Get a club permit

To get a club permit you first need to join an approved VicRoads vehicle club or association.

Eligible vehicles include the following:

• Veteran vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1919. Includes trailers, heavy vehicles and modified vehicles such as street rods.
• Vintage vehicles manufactured after 31 December 1918 and before 1 January 1931. Includes trailers, heavy vehicles and modified vehicles such as street rods.
• Classic and historic vehicles manufactured after 31 December 1930. Includes trailers, heavy vehicles and modified vehicles such as street rods. This category can also include replica vehicles. A replica is an individually constructed light motor vehicle that closely resembles the appearance and dimensions of the original production vehicle. 
  
  All vehicles in this category must be more than 25 years older than the date on your club permit application.

Finding the date of manufacture

If you don’t know your vehicle’s date of manufacture, you can find it in the following places: 

• Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV) – the RAV build date
• Australian compliance plate – the date on the plate is its date of manufacture
• import compliance plate or no compliance plate – date of manufacture is determined by the manufacturer’s build plate, a chassis number of documentary evidence from the manufacturer’s records.

VicRoads may determine the manufacture date based on information from our registration database, historical data or evidence from our vehicle safety and compliance experts.

Vehicle standards

You need to ensure that your vehicle complies with vehicle standards for the date of its manufacture. 

If your vehicle is imported and has been issued with a vehicle identification number (VIN), the VIN must be stamped on the vehicle. More information about importing a road vehicle is available on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA) website.

If your vehicle has been modified, you’ll also need to ensure it meets the relevant standards. Read the standards for club permit vehicles information on the Transport Victoria website.

Vehicle safety

Use the vehicle safety inspection checklist to check your vehicle is safe to use on the road. The checklist is for guidance only, you’ll still need to complete a vehicle eligibility and standards declaration for club permit vehicles and a certificate of roadworthiness (if required) when you register the vehicle.

Registration rules

You can’t get a club permit for vehicles which: 

• are currently registered
• are recorded as a statutory write-off on the Victorian or an interstate written-off vehicles register.
• have a Fines Victoria or hoon sanction
• are recorded as stolen
• aren't safe to use on a road or road-related area
• already have a club permit recorded for it.

Check whether you need to have any of these documents before you submit your application.

Certificate of roadworthiness

You'll need to get a certificate of roadworthiness if your club permit vehicle was manufactured on or after 1 January 1949, unless it's a:

• street rod
• light trailer
• plant-based special purpose vehicle such as a tractor.

You can get a certificate of roadworthiness from a licensed vehicle tester (External link).

For vehicles manufactured on or before 31 December 1948, it’s optional to get a certificate of roadworthiness. The club scrutineer or official may inspect and declare the vehicle to be safe to use on the road.

Vehicle Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) approval certificate

You’ll need to get a Vehicles Assessment Signatory Scheme (VASS) approval certificate if the vehicle: 

• Has been modified outside what’s permitted in the vehicle standards or the guidelines.
• Is a replica that hasn’t previously been registered or issued with a club permit.
• Is a street rod that hasn’t previously been registered in Australia or permitted as a street rod in Victoria.
• Wasn’t originally produced for the Australian market and has no compliance plate or previous Australian registration history. And was manufactured after 31 December 1968 and for motorcycles, manufactured after 30 June 1975.

If you already have a VASS club permit approval for any previous modifications to your vehicle and you haven’t made any more, you don’t need a new VASS club permit approval.

Learn more about the VASS scheme (External link) on the Transport Victoria website.

Street rod permit

If you have a street rod, you may need an inspection permit from the Australian Street Rod Federation (External link). Learn more about Modified and non-standard vehicles (External link) on the Transport Victoria website.

 

When you have your certificates and permits get the below forms signed by your vehicle club.

Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration for club permit vehicles form

An approved office bearer from your club should sign the Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration for club permit vehicles (PDF 105KB) form, declaring that the vehicle is safe to use on the road and meets relevant vehicle standards requirements. For vehicles manufactured after 31 December 1948, the approved office bearer can only sign the form if the Certificate of Roadworthiness is current and within 30 days of the application. If it’s older than that, you’ll need to get a new one.

Club permit application form

Complete and sign the Club permit application. If you’re registering as a company, ensure you address the form to the name of the company or incorporated association that is listed as the permit holder, not to an individual representative or company director.

Have your application signed by an approved office bearer of the vehicle club or association. 

If you want to apply for ‘SR’ plates, you’ll need to have your club permit application endorsed by an authorised representative of the Australian Street Rod Federation.

We need to receive your signed and dated application within 30 days of the declaration date on the Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration for club permit vehicles form. If we don’t receive it in that timeframe, you’ll need to apply again.

You’ll need to have the following:

• Evidence of identity for the club permit holder and if applicable, for your authorised agent. 
• If the club permit holder is a company or incorporated association, a completed authority to act as an agent form. For more information about authorised agents read the information on how to register on behalf of someone else.
• Original completed club permit application form.
• Original completed Vehicle eligibility and standards declaration for club permit vehicles form.
• An original certificate of roadworthiness (for vehicles manufactured after 1948, it is optional for pre-1949 manufactured vehicles).
• Evidence the vehicle was manufactured for the Australian market such as a photo of the Australian compliance plate or build plate fitted to the vehicle, or previous Australian registration history such as an Australian registration number.
• An original VASS approval certificate (if applicable).
• If the vehicle is still registered interstate, you’ll need to bring the vehicle’s plates with you to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre. If you can’t return the plates on the day, you’ll need to contact the interstate authority to update their system.
• Club permit fee payment including TAC, registration, number plate and logbook fees. You can pay by Visa, Mastercard, cheque, EFTPOS or cash. If you pay with a Visa or Mastercard they will charge an additional card payment fee.

Classic, historic or modified vehicle applications

If you have a classic, historic or modified vehicle application, you’ll need to come into a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to submit your application. Bring all relevant items from the list above. 

At the Customer Service Centre, you’ll be issued with a club permit on the spot and receive the number plates, logbook and club permit certificate and labels.

Street rod, veteran or vintage applications

If you have a street rod, veteran or vintage club permit application, you’ll need to come into a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to submit your application. Bring all relevant items from the list above. 

Otherwise, if you’re a Victorian driver licence or learner permit holder you can mail your application, with all relevant items from the list above and cheque payment to VicRoads Registration Services, GPO Box 1644, Melbourne Vic 3001.

You won’t receive your club permit on the day. When your application is approved, we’ll send you a club permit:

• certificate to be attached to the inside cover of your logbook
• label to be attached to the windscreen of your vehicle
• number plates for your vehicle.

Costs

The costs for a club permit vary depending on how long you need it and the type of vehicle you have. Check the Club permit fees page for your permit type.