How to get a club permit
A club permit offers an alternative to regular vehicle registration for eligible historic vehicles. Instead of full registration, club permit holders can drive their vehicles for a limited number of days each year (either 45 or 90 days).
Before you can get started on your application, make sure you’re a member of an approved VicRoads vehicle club or association.
You can get a club permit to drive your vehicle if it fits within any the following categories:
- Veteran vehicles – made before 1 January 1919.
- Vintage vehicles – made after 31 December 1918 and before 1 January 1931.
- Classic and historic vehicles – made after 31 December 1930, but more than 25 years old. This also includes replica vehicles.
This also applies to trailers, heavy vehicles, modified vehicles like street rods and motorbikes.
Steps to follow
There are four key steps you’ll need to follow to get a club permit.
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Step 1: Check eligibility requirements for your vehicle
To be eligible for a club permit, your vehicle must be more than 25 years old and comply with:
- vehicle standards
- safety standards
- club permit rules.
Your vehicle must meet the standards revelent to its year of manufacture and have a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or a chassis number. This number must be clearly stamped on the vehicle.
If you’ve modified your vehicle, your vehicle will need to meet the relevant standards. You can find those standards at Transport Victoria.
You won’t be able to get a club permit for vehicles that are:
- currently registered
- recorded as a statutory write-off on the Victorian or an interstate written-off vehicles register
- sanctioned (Fines Victoria or hoon sanction)
- recorded as stolen
- not safe to use on a road or road-related area
- already listed on a club permit.
Use one of the methods below to find the date:
- Check the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV) for the listed build date.
- Check the Australian compliance plate. The date on the plate is the date of manufacture.
- If there is no RAV build date or Australian compliance plate, check the vehicle’s build plate.
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Step 2: Prepare your documents
As part of your permit application, you’ll need to show your vehicle is safe to drive and follows the appropriate standards and regulations. Check to see whether your vehicle needs any of the following documents:
- roadworthy certificate
- Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) approval certificate
- Australian Street Rod Federation (ASRF) vehicle inspection report.
You’ll need a roadworthy certificate if your vehicle was made on or after 1 January 1949. Exempt vehicles include:
- street rods
- light trailers
- plant-based special purpose vehicles like a tractor.
If your vehicle was made on or before 31 December 1948 it doesn’t need a roadworthy certificate. You can have it inspected by a club official who can declare it to be safe to use on the road.
Get a roadworthy certificate from a licensed vehicle tester.
You’ll need a VASS approval certificate if your vehicle:
- has been modified outside the vehicle's standards or guidelines;
- is an Individually Constructed Vehicle replicating a club eligible vehicle that hasn’t been registered or issued a club permit before
- is a street rod that hasn't ever been registered in Australia or issued a Street Rod permit previously in Victoria
- was manufactured after 31 December 1968 (30 June 1975 for motorcycles), but before 1 January 1989, and was imported under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989.
If you have a VASS approval certificate for past modifications on your vehicle and there are no new changes, you don’t need a new VASS approval certificate.
Learn more about the VASS scheme on the Transport Victoria website.
If you have a street rod, check if you need an inspection report from the Australian Street Rod Federation.
Learn more about modified and non-standard vehicles on the Transport Victoria website.
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Step 3: Get club approval
Once you have the right certificates and documents for your vehicle, you’ll need to get the below forms signed by an official from your vehicle club or association:
You'll need to complete this form to show that your vehicle meets safety standards and can be used on the road network.
- If your vehicle was made after 31 December 1948, a club official can only sign if the roadworthy certificate is current and within 30 days of the application.
You’ll need to have your application endorsed by an authorised representative of the Australian Street Rod Federation if you want ‘SR’ plates for your vehicle. Only requirements for street Road applications are covered. Applications for Vintage, veteran and classic historic are not covered.
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Step 4: Send in your application
You have 30 days from the date on the Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration form to submit your permit application. If we don’t receive it by then, you’ll need to reapply.
Your roadworthy certificate is also valid for 30 days from the date of issue. If it expires before we receive your application, you’ll need to get a new one and reapply.
When you submit your application, make sure that all documents you include are original. We can’t accept certified copies or faxes.
In most cases, you’ll need to visit a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to submit your application and pay for your permit.
When you apply at the service centre, you will be given a club permit right away if you meet all applicable requirements. They’ll also give you:
- number plates
- a logbook
- a club permit certificate
- labels to put on your vehicle.
Keep in mind: if the vehicle is registered in another state, you must send the number plates to VicRoads. If you can’t return them, contact the other state’s authority.
Your application must include the following documents:
- evidence of identity for the club permit holder (for example, yourself) and if applicable, for your authorised agent
- a completed Authority to act as an agent form (PDF) if the club permit holder is a company or incorporated association (learn more about registering on behalf of someone else)
- an original completed Club permit application form (PDF)
- an original completed Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration for club permit vehicles form (PDF)
- an original roadworthy certificate if the date of manufacture is after 1948 (this is optional for vehicles made before 1949)
- evidence that the vehicle was made for the Australian market*, for example:
- a photo of:
- the Australian compliance plate
- the Australian build plate fitted to the vehicle.
- previous Australian registration history, like an Australian rego number.
- a photo of:
- payment of fees, including:
- TAC
- permit
- number plate
- logbook fees.
- an original VASS approval certificate if applicable. Refer to Step 3 to check which certificates you need for your vehicle.
*For vehicles not made for the Australian market, you’ll need:
- a Vehicle Import Approval, or
- to enter the VIN on the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV).
What's next
Once your club permit has been issued, you’ll need to:
- put the club permit certificate inside your logbook’s cover
- attach the windscreen label to the vehicle so it’s clear that the permit is current
- attach the club permit number plates to the vehicle
- follow the conditions of use for club permit vehicles.
Keeping your club permit
Once you have received your permit, make sure that you always follow the conditions of use and rules. You can learn more about the rules and our obligations on the Club permits page of the Transport Victoria website.