Certificates issued by approved inspection stations
An approved inspection station (AIS) is approved by the Department of Transport and Main Roads to provide vehicle inspections to ensure vehicles meet minimum safety standards. An AIS may be approved to issue the following type of inspection certificates:
- safety certificates—for light vehicles (such as cars, motorcycles, trailers and caravans)
- certificates of inspection—for light vehicles, motorcycles, heavy vehicles such as trucks, heavy trailers and caravans.
Vehicles are inspected at an AIS by approved examiners who have been accredited by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
An AIS can consist of a fixed premises such as a service station or mechanical workshop or a fixed premises with a mobile AIS that travels to a customer's location.
How to find an Approved Inspection Station
Search by:
- location using suburb or postcode
- inspection type
- stations that provide a mobile inspection service
- stations that provide electronic inspection certificates through inspection certificates online.
Electronically issued inspection certificates
Some AIS issue safety certificates and certificates of inspection electronically. Most electronically issued inspection certificates will be automatically submitted online by the AIS to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
The AIS can print or email a PDF of the electronically issued inspection certificate to you for your records.
In most circumstances you won't need to lodge your electronically issued inspection certificate with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, for example:
- If you are selling or disposing of your vehicle or trailer, and you get an electronically issued inspection certificate, you may be eligible to transfer the registration out of your name using our online service. This service also allows the buyer to complete the transfer of registration online.
- If your vehicle needs periodic inspections that can be conducted by an AIS and you are issued with an assigned certificate of inspection electronically.
In some cases an unassigned certificate is issued when your vehicle's details are not recorded in the Department of Transport and Main Roads system (for example, interstate registered vehicles) or do not match what is already recorded in the Department of Transport and Main Roads system. The AIS will advise if you need to present this inspection certificate in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre.
Example electronic certificates
- Assigned safety certificate for cars and light commercial vehicles
- Unassigned safety certificate for cars and light commercial vehicles
- Assigned certificate of inspection for heavy vehicles
- Unassigned certificate of inspection for heavy vehicles
Vehicles needing inspection
You may need to book a vehicle inspection with an AIS when:
- registering a vehicle, boat, caravan or trailer
- buying or selling a vehicle
- transferring a vehicle's registration.
Inspection fees for certificates
An AIS may charge the following fees: