out the best price we can do for you. Our friendly team and qualified inspectors have over 500+ five star reviews. It’s easy, you can book a date and time online in under 60 seconds here.

The Government Sets the Cost of a Roadworthy

Yes, that’s right. To ensure that inspectors do not all come together and raise the price of a roadworthy certificate, the government sets the prices every year. Unlike pre-purchase car inspections, we don’t have control over the price.

Of course, it’s in their best interest to keep the cost of a roadworthy low or else everyone would get frustrated and ask why we need to spend so much every time we need to inspect our car.

Each state is different, for Queensland the state government has provided qualified inspectors and registered mechanics an up to date price list for all Qld road users.

Fortunately, (unlike COI & CL inspections) we don’t have to get a road safety inspection every year, only when we meet certain criteria. You can see when you need a roadworthy here.

Any Extra Roadworthy Costs are Added by the Qualified Inspectors

This is something that all car owners should be aware of. There will (most likely) be some added costs to your roadworthy price.

It’s important to highlight, legally all of these added costs will need to be outlined on the invoice or quote. Not showing these added costs is illegal and may suggest your inspector or up to something dodgy.

When using us, we will breakdown the costs for labour which may be a small additional fee so that we don’t run ourselves out of business and can pay our inspectors a good wage.

Many companies may put this down as a call out fee, service charge or just labour costs. It’s good to be able to check for this to ensure that you are not being ripped off. However, like mentioned before it’s best not to go too cheap.

If you do find someone who’s offering a questionably low price, more than likely they will be cutting costs somewhere and it may be an expensive mistake for you.

PS. It’s important to remember how long a roadworthy last’s for. You don’t want to be buying 2 inspections before your first one expired. You can find out how long roadworthys last here.

Factors that Might Change the Cost of your Roadworthy

So, there are a few factors that you will need to think about when costing up your road safety inspection. Some things may increase or decrease the cost of your roadworthy certificate.

Here are the main ones:

New cars are quicker to inspect

This means we can get it done faster therefore we will charge less on our labour costs. Older cars that take longer may cost a little bit more.

How quickly you need your road safety inspection done

If you need it done the next day, then we may have to reschedule our bookings to fit you in. This of course is going to cost more than us putting you into our schedule.

Your location

We service all of Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast but if you are an hour or two away then it might mean we will need to charge a little bit more in travel expenses and labour costs.

Type of vehicle

We will go through the list of the different costs for each vehicle type. A large trailer is going to cost more than a small motor vehicle if that makes sense.

List of Roadworthy Cost for Each Vehicle

Here are the Government approved inspection station fees as of 1st July 2024, check out the Government website to learn more.

Motor vehicles up to 4.5t GVM – $96.05
Trailers over 0.75t up to 4.5t ATM – $48.10
Motorcycles – $61.75
Light vehicles up to and including 4.5t GVM – $97.75
Motor vehicles over 4.5t up to 16t GVM – $137.20
Motor vehicles over 16t GVM – $171.70
Trailers or semi trailers over 4.5t ATM – $77.85

Once again, these are approved fees set by the Government but DO NOT include any additional fees the inspector may add such as labour, so it is likely you will be paying more than this especially if you have a unique car in any of the categories.

Of course, this doesn’t include mobile fees either, same day service fees or any extra addons. These are just the base prices set by the Government.

How Much is the Average Cost of a Roadworthy?

The typical price for a roadworthy certificate ranges from $120 to $180 for cars and light vehicles up to 4.5 tons gross vehicle mass, but this actually depends on the inspector and what fees they may add.

For example if the car is an old school classic it may take longer to inspect so you would be paying more. Same goes for sports cars or anything that’s unique or complicated to work on, these fees could be up to $60 more on average.

This does not include a mobile fee either, which will add an additional fee for the convenience too. Mobile fees are very affordable as well, considering the cost of roadworthy during an inspection station. For a little bit extra, you get it to come to you.

P.S. These are not the same as a Pre Purchase Inspection, if you’re looking to buy or sell a car look into getting a PPI as well as your roadworthy.

P.P.S. We try to keep our prices as low as possible for you as our customers. So you can check out our open and transparent pricing for a mobile roadworthy here.

Why Do Roadworthy Inspections Add On Costs To Their Service?

So, you may find when you request to book in a mobile roadworthy, the price is a little higher than what the government has set it as. Why is this? Well, let me help break it down for you.

Firstly, most inspectors and roadworthy companies will have to add on an extra price to cover the cost of their labour of actually doing the inspection. When it comes to our situation, we simply cannot do roadworthy inspection for free, so we have to add a small amount for us doing the work.

Now also consider the vehicle type that you have. If it’s a old classic vehicle or a brand new vehicle, it might require a more experienced or specialist inspector. This may also mean the cost of your roadworthy could change.

Lastly, consider your location as well. If you are quite far away, it might take us longer to get to you. Therefore, the cost of your roadworthy might increase as well.

Okay so these costs are not factored into the price set by the Government, so it is down to the inspectors to add on these costs to cover additional services.

