Certificate of inspection vehicle types and requirements
If the vehicle is unregistered or registered in another state or territory the first inspection must be obtained at an approved inspection station (AIS).
After the vehicle is registered, certain high-risk vehicle categories must obtain their future certificates of inspection (COIs) at a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) inspection site or from an approved inspection station.
To determine the appropriate inspection provider for your vehicle, please refer to the following list of vehicle types. You may need to know the purpose of use and the gross vehicle mass (GVM) or aggregate trailer mass (ATM) of your vehicle. For buses, the registered seating capacity may also be required. You can check the purpose of use for your vehicle on the check registration status page.
All COIs are valid for 12 months, unless cancelled by the Department of Transport and Main Roads or by the registered operator.
A COI issued for a Heavy Primary Production Vehicle that has a registration concession is valid for 2 years after the registration concession is applied. The first COI issued before the registration concession is applied remains valid for 12 months only.
Vehicle categories that require a Certificate of Inspection (COI):
- buses
- passenger vehicles, including motorbikes.
- personalised transport service vehicles
- trucks
- prime movers
- heavy trailers
- mobile home or motorhomes
Buses
A bus is any vehicle with 10 or more seats
Purpose of use | GVM | Who inspects vehicle |
|---|---|---|
Not for profit & Public passenger vehicle | Up to and including 4,500kg | AIS or *NHVR |
Private | Over 4,500kg | NHVR |
Commercial, Emergency services, Farming, Not for profit, Public passenger vehicle & Self-drive rental | Over 4,500kg | NHVR |
*Note: Buses with a GVM between 3,500 and 4,500kg may be inspected by an Approved Inspection Station or the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
Passenger vehicles, including motorbikes
Purpose of use | GVM | Who inspects vehicle |
|---|---|---|
Public passenger vehicle & School services | Up to and including 4,500kg | AIS |
Public passenger vehicle & School services | Over 4,500kg | NHVR |
Personalised transport services vehicles
Purpose of use | GVM | Who inspects vehicle |
|---|---|---|
Booked hire, Booked hire-rental, Limousine, Special purpose limousine & Taxi | Up to and including 4,500kg | AIS |
Trucks
Purpose of use | GVM | Who inspects vehicle |
|---|---|---|
Licenced tow truck | Up to 4,500kg | AIS |
Licenced tow truck | Over 4,500kg | NHVR |
All other trucks | Over 4,500-16,000kg | AIS |
All other trucks | Over 16,000kg | NHVR |
Note: A 2-axle truck (single steer axle and single rear axle) cannot legally exceed 15,000kg when used on the road. However, the manufacturer’s rated GVM may be higher than 15,000kg. In this case, the manufacturer's GVM is not used for assessing inspection categories for trucks (other than prime movers) if a 2-axle truck is considered to be under 16,000kg and is to be inspected at an AIS.
Prime movers
Purpose of use | GVM | Who inspects vehicle |
|---|---|---|
All prime movers | Over 4,500kg | NHVR |
Heavy trailers
Purpose of use | ATM | Who inspects vehicle |
|---|---|---|
All heavy trailers | Over 4,500-10,000kg | AIS |
All heavy trailers | Over 10,000kg | NHVR |
Mobile home or motorhomes
Purpose of use | GVM | Who inspects vehicle |
|---|---|---|
All mobile homes & motorhomes | Over 4,500-16,000kg | AIS |
All mobile homes & motorhomes | Over 16,000kg | NHVR |
Note: A 2-axle mobile home or motorhome (single steer axle and single rear axle) cannot legally exceed 15,000kg when used on the road. However, the manufacturer’s rated GVM may be higher than 15,000kg. In this case, the manufacturer's GVM is not used for assessing inspection categories for the vehicle. A 2-axle mobile home or motorhome is considered to be under 16,000kg for determining the inspection provider, and is to be inspected at an AIS.