A roadworthy certificate, also known as a road safety certificate, is an official document required by law in Brisbane, QLD, to ensure your vehicle is maintained well and safe to be used on the road. The certificate ensures you cannot drive on the road unless your vehicle passes all the safety checks. Approved and registered inspection stations issue these certificates in either written or digital form.
When Do You Need the Roadworthy Certificate?
Road safety certificates could be required for different reasons. The most common reasons why you would require a road safety certificate include:
Transferring Your Vehicle’s Registration
You will need the certificate if you are selling your car or are transferring your registration to a different state.
For Re-Registering Your Car or Registering Your Unregistered Vehicle
You must renew your registration every year to legally drive your vehicle. You will need a road safety certificate during the re-registration process. Similarly, if you have an unregistered car that you want to register, you will have to get the certificate.
To Sell a Registered Light Vehicle
Your registered light vehicle will have to pass the road safety inspection before you sell it. Below is the list of vehicles to which this rule applies:
- Cars
- Mopeds and scooters
- Motorbikes
- Trailers with an aggregate mass between 750 and 3500 kg
- Caravans with aggregate trailer mass of 750 to 3500 kg
- Any other vehicles with a gross mass of 4500 kg
How to Pass the Roadworthy Certificate?
Your car will be checked on various parameters before getting the certificate. The entire process can seem difficult, but most vehicles pass the test without any issues. Below is a checklist of items that you must ensure to pass the roadworthy test:
- Your seatbelts should not be broken or damaged. Even the buckle should fasten without getting stuck.
- Your mirrors should be properly visible and should not be cracked or damaged.
- Your tires should have a minimum tread depth of 1.5mm and should not be damaged.
- Your car’s doors should shut smoothly without any obstructions and have padding with no wires showing. They should also not swing open mid-drive.
- Your car windows should be clean without any cracks. They should go fully up when closed. It could be considered a safety risk if they get stuck.
- All the seats in your car should be secure and operate correctly. They should move back, front, up, and down smoothly if they have those functions. The seat covers should not be torn or have exposed wiring.
- Your sunvisors should not be damaged or broken.
- Your windscreen should not have any large chips or cracks. In addition, your windscreen washer should spray correctly during the inspection. There should be no leak in the water reservoir.
- Your car’s steering wheel should be secure and not pull off to one side. It should work smoothly and be easy to turn.
- Your headlights must face forward and not upwards or outwards.
- Your interior lights should work properly, and your exterior lights should be bright.
- There should be no strange noises from your engine, and it should function smoothly.
- Your car’s suspension should not be broken.
- Your car’s exhaust should not be damaged
- Your brakes should not be tight or make any noise.
Common Areas Where You May Fail a Safety Inspection
Despite going through different checklists and maintaining your vehicle well, your car may fail the road safety inspection and not get the certificate. Below are the most common reasons for your car to fail the safety inspection:
- Your tires are not fully inflated or have any sharp objects in them.
- Your car has an oil leak. You can usually identify a leak by checking for oil drops on your road or driveway. You can also use your dipstick and see if you are using up all the oil too quickly.
- Your car’s lights need to be fixed, are angled incorrectly, or are not bright enough.
- Your wheel brake and handbrake are tight or don’t work smoothly.
- Your car’s mounts that hold important parts of your car together are loose.
- The bushes in your car’s suspension are broken or damaged.
Though getting a roadworthy certificate may seem daunting, it is not if you ensure your car is well-maintained. Companies like SAB | Mobile Roadworthy Certificate | Brisbane can help you get your mobile roadworthy certificate easily. They offer door-to-door services, check every aspect of your car and provide recommendations to fix any issues or problems before providing you with the safety certificate. You can even book their services in advance.