How to Transfer Tasmanian Registration to Queensland
I inspected this Yamaha FJR1300 in Holland Park today for an owner who had recently moved from Tasmania. Unfortunately it failed for a worn front tyre – the centre was below the 1.5mm minimum. After a ferry crossing and a long ride up the coast, the tyre had given everything it had. A new front tyre and a quick re-inspection later, the bike passed and the owner could complete his QLD registration.
The process for transferring Tasmanian registration to Queensland is the same whether it’s a car, motorcycle, or trailer. Here’s the full process.
You have 14 days
Once you move to Queensland, you have 14 days to transfer your vehicle’s registration. You can legally drive or ride on Tasmanian plates during this period, but after 14 days you risk a fine for driving an unregistered vehicle in Queensland.
Book the roadworthy as soon as you arrive. If the vehicle fails – like this FJR1300 did for a worn tyre – you need time to get it fixed and re-inspected within the 14-day transfer window.
Step 1 - Get a Queensland roadworthy
Your Tasmanian registration and any inspection done in Tasmania is not valid in Queensland. Different states have different inspection standards. You need a Queensland safety certificate before you can register here. This applies to cars, motorcycles, and trailers.
A mobile roadworthy is the easiest option. I come to wherever your vehicle is – your new house, a temporary rental, wherever you’ve landed. The inspection takes about 20-30 minutes for cars, 15-20 minutes for motorcycles. If it passes, the electronic safety certificate goes to your email on the spot.
Step 2 - Visit a TMR customer service centre
With your safety certificate ready, go to a Transport and Main Roads (TMR) customer service centre. In Tasmania you dealt with Service Tasmania – in Queensland it’s TMR. Bring:
Your phone with the safety certificate email or a printout.
Your Tasmanian driver’s licence.
Your Tasmanian number plates – you’ll hand these in.
At TMR, you’ll pay the Queensland registration fee and CTP insurance, surrender your Tasmanian plates, and receive new Queensland plates on the spot. You walk out with QLD plates in your hand and have 24 hours to fit them.
No forms to fill out beforehand. TMR handles everything and enters the roadworthy details from their system.
Step 3 - Transfer your driver's licence
While you’re at TMR, transfer your Tasmanian licence to a Queensland licence. Bring your TAS licence and proof of your new Queensland address. You’ll receive a Queensland licence at the same visit.
Step 4 - Get a refund on your remaining TAS rego
You’ve paid for Tasmanian registration you’re no longer using. To get a refund on the remaining portion, contact Service Tasmania directly. TMR in Queensland can’t process Tasmanian refunds. Service Tasmania handles this online or by phone – you’ll need your TAS registration details and proof of the new Queensland registration.
Step 5 - Register for toll roads
Tasmania doesn’t have toll roads. Brisbane does. Register with Linkt (linkt.com.au) as soon as you have your new QLD plates. Brisbane has toll roads including the Gateway Motorway, Logan Motorway, and Go Between Bridge. Without a toll account, you’ll receive fines in the mail. It takes a few minutes to set up online.
Motorcycles coming from Tasmania
If you’re bringing a motorcycle from Tasmania, the same process applies. You need a Queensland motorcycle roadworthy before you can register it here. Not every inspector does motorcycles – Local Roadworthys inspects all bikes, every size, every type.
If you rode the bike up from Tasmania, check your tyres before booking the inspection. A long ride from Hobart to Brisbane puts serious kilometres on the tyres and they may have been borderline before you left. This FJR1300 failed for exactly that – the front tyre was fine when the owner left Tasmania but was below the limit by the time he got to Brisbane.
Common questions from Tasmanian transfers
Does my Tasmanian inspection transfer to QLD? No. Tasmanian and Queensland inspections are separate. You need a Queensland safety certificate regardless.
Can I keep my TAS plates? No. You surrender your Tasmanian plates at TMR and receive new Queensland plates.
What if I brought a car and a motorcycle? Same process for each vehicle. Book both inspections for the same day and same address and I can do them in one visit.
What about my trailer or boat trailer? Same rules. Any trailer over 750kg ATM needs a Queensland roadworthy for registration. I inspect trailers too.
Get the roadworthy first
The roadworthy is the first step. Without it, you can’t start the registration process at TMR. Book it as soon as you arrive in Queensland and everything else flows from there.
