What is a vehicle defect notice
A vehicle defect notice is a notice that your vehicle is not fit to drive on the road. It may require you to stop using the vehicle immediately or by a date shown on the notice. You can find the exact reason on the notice.
There are 4 different categories:
- a major defect notice (e.g. faulty brakes, worn-out tyres)
- a minor defect notice (e.g. broken lights or minor windscreen cracks)
- a self-clearing defect notice (heavy vehicles only)
- a formal warning.
These authorities can issue vehicle defect notices:
- Victoria Police
- National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR)
- Department of Transport and Planning Vehicle Safety Partners and Standards
- Safe Transport Victoria (Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria)
- equivalent interstate inspectors.
Can I drive if I have a defect notice
If your light vehicle has a defect notice:
Your defect notice will show a ‘prohibit’ time. After this time, the vehicle cannot be driven.
If the prohibit time has passed, or the vehicle is unsafe to drive, you must tow it or transport it on a trailer.
If your heavy vehicle has a defect notice:
All heavy vehicle defect notices are managed by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). This includes defects issued in Victoria and defects issued interstate. Follow the instructions on the NHVR website. NHVR will advise if you need to present your vehicle or paperwork to VicRoads.
Driving a repaired vehicle before the defect is cleared:
- If your registration is not suspended, you may only drive the vehicle to:
- a Licensed vehicle tester
- a VicRoads Customer Service Centre for inspection or clearance
- return it after testing
- Licensed vehicle testers may also test-drive the vehicle for examination
If the vehicle has been repaired and the registration has been suspended, it’s only allowed on the road if:
- you’re taking it to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to clear the defect notice
- it’s being used by a licensed vehicle tester for examination and testing.
How to clear a defect notice
Received a vehicle defect notice? Here’s what you need to do to clear it, so you can get back behind the wheel.
Make sure you do the below steps within 28 days of the issue date of your notice, otherwise your registration will be suspended.
Note: If it’s an Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Vehicle Testing Notice, it can’t be cleared by VicRoads. Go to the EPA website for more information.
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Step 1: Check the requirements on your notice
Things to check:
- the type of notice: major or minor
- the “prohibit” time: the time after which you can no longer drive your vehicle on the road
- if you need a roadworthy certificate (RWC) or a VicRoads inspection.
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Step 2: Repair the vehicle
You might be able to repair minor defects yourself, for example replacing a tyre or a light. For major defects, take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic or repairer to fix the listed defects. If you can no longer drive your car on the road, you will need to tow it to the repairer.
Make sure you keep all receipts or invoices as proof of the repairs.
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Step 3: Take the vehicle for an inspection
Your defect notice will tell you if you need to get a roadworthy certificate or if you need to have the vehicle inspected at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre.
If you need a roadworthy certificate
- Take your repaired vehicle to a licensed vehicle tester for an inspection. If it passes the inspection, you’ll get a roadworthy certificate that’s valid for 30 days.
- Visit a VicRoads Customer Service Centre with the vehicle defect notice and the roadworthy certificate.
If you need a VicRoads inspection
Take your repaired vehicle to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre for an inspection. Bring:
- the vehicle defect notice
- receipts or invoices of the repair as evidence.
You don’t need an appointment, but you will need to pay a clearance fee. Make sure the service centre you go to can inspect your type of vehicle.
Self-clearing notice or formal warning? Then you don’t need an inspection.
If the vehicle has been repaired and the registration is not suspended, you can drive it for these purposes only:
- taking it to a licensed vehicle tester
- examining and testing the vehicle
- returning the vehicle after it has been tested
- taking it to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to be inspected or to have the defect notice cleared.
If the vehicle has been repaired and the registration has been suspended, it’s only allowed on the road if:
- you’re taking it to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to clear the defect notice
- it’s being used by a licensed vehicle tester for examination and testing.
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Step 4: Get clearance to get back on the road
Once we confirm the car is safe and roadworthy, we’ll let you know that you can remove the defect label. You’ll need pay a defect notice clearance fee.
If we can’t clear the defect notice after inspection because there are still issues, you’ll need to resolve the issues and bring the vehicle back for inspection.
Was your light vehicle defect issued in another state?
If your Victorian-registered vehicle receives a defect notice in another state or territory and is now back in Victoria, you must follow Victorian rules to clear it.
There are two ways to clear an interstate defect notice:.
If your vehicle notice was cleared interstate
Have the vehicle defect notice cleared in the same state it was issued and then supply us with the cleared (signed off) paperwork.
This is an important step that allows us to record the defect correctly.
If this step is missed, your registration may be suspended – even if the vehicle passed an interstate inspection.
If your defect notice was not cleared interstate, and you need to clear it in Victoria
If your defect wasn’t cleared in the state where it was given, use the table below to see if you need a Roadworthy Certificate (RWC) or a VicRoads inspection.
If you need a VicRoads inspection, bring your vehicle and your paperwork to VicRoads so we can clear the defect.
Use the table below to determine what you need to do for your defect notice.
| State where defect notice was issued | Inspection requirement stated on interstate defect notice | Requirement to clear defect in Victoria |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Authorised Inspection Station | A current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| NSW | Police Station or Registry Office | VicRoads inspection OR a current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| WA | Vehicle Examination Centre | A current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSS. |
| WA | Police Station | VicRoads inspection OR a current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| QLD | Vehicle Inspection Centre | A current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| SA | Authorised Inspection Station | A current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| SA | Police Station | VicRoads inspection OR a current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC |
| TAS | Departmental Inspection Station | A current Certificate ofRoadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| TAS | Police Station | VicRoads inspection OR a current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| ACT | Registrar of Motor Vehicle | A current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| NT | Motor Vehicle Registry | A current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
| NT | Police Station | VicRoads inspection OR a current Certificate of Roadworthiness* must be presented at a VicRoads CSC. |
If your vehicle has a defect from NSW, the next steps depend on what the notice says.
If the NSW defect says it must be cleared at an Authorised Inspection Station:
You will need to get a Victorian Roadworthy Certificate (RWC).If the NSW defect says it must be cleared at a Police Station or Registry Office:
You do not need a Victorian RWC. VicRoads can clear this type of defect using a VicRoads inspection.
Once your vehicle is confirmed as safe and roadworthy, we will clear the defect. A clearance fee applies. You may then remove the defect label.
If inspection shows there are still issues, you must repair them and return for another inspection.