Unregistered vehicle permit

Apply for a permit

Moving unregistered vehicles, trailers or caravans on Queensland roads may require you to get an unregistered permit.

Find out when a permit is needed.

A permit must be purchased from the state or territory where the journey starts. Find out when a permit cannot be issued.

To get a permit, your vehicle must be in a safe condition to drive and the driver must carry the permit for the journey. If you are towing an unregistered trailer, the driver of the towing vehicle must carry the permit.

This permit is only available for vehicles that are eligible for registration.

To obtain a permit in Queensland, your vehicle must comply with the standards outlined in the applicable vehicle law:

• light vehicles, such as cars and motorcycles, must comply with the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Vehicle Standards and Safety) Regulation 2021
• heavy vehicles (GVM or ATM of more than 4.5t) must comply with the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland) including both:
  • Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation
  • Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation.

To apply in person, you will need to complete the unregistered vehicle permit application form (F3523).

Compulsory third party insurance

You will also need to have Class 22 compulsory third party (CTP) insurance. The cost of CTP insurance is separate to the unregistered permit fee.

You can nominate a CTP insurer of your choice or you can provide a prepaid Class 22 CTP certificate when applying for an unregistered vehicle permit in person. The online service does not accept prepaid Class 22 CTP certificates but you can nominate a Class 22 CTP insurer of your choice when purchasing an unregistered vehicle permit online.

With Class 22 insurance, you will need to pay the base rate for the first day plus the daily rate for any additional days. The Motor Accident Insurance Commission has more information about insurance rates and providers.

Caravans and trailers do not need CTP insurance if they are towed by a Queensland registered vehicle or by an unregistered vehicle with a Queensland issued unregistered vehicle permit.

How long does a permit last

Permits may be issued from 1 to 7 days.

Your permit is issued for the time it will take to complete your journey—this must be the most direct route to your destination. The permit is valid from 12.01am of the first day of the journey and expires at midnight on the last day of the journey.

You should make sure that the dates on your permit and the dates for your Class 22 CTP insurance certificate are the same for the journey to ensure you are covered.

Refund of money paid for permit

No refund is applicable for expired permits.

You may be given a refund for any unexpired portion of a permit in excess of one day. However, the cost of the first day of the permit is non-refundable.

Requests for permit refunds are assessed at a transport and motoring customer service centre or Queensland Government Agent Program (QGAP) office.

When a permit is needed

You will need a permit to move an unregistered vehicle if:

• your registration has expired and the vehicle has not been approved for a certificate of inspection (COI) extension of time and needs repair or its annual COI prior to renewal. To find out more or arrange an extension of time, message us  or call 13 23 80.

You must detach the number plates while operating your vehicle under the permit. You can reattach them once the vehicle has passed inspection or you renew the registration

• your seasonally registered vehicle is on hold (dormant), has not been approved for a COI extension of time and needs repair or its annual COI prior to a new season beginning. To find out more or arrange an extension of time, message us  or call 13 23 80.

You must detach the number plates while operating your vehicle under the permit. You can reattach them once the vehicle has passed inspection or you renew the registration

• your vehicle has been refused registration at a transport and motoring customer service centre and it needs to be taken home
• your vehicle needs to be repaired and is safe to move
• you are moving it to another state or territory for registration
• you are getting a modification plate
• you buy an unregistered vehicle and need to move it
• you need to tow an unregistered vehicle, trailer or caravan
• you are moving it from one property to another when moving house
• your vehicle is used exclusively on private property and needs to be moved to another location
• your vehicle is permanent living accommodation (for example, a caravan or motorised van, and needs to move to a new site)
• your vehicle is being used for display purposes, in conjunction with raffle ticket sales for a charitable organisation
• your vehicle is being used in a procession (for example, a parade/festival)
• you have a special interest vehicle more than 30 years old to be used in a rally and it has a permit for an exemption from a vehicle standard. These vehicles can include street rods/hot rods, historic ambulance and fire-fighting equipment.

You can get a fine for not having a permit. Refunds are not given on expired permits.

When you don't need a permit

You can move (either drive or tow) an unregistered vehicle without a permit for the following purposes only:

• obtaining a gas certificate
• obtaining a weighbridge certificate
• obtaining a safety certificate or a certificate of inspection (COI), including road testing as part of a safety certificate/COI
• for a written-off vehicle inspection (WOVI) (repairable write-offs only)
• for a Queensland Police Service inspection (surrogates)
• for a surrogate identification number/s to be stamped on the vehicle
• applying for vehicle registration from your nearest transport and motoring customer service centre—Don't attach expired plates if seeking re-registration.

You must carry a valid CTP insurance certificate when making the journey (excluding trailers).

You must not stop anywhere else on your journey.

You will only need to complete a vehicle registration application form (F3518) if you are moving the vehicle to apply for registration at a QGAP office, Magistrates Court or local police station. Please complete the application form prior to attending the centre.

Your vehicle can be driven or towed back to its garaging address if it is not possible to register or obtain a safety certificate or COI that same day. If your vehicle or trailer does not pass:

• An inspection for a gas certificate, safety certificate, COI or WOVI—it cannot be driven or towed and must be transported
• any other inspection—customer can purchase an unregistered vehicle permit.

You must remove number plates from dormant or unregistered vehicles being moved for a safety certificate or COI inspection before being driven. Number plates must be reattached once the vehicle has passed inspection and/or the registration is renewed.

When a permit cannot be issued

You won't be able to get a permit if your vehicle:

• is not in a safe condition to drive and would not pass, or has failed, a safety inspection
• still has number plates attached, including personalised or customised plates
• is being moved to Queensland from interstate. A permit must be purchased from the state or territory where the journey starts
• does not have a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or chassis number—vehicles manufactured before 1930 may use an engine number, but cannot apply online
• does not have a compliance plate or an entry on the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV)
• is subject to a serious unresolved vehicle manufacturer defect recall (for example, the Takata airbag recall)
• is currently under a number plate confiscation notice issued by the Queensland Police Service (QPS)
• is left-hand drive, less than 4.5t GVM and less than 25 years old
• is left-hand drive and weighs 4.5t or more
• is carrying a load for hire or reward, or is an unregistered trailer taking rubbish to the dump
• is being operated for hire or reward, or being used for an event such as a wedding or formal
• is modified (for example, a specially constructed vehicle or stock car)
• is written-off and needs to be moved—including to get a written-off vehicle inspection
• is an imported vehicle or trailer that needs to be moved before being certified as a compliant vehicle
• is only eligible for conditional registration
• exceeds mass and dimension limits for road use unless it's operating under a relevant notice or has a permit issued by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

If you don’t have a customer reference number

To apply for an unregistered vehicle permit online, you must have a Queensland driver licence number or customer reference number (CRN) issued by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

If you don’t have a customer reference number, you can:

• apply in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre
• have someone with a Queensland CRN apply for a permit for the vehicle, either online or in person.