About certificates of inspection

Certificate of Inspection (COI) vehicles (such as heavy vehicles, licensed tow trucks, buses, taxis, limousines and booked hire vehicles) registered in Queensland may need to have a periodic or programmed inspection to check minimum vehicle safety standards. A COI is issued when the vehicle passes the inspection.

Owners of registered COI vehicles must have a current COI at all times, unless exempt. You will not be able to renew your registration until you have a current COI, so it pays to plan to have your vehicle checked for defects and book the inspection before the expiry date.

The vehicle must be presented in a clean condition and free of excessive grease to ensure the components can be inspected.

The vehicle should be checked for defects and have any necessary repairs completed before presentation for a COI to prevent the need for a re-inspection.

COI vehicles

Depending on your vehicle type, a COI can be obtained from either a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) inspection centre or an approved inspection station accredited by Transport and Main Roads.

Find out about the different COI vehicle types and requirements.

Find out where to book a vehicle inspection.

Unregistered vehicles can get an inspection certificate from an approved inspection station.

COI exemptions

Some COI vehicles are eligible for a COI exemption under certain circumstances.

New COI vehicles

New vehicles are eligible for a COI exemption during the year after they are first registered. This exemption does not apply if the vehicle registration is transferred to another person or has previously been registered anywhere else in Australia or overseas.

Accreditation scheme vehicles

Vehicles participating in the maintenance module of the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme are eligible for a COI exemption. You will need a COI  if you sell the vehicle, unless the buyer is also participating in the scheme and will add the vehicle to the maintenance module. Find out more about participating in the NHVAS.

Special interest vehicles

A COI vehicle registered with special interest vehicle registration concession is eligible for a COI exemption. You will need a COI if the vehicle is transferred to another registered operator when it is sold or otherwise transferred to a new owner. The COI must be provided by the current registered operator to the new owner. This applies when:

• the vehicle registration is transferred
• regardless of whether the new owner obtains a special interest vehicle registration concession or not.

Remote area vehicles

A vehicle used only in an exempt area is eligible for a COI exemption. Exempt areas are the shires of: Aurukun, Barcoo, Boulia, Bulloo, Burke, Carpentaria, Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Doomadgee, Etheridge, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Mornington, Napranum, Northern Peninsula Area, Pormpuraaw, Quilpie, Torres, Torres Strait Islands and Wujal Wujal.

The exemption does not apply if the vehicle is used outside these areas. A vehicle with a garage address in an exempt area is not exempt when it travels outside of an exempt area.

If the vehicle type is based in an exempt area but is being used outside of the exempt area, an inspection certificate is required and may be obtained from an approved inspection station or by contacting the NHVR.

• When a COI is issued by an approved inspection station in an exempt area (for a vehicle type that needs an NHVR inspection) the COI must be handwritten and not issued using the Inspection Certificate Online (ICO) system.
• The handwritten COI needs to be sent to the Department of Transport and Main Roads to be lodged in the registration database before you can renew your registration. A scanned copy of the handwritten COI can be emailed or posted to your local Compliance Office to be lodged in the registration database. Phone 13 23 80 for the email or mailing address of your local Compliance Office. You can check the registration status online service or use the QLD Rego Check app to see when your COI has been lodged before renewing your registration online.

If the vehicle type being used in an exempt area can be inspected at an approved inspection station, the COI can be issued as an electronic certificate using ICO or a handwritten COI. A handwritten COI must be sent to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Renewals

Generally, you will receive a reminder notice around 10 weeks before your COI expires—but it's your responsibility to ensure your COI vehicle has a current COI. To avoid delays in getting your certificate of inspection, please book your inspection as soon as you receive your renewal notice.

You can check your registration status online or use the QLD Rego Check app to see when your COI expires. You can also use this service to set up a reminder for when your COI is due to expire.

If a COI vehicle is inspected:

• up to 2 month before the current certificate expires, the new certificate will not begin until the current certificate expires
• more than 2 month before the current certificate expires, the new certificate will commence from the date the vehicle was inspected
• after its previous certificate expires, the expiry date of the new certificate will be calculated from the expiry of the previous certificate (e.g. if your COI is normally due on 1 July but you have it inspected on 1 August, your new COI will commence on 1 July.

Expired COIs

It is an offence to drive a vehicle with an expired COI unless you have a COI exemption or an extension of time to comply.

Owners may apply for an Extension of time (EOT) to enable:

• a vehicle to legally operate on road for a specified time after the expiry of a Certificate of Inspection (COI)
• registration to be paid if the COI has expired or a defect notice has been issued.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads can only issue an EOT for up to 2 months after the COI expiry date unless special circumstances exist, such as natural disasters.

Contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads on 13 23 80 to enquire about extensions of time.

Inspection fees

Vehicle category	Inspection fee (as at 1 July 2024)	Booking fee (as at 1 July 2024)
Light motor vehicles other than bus, at a TMR inspection centre	$59.75	$34.80
Light motor vehicle, other than bus, at an AIS	$97.75	Nil
Bus with a GVM of not more than 4t, or a school bus	$100.65	$34.80
Any other bus with a gross vehicle mass more than 4t	$118.80	$34.80
Another motor vehicle with a gross vehicle mass more than 4.5t but not more than 16t	$137.20	$34.80
Another motor vehicle with a gross vehicle mass more than 16t	$171.70	$34.80
Trailer with an aggregate trailer mass more than 4.5t	$77.85	$34.80

After the inspection

After your vehicle’s inspection, if your COI was:

• issued by the NHVR, you don't need to do anything
• issued electronically at an approved inspection station, and is an:
• assigned certificate, you don't need to do anything
• unassigned* certificate, you need to provide a copy in person at a transport and motoring customer service centre
• issued as a handwritten certificate at an approved inspection station, you need to provide the Department of Transport and Main Roads with the original (pink) copy of your certificate by
• visiting a transport and motoring customer service centre
• emailing a scanned copy of the COI to customer.service.support@tmr.qld.gov.au
• faxing a copy to (07) 3066 7845.

Alternatively, you can post a copy of your certificate to:

Customer Service Support
Department of Transport and Main Roads
GPO Box 1412
BRISBANE QLD 4001

Note: if you email, fax or post a copy, you also need to include a signed cover note requesting your certificate of inspection (COI) details be recorded against your vehicle’s registration number/record.

* An unassigned certificate is issued when your vehicle's details are not recorded in our system (for example, interstate registered vehicles) or do not match what is already recorded in our system.

If the COI is not issued because the vehicle failed the inspection, you will need to get the defects fixed before getting a re-inspection.