Whether you need to get your car inspected before you can renew rego — or sell it — depends entirely on which state you’re in. NSW requires regular safety checks for older cars; Victoria and Queensland mostly only require one when you sell. Here’s the breakdown.
New South Wales: the eSafety check (pink slip)
NSW has the strictest ongoing requirement. A safety inspection report — the eSafety check, still widely called a “pink slip” — is required to renew registration on any light vehicle more than 5 years old. Key points:
- The report is valid for 6 months, and you renew your rego within that window.
- Inspections are done at authorised stations and lodged electronically with Service NSW — there’s no paper slip to hand in.
- If the car fails, you’re issued a white slip listing the faults. You have 14 days to fix them and return to the same station for a free re-inspection.
- A basic eSafety check typically costs around $42–$46.
New vehicles (5 years old or younger) generally don’t need one to renew.
Victoria: roadworthy only when you sell
Victoria does not require annual or periodic inspections to renew registration. You only need a Roadworthy Certificate (RWC) when you:
- Sell or transfer a registered vehicle, or
- Re-register a vehicle, or register one from interstate.
Queensland: safety certificate when you sell
Like Victoria, Queensland requires no annual inspection to keep your rego current as long as you pay on time. You do need a Safety Certificate (the QLD equivalent of a roadworthy) when you sell a registered light vehicle.
Tasmania, SA, WA, ACT, NT
- Tasmania: No routine inspection to renew on time; a roadworthy check is needed mainly when bringing a vehicle in from interstate or re-registering.
- SA & WA: No general annual inspection for standard light vehicles; inspections can be triggered for transfers, older/imported vehicles, or by a defect notice.
- ACT & NT: Periodic inspection requirements apply to certain vehicle types and ages — check the local authority.
Don’t let the inspection turn into a missed renewal
The catch with NSW is timing. Because you need a passed eSafety check before you can renew — and a failed check gives you only 14 days to fix faults — leaving it to the last minute can push you past your expiry date and into unregistered-driving territory. Plan to get inspected a few weeks early.
A reminder set 4–6 weeks ahead of your rego due date leaves plenty of room to book an inspection and handle any repairs. The free Renewal Reminder App lets you set exactly that kind of early alert.