Roadworthy certificates

We are not licensed to issue certificates

In Victoria a roadworthy certificate can only be issued by a licensed vehicle tester. We are not one, and we will not tell you otherwise. If a workshop is vague about this, ask to see the licence.

You will need a certificate to transfer registration on a used car, to re-register a vehicle, or to clear a defect notice. A licensed tester issues it, and there are plenty of them nearby.

What we do instead: a pre-inspection

We put the car on a hoist and go through it against the same items a tester works from. You get a written list of what would fail, what is marginal, and what is fine, with a price against each line. Nothing is done until you say so.

It is worth doing before you sell a car, before you book a test, and before you buy a used car privately.

What cars fail on most

• Tyres under the tread limit, damaged, or mismatched across an axle
• Brake pads or rotors past their wear limit, and brake fluid leaks
• Lights that do not work, are the wrong colour, or are badly aimed
• Windscreen cracks and chips in the driver line of sight
• Worn steering and suspension components, and perished bushes
• Seat belts that do not retract or lock properly
• Oil and coolant leaks, and a badly corroded exhaust
• Rust in a structural area, which is the expensive one to find late

The repairs

Everything on that list is normal work here: brakes, tyres, suspension and steering, lights and auto electrical, cooling and exhaust. We quote before work starts and itemise the invoice, so you can hand the same document to a tester or a buyer.

If a licensed tester has already failed the car, bring the report in. We quote from it line by line and you choose what goes ahead.

What to do next

• Book a pre-inspection with us and get the written list
• Have the failing items repaired, here or anywhere you like
• Take the car to a licensed tester for the certificate