What Happens If Your Vehicle Fails the Roadworthy Inspection?
I did an inspection on this Mazda BT-50 in Redland Bay today, which is a good opportunity to cover one of the most common questions I get asked: what happens if your vehicle fails the roadworthy and you can’t get it fixed within 14 days?
The answer depends on whether you’re dealing with a standard roadworthy (safety certificate) or a COI (certificate of inspection). Most people reading this will be in the first category, so let’s start there.
Failed Roadworthy (Safety Certificate) - Cars, Motorcycles and Light Trailers
This section applies to most vehicles – privately owned cars, motorcycles, and trailers. This is the standard roadworthy inspection that most people need when selling, transferring ownership, or registering a vehicle.
Can you still drive your vehicle after a failed roadworthy?
If your vehicle is currently registered in Queensland – yes, you can still drive it. A failed roadworthy does not affect your current registration. Your registration remains valid regardless of the inspection result.
However, a failed roadworthy means your vehicle has safety issues. For your own safety and the safety of other road users, you should get those issues repaired as soon as possible. Just because you’re legally allowed to drive it doesn’t mean it’s safe to do so.
If your vehicle is not currently registered, you cannot register it until it passes a roadworthy inspection. You’re stuck until the repairs are done and a re-inspection is completed.
What happens if you can't fix it within 14 days?
When your vehicle fails a roadworthy, you have 14 days to get the listed issues repaired and book a re-inspection with the same inspector. The re-inspection only covers the items on the original fail list – I don’t re-inspect the entire vehicle.
If you can’t get the repairs done within 14 days, the failed inspection expires. This doesn’t affect your registration or your ability to drive the car. It simply means you’ll need a full new inspection when you’re ready, rather than a cheaper re-inspection. You’ll be paying for a complete roadworthy inspection again instead of just a re-inspection.
So the main cost of missing the 14-day window is financial – you lose the option of the cheaper re-inspection and have to pay for a full inspection again.
Tips to avoid this situation
Check the common fail points before you book your inspection. Dashboard warning lights, tyres, wiper blades, exterior lights, and oil leaks are the most frequent reasons vehicles fail. Most of these are cheap and quick to fix. If you sort them out before the inspection, you give yourself the best chance of passing first time.
The Mazda BT-50 failed because of an airbag fault. This was clearly visbile through a orange warning light staying on in the dash while driving the vehicle.
If your vehicle does fail, get on top of the repairs quickly. Don’t wait until day 13 to start looking for a mechanic. The sooner the repairs are done, the sooner I can do the re-inspection and get you your certificate.
Failed COI (Certificate of Inspection) - This Is Different
his section only applies to vehicles that require a COI. Most privately owned cars, motorcycles, and light trailers are not COI vehicles. COI registration applies to heavy and medium rigid vehicles such as trucks.
However, there is one common exception that catches people off guard: if you use your light vehicle – a normal car – to commercially transport passengers, for example as an Uber or ride share driver, then your car must be COI registered.
Local Roadworthys inspects and provides COIs for light vehicles only. The price is the same as a standard roadworthy inspection. If you need a COI, just book a normal roadworthy through my booking system and mention in the notes that you need a COI.
I do not inspect heavy or medium rigid vehicles.
What happens if a COI vehicle fails?
This is where it gets serious. Unlike a standard roadworthy, a COI is tied to your ongoing registration. COI vehicles must maintain a valid certificate at all times.
If your COI vehicle fails an inspection, you must get the issues repaired and obtain a valid COI before your current COI expires. If your current COI expires without a valid replacement, you are not legally allowed to drive the vehicle. Driving a vehicle with an expired COI is an offence.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads may grant an extension of time of up to 2 months after the COI expiry date, but only in special circumstances such as natural disasters. Don’t rely on this – get your vehicle inspected and any issues repaired well before your COI is due to expire.
COI expiry reminder notices are sent out 10 weeks before your COI expires. When you receive this reminder, book your inspection promptly. Don’t leave it until the last minute – if the vehicle fails, you need time to get repairs done and re-inspected before the deadline.
You can check your COI expiry date at any time using the QLD Rego Check app or the online registration check.
COI vs roadworthy - the key difference
With a standard roadworthy, a failed inspection has no effect on your current registration. You can still drive the car.
With a COI, an expired certificate means you cannot legally drive the vehicle at all. That’s a much bigger problem, especially if the vehicle is used for work.
If you’re an Uber or ride share driver in the Redlands, Logan or South Brisbane area and your COI is coming up for renewal, don’t wait. Book early so there’s time to handle any issues that come up.