The Cost of Roadworthy Certificates Change Every Year

Yes, something to consider. Every year the government will change the cost of a roadworthy inspection. This means that one year it could be cheap, the next year it could have increased.

Last year, the prices were more affordable and have since gone up this year. Maybe this is align with inflation but it just means that you shouldn’t wait to get your roadworthy. It may become more expensive over time.

However, on the other hand it may come down in price. We haven’t seen it yet but there’s always a first for everything! Either way, that’s everything you’ll need to know about the cost of mobile roadworthy certificates.

Feel free to share your experiences and prices in the comments with everyone below, we’re all eager to hear! 😁

Detailed Breakdown Of The Cost Of a Roadworthy

Vehicle Type

It’s important to know that how much you pay for a roadworthy depends on your vehicle type. The average car roadworthy may cost between $120-180, while a motorbike you’ll pay between $100-160.

This is because inspecting a motorbike takes less time and cost to the inspector than a car, making it ultimately cheaper to you.

This also works the other way round, if you want an RV inspected that’s over 4.5T you’ll have to pay more as the inspection will take longer and perhaps more specialist tools will be needed. So more complicated vehicles will cost you more than an average car.

So in short, if you have a vehicle type that’s complex and will take a longer time to inspect than the average then the inspector will charge more for the labour.

Location

Alright so your location also makes a difference to the cost of a roadworthy. Very remote regions will cost more as the cost of labour and the transport costs of parts and tools will be higher. These higher costs for the inspector will mean they need to charge more to cover their costs.

Whereas a roadworthy in Brisbane would be closer to the average as there wouldn’t be high transport costs of tools and equipment compared to remote regions, and labour costs will be around the state average.

Age of vehicle

Okay the next factor is age, newer cars are quicker and easier to inspect whereas older models may require specialist tools and have difficult to access inspection points which can take longer.

So the general rule is, the older your car the more expensive on average it will be to get your roadworthy as you’ll have to cover the higher labour costs and use of specialist tools.

Same day service or add ons

So of course if you need a same day service you’ll have to pay for the convenience, this is because there will be last minute planning to do and a quick turnaround for the company. Same day premiums are common if you don’t have the time to wait.

There may be other add ons at your request that you’ll have to pay for as agreed with the inspector.

How To Choose Between Good Roadworthy Inspections Based On Their Cost

Don’t go with the lowest priced option (Buy cheap, buy twice)

Opting for the lowest-priced roadworthy inspections might seem like it’s saving you money, but it could end up costing more in the long run. Some inspectors might offer an attractively low upfront cost to draw customers in.

However, we’ve seen in this industry and heard from our customers that this is sometimes used by inspectors as a way of securing your business before purposely failing you and finding faults during the inspection.

Then, the inspector will try to sell you on the stop repairs, which are highly inflated in price way higher than the market rate at a garage or mechanic. Likely you will be paying double, even triple the prices than what you would be normally. This then drives up the cost of your mobile roadworthy to be insanely expensive…

It’s a tactic that preys on the urgency of needing a valid roadworthy certificate quickly, particularly if you’re looking to sell or re-register your vehicle. Beware and don’t get caught out.

Don’t go with the highest priced roadworthy

On the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive roadworthy inspections aren’t automatically the best either. Some smaller inspection services might inflate the cost of their roadworthy to capitalise on customers who haven’t done their homework.

High prices are often justified with claims of extensive checks or superior service, but likely they will be the same service as anyone else. Paying a premium doesn’t guarantee a more thorough or lenient inspection. As most inspections are required by law, us roadworthy inspectors need to follow a strict protocol.

Roadworthy Checklist and Its Impact on Cost

A roadworthy inspection covers a set checklist to ensure your vehicle meets minimum safety standards at the time of testing. Common items include tyres and wheels, brakes, steering, suspension, lights and indicators, seatbelts, windscreen, and the vehicle’s overall structure.

If any of these components fail to meet requirements, for example, if your tyres are worn below the legal tread depth or your windscreen has a crack in the driver’s line of sight, you’ll need to repair or replace them before passing. This is where costs can rise beyond the base inspection fee.

For instance, a simple light bulb replacement may only add a few dollars, but replacing tyres or repairing brakes can push your total much higher. The type of service you choose also matters, mobile inspections offer convenience but may cost slightly more than a fixed-site service.

To keep expenses down, it’s worth checking these items yourself or having a mechanic do a quick pre-inspection before booking. Addressing small issues early not only increases your chances of passing on the first try but also helps avoid paying for re-inspections or last-minute repairs that can quickly turn a $150 inspection into a much bigger bill.

The Cost Of A Roadworthy Will Change By State

Now, the cost of a roadworthy does actually differ state to state. While in Queensland the average cost is between $120-180, whereas in Victoria you can expect to pay $150-200 and $80-120 in NSW.

This is partly because the State Government sets different costs in the first place, but also the cost of labour and materials will differ in each state.

Consider too, many places in Queensland are remote which will bring the average up as there will be higher transport and labour costs to consider, compared to a roadworthy in Brisbane where tools, materials and labour will be cheaper.