The global rate of car accidents is rising every day and many of these crashes are a result of dangerous and unroadworthy vehicles being on the road. These accidents can place significant hardship on family’s financial wellbeing and more importantly, their health. Due to this, the benefits of keeping your vehicle in roadworthy condition are plenty. We highly recommend the proper maintenance of your vehicle to ensure the safety of yourself, your family and the community.

What Does Having A Roadworthy Vehicle Mean?

The term roadworthy most likely means exactly what your thinking. It means your car is worthy of being on the road. These standards are set by the local governments within Australia and are generally enforced by the transport departments.

Achieving a roadworthy status for your vehicle means that it is safe to drive on the road. To be safe on the road, the vehicle must be in good condition so that there is no threat to the driver or passengers. Additionally, there must also be no threat to other vehicles on the road or pedestrian because of your car. For example, if the tyres on your vehicle are worn out then you may lose control of your car, putting people at risk. Some common items to look out for include;

• Any oil or fluid leaks
• Lights not working effectively or at all
• Brake performance
• Suspension integrity
• All vehicle components properly fitted and secure
• Illegal modifications

These are some of the main things you will be able to pick up on yourself, however; there is an extensive checklist of what makes a car roadworthy. The best way to know is to talk to your mechanic about it. Your car should be able to pass a roadworthy at any time. If the police pull you over they can fine you for things like bald tyres etc. However; there are only certain times when you need to pass a roadworthy inspection and be issued with a safety certificate (roadworthy certificate).

When Do You Need A Roadworthy Certificate?

While the different states across Australia have different rules and regulations regarding roadworthy certificates, this section will focus on QLD. According to the QLD Transport Department, there are four situations where you will require a safety certificate. These include;

1. When attempting to sell a registered vehicle
2. If you need to transfer registration to a new owner
3. When transferring registration from another state e.g. NSW to QLD
4. If you need to register an unregistered vehicle

Traditionally, after passing an inspection and receiving your safety certificate, you would receive 3 pieces of paper. One of these was required to be displayed within the vehicle if you were attempting to sell it on any road. The other two would be handed into the transport department.

In QLD, the transport department has just recently released a new online system for issuing safety certificates that makes the process a whole lot easier. Under this system, you only receive one piece of paper that looks like this. Legally, you do not have to display it in the vehicle either but it must be produced upon request of a potential buyer or buyer’s agent.

We are currently using the new online system as we are finding it’s more convenient for our customers, but the old method has not been phased out yet. We can also email you a copy of the roadworthy certificate for your records. If you require a roadworthy certificate or would like more info, visit our page on cairns roadworthy certificates.

How to Get a Roadworthy Certificate

If you need a safety certificate, you’re going to have to find an approved inspection station. An approved inspection station is a mechanical workshop qualified to complete inspections and issue safety certificates. The price of safety certificates is standardized in QLD and is currently set at around $77. This helps eliminate the need for doing research based on price.

If your vehicle does not pass the first inspection you should be notified by your mechanic what repairs are required to get your vehicle in roadworthy condition. This work can be done at the same workshop or at a different one before the final inspection. Once all repairs are complete to standard, the original mechanic should issue your safety certificate.

It’s important to find a mechanic you can trust. This will give you peace of mind that a car your buying or selling is genuinely roadworthy. There have been occasions where we’ve had new customers bring in supposedly roadworthy vehicles, only to find long-term issues “slipped by”. A good mechanic would have easily identified these problems during an inspection. Therefore, don’t just trust the roadworthy certificate. Look for the name behind it.

At Monypenny Mechanical we are qualified to conduct your roadworthy inspections and can take care of all repairs you may require. We care about our customers and provide quality service that you can trust. So, if you require a roadworthy certificate you can find more information here. Alternately, if you are unsatisfied with your current mechanic, we can help. To find out more information regarding maintenance, check out our page on Cairns Car & 4WD Servicing. If you have a newer car or require Logbook Servicing, we also take care of that too.