Selling Your Car
Safety Certificates in Queensland: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know
When you need a Queensland safety certificate, how long it lasts, what it costs, what it checks and what it doesn’t, explained for buyers and sellers.
The safety certificate is one of the most misunderstood parts of buying or selling a car in Queensland. Some people think it means a car has been fully inspected. Others still think you need one before you can even advertise. Neither is right any more.
Here is how it works, based on the Queensland Government’s current rules.
What is a safety certificate?
A safety certificate shows that a vehicle met basic safety standards when it was inspected. It is often still called a roadworthy. Only an approved inspection station (AIS) can issue one in Queensland.
The inspection covers items such as tyres, brakes, steering, suspension, rust and body damage, the windscreen and lights.
When do you need one?
You need a current safety certificate when you:
- transfer the registration of a car to a new owner;
- bring a car from another state onto Queensland registration;
- re-register an unregistered car.
When you sell a registered car, it is the seller’s job to provide the certificate, not the buyer’s. The buyer can’t transfer the registration without it, and a seller who doesn’t provide one can be fined more than $700.
You no longer need one to advertise
This is the change many people miss. A safety certificate is no longer required before you offer a registered car for sale, so you don’t need to display one in the window while it is advertised. You only need it when the car actually changes hands.
When you don’t need one
- Selling or trading in to a licensed motor dealer, or a sale between dealers.
- Selling an unregistered car.
- Some transfers are exempt, such as transfers between spouses or to a beneficiary of a deceased estate, and cars garaged in an exempt area.
How long does a safety certificate last?
- Private sellers: 2 months or 2,000 km from the date of issue, whichever comes first.
- Licensed motor dealers: 3 months or 1,000 km from the date of issue, whichever comes first.
A certificate can only be used for one transfer. If the sale falls through and you sell to someone else later, check that it is still current. If you are selling privately, get the inspection close to when you expect to sell, so it doesn’t expire while the car is listed.
How much does it cost?
Safety certificate fees are set by the Queensland Government and include GST. From 1 July 2026, the fee for a car or other vehicle up to 4,500 kg is $102.70, and a motorcycle is $66.00. The fees rise each 1 July with indexation. If the car fails, you will also need to pay for the repairs before it can pass.
What a safety certificate doesn’t tell you
This is the part I most want buyers to understand. A safety certificate is not a full mechanical inspection. The Queensland Government says so itself: it doesn’t assess a car’s overall quality or how long it will last.
A car can pass a safety inspection and still have a tired gearbox, an engine that uses oil or a service history full of gaps. That is why I never treat a safety certificate as the end of the checks. For a full mechanical inspection, use a mechanic you trust or a motoring group such as RACQ, and look carefully at the service history.
Tips for sellers
- Fix the obvious things first. Worn tyres, blown globes and cracked windscreens are common reasons for a fail.
- Time the inspection. As a private seller you have 2 months or 2,000 km, so don’t get it done months before you list.
- Give the buyer the right copy. For a handwritten certificate that is the original blue copy. For an electronic certificate, a printed copy or the certificate number on the transfer form.
- Keep your part of the transfer form until the registration is out of your name. You can be held responsible for tolls and fines until it is.
If you would rather skip all of this, selling to a licensed dealer means you don’t need a safety certificate at all. You can get an offer from us, trade in or ask about consignment.
Tips for buyers
- Make sure you receive a current certificate before you lodge the transfer.
- Check the date and the kilometres on it.
- Do your own checks as well, starting with a PPSR check.
Buying from a licensed dealer gives you more than a safety certificate: a guarantee of clear title, a cooling-off period and, for most cars, a statutory warranty. Here is the full comparison of buying from a dealer or a private seller.
Quick answers
Do I need a safety certificate to sell my car in Queensland?
You need to give the buyer a current certificate when the registration is transferred, unless the car is exempt. You don’t need one to advertise it, and you don’t need one if you sell to a licensed dealer.
How long is a safety certificate valid in QLD?
Two months or 2,000 km for private sellers, and three months or 1,000 km for licensed dealers, from the date of issue.
How much is a safety certificate in Queensland?
From 1 July 2026, $102.70 for a car or other vehicle up to 4,500 kg, including GST.
Is a safety certificate the same as a mechanical inspection?
No. It checks basic safety items only. It is not a full mechanical inspection and doesn’t tell you how long the car will last.
Buying or selling in Brisbane?
Every car we sell comes with a current safety certificate. Browse our current cars, or talk to us about selling yours.
Continue with Safeway Auto
About Safeway Auto
Safeway Auto is a boutique used car dealership at 4 Ferry Road, West End, Brisbane. We select late-model vehicles with clear history and documented servicing, and we also help people sell, trade in, consign and source cars.
