Safety checks and vehicle inspections

Vehicles need regular safety inspections to remain on the road. Find out what type of inspection your vehicle needs and how to get one.

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Safety checks for registration renewal

Most light vehicles more than 5 years old need a yearly safety inspection report (also known as a pink slip).

The 5-year exemption period is calculated from the month and year on the vehicle’s compliance plate. For imported vehicles, the 5-year exemption period is calculated from the month and year of the vehicle’s manufacture.

Your registration renewal notice tells you when you need an inspection.

Light vehicles include:

  • passenger cars
  • motorcycles
  • goods carrying vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 4.5 tonnes or less with no power-operated brakes
  • vehicles used to provide point to point transport (must be checked at least once a year)
  • trailers and caravans with an aggregate trailer mass of 4.5 tonnes or less, including those fitted with breakaway brakes but not
  • including those fitted with air or vacuum breakaway braking systems.

Where to get a safety check

Only an Authorised Inspection Scheme (AIS) station can do a safety check.

Once your vehicle passes the safety check, your inspection details are sent to us electronically.

Validity

NSW reports are valid for 6 months, excluding public passenger vehicles. You must use the report to renew registration within 6 months for the safety check to be valid.

If you are changing terms, you must request a new renewal notice to see if the inspection requirements have changed.

Interstate reports are valid for 42 days or less if the state has an earlier validity period.

Mobile pink slips

If you'd prefer not to leave home, check to see if mobile pink slip provider can come to you. The pink slip fee is the same but a call out fee may apply.

Failed safety checks

If your vehicle fails a safety check, you need to make the repairs before you can renew registration.

If you complete the repairs within 14 days and take the vehicle to be reassessed at the same AIS station, no extra inspection fees apply. If you repair the vehicle after the 14 day period ends, you need to pay another inspection fee.

Once the repairs have been made and your vehicle passes the safety check, you can renew your registration online.

Unregistered vehicle inspection

An Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Scheme (AUVIS) inspection (previously known as a blue slip) ensures vehicles meet safety requirements and design and identity standards.

Vehicle examiners must be accredited by Transport for NSW under the Authorised Inspection Scheme to inspect your vehicle. Use our tool to find a local inspection station.

You must get an AUVIS inspection if your vehicle:

  • registration has been expired for more than 3 months
  • has been brought into NSW from another Australian State or Territory or another country
  • has no number plate
  • is a write-off approved for re-registration (see written-off vehicles).

An AUVIS inspection may also be required for:

  • changes to vehicle registration records due to significant changes like a new engine installation
  • clearing some defect notices.

AUVIS inspection reports are valid for 42 days from the date of inspection.

If the vehicle is imported, you need to provide the authorised examiner with a Vehicle Import Approval issued for the vehicle by the Australian Government’s Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. See imported vehicles for more information.

All authorised inspection stations display 'AIS' signs listing what safety checks they can perform. These signs must be displayed at the front of the premises.

Look for inspection stations with these signs

 

Safety inspection signs

AIS signage

 

Modified and non-standard vehicles

If you’ve made significant modifications to your vehicle, or have a non-standard or personally imported vehicle, you need to have it inspected by a licensed certifier under the Vehicle Safety Compliance Certification Scheme (VSCCS). See modified and non-standard vehicles for more details.

Heavy vehicles and crane inspections

Heavy vehicle inspections are carried out at a Heavy Vehicle Authorised Inspection Station (HVAIS) or by Transport for NSW, depending on the type of vehicle and its use. Your registration renewal notice tells you which inspection you need.

Purpose-built and truck-based cranes weighing more than 12 tonnes GVM with an axle or axle group over mass must be inspected by an Authorised Crane Inspection Station.

See inspections for heavy vehicles for authorised station locations and fees.

Public weighbridges

If you don't know how much your vehicle weighs or if the weight of your vehicle has changed recently, visit a public weighbridge before inspection.

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