Roadworthy Inspections

About Certificates of Inspection

Certificate of Inspection (COI) vehicles (such as heavy vehicles, licensed tow trucks, buses, taxis, limousines and booked hire vehicles) registered in Queensland may need to have a periodic or programmed inspection to check minimum vehicle safety standards. A COI is issued when the vehicle passes the inspection.

Owners of registered COI vehicles must have a current COI at all times, unless exempt.

The vehicle must be presented in a clean condition and free of excessive grease to ensure the components can be inspected.

The vehicle should be checked for defects and have any necessary repairs completed before presentation for a COI to prevent the need for a re-inspection.

COI vehicles

Depending on your vehicle type, a COI can be obtained from City Fleet Transport Maintenance (an approved inspection station accredited by Transport and Main Roads).

Find out about the different COI vehicle types and requirements.

Unregistered vehicles can also get an inspection certificate from City Fleet Transport Maintenance.

COI exemptions

Some COI vehicles are eligible for a COI exemption under certain circumstances:

 

  • A new vehicle during the year after it is first registered (exemption does not apply if the vehicle registration is transferred to another person or has previously been registered anywhere else in Australia or overseas).
  • A vehicle participating in the maintenance module of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS). You will need a COI before selling the vehicle, unless the buyer is also participating in the NHVAS and intends to add the vehicle to the maintenance module. The NHVR has more information about participating in the NHVAS
  • A vehicle registered with special interest vehicle registration concession
  • A vehicle being used solely in an exempt area, which includes the shires of Aurukun, Barcoo, Boulia, Bulloo, Burke, Carpentaria, Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Doomadgee, Etheridge, Hope Vale, Injinoo, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Mornington, Napranum, New Mapoon, Pormpuraaw, Quilpie, Torres, Umagico, Warroo and Wujal Wujal. The exemption does not apply if the vehicle is used outside these areas.

Renewals

Generally, you will receive a reminder notice around 10 weeks before your COI expires—but it’s your responsibility to ensure your COI vehicle has a current COI.

You can check registration status online or using the QLD Rego Check app to see when your COI expires.

If a COI vehicle is inspected:

  • up to 2 month before the current certificate expires, the new certificate will not begin until the current certificate expires
  • more than 2 month before the current certificate expires, the new certificate will commence from the date the vehicle was inspected
  • after its previous certificate expires, the expiry date of the new certificate will be calculated from the expiry of the previous certificate (e.g. if your COI is normally due on 1 July but you have it inspected on 1 August, your new COI will commence on 1 July.

Expired COIs

It is an offence to drive a vehicle with an expired COI unless you have a COI exemption or an extension of time to comply.

Generally, an extension of time is only available if the vehicle needs an inspection at a Department of Transport and Main Roads inspection centre and there are no available booking slots. Contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads to enquire about extensions of time.

After the inspection

After your vehicle’s inspection, if your COI was:

  • issued by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, you don’t need to do anything
  • issued electronically at City Fleet Transport Maintenance, and is an:
  • issued as a handwritten certificate at City Fleet Transport Maintenance, you need to provide the Department of Transport and Main Roads with the original (pink) copy of your certificate by

Alternatively, you can post a copy of your certificate to:

Customer Service Support
Department of Transport and Main Roads
GPO Box 1412
BRISBANE QLD 4001

Note: if you email, fax or post a copy, you also need to include a signed cover note requesting your certificate of inspection (COI) details be recorded against your vehicle’s registration number/record.

* An unassigned certificate is issued when your vehicle’s details are not recorded in our system (for example, interstate registered vehicles) or do not match what is already recorded in our system.

If the COI is not issued because the vehicle failed the inspection, you will need to get the defects fixed before getting a re-inspection.

City Fleet Transport Maintenance is available to assist you with all aspects of this service and has a mobile AIS Inspector for all of those Inspection, Roadworthy, COI issues that may confront you.

Contact Steven now on (07) 3063 7722 OPTION 1

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