Vehicle defect notices

If your vehicle does not meet roadworthiness requirements and registration standards, it could be issued with a vehicle defect notice.

What is a vehicle defect notice

A vehicle defect notice is a notice that your vehicle is not fit to be driven on the road.

There are 4 different categories that a defect notice can be issued as. These are:

• a major defect notice
• a minor defect notice
• a self-clearing defect notice (heavy vehicles only)
• a formal warning.

Vehicle defect notices can be issued by:

• Victoria Police
• National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR)
• Department of Transport and Planning Vehicle Safety Partners and Standards
• Safe Transport Victoria (Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria)
• equivalent interstate inspectors.

Reasons a vehicle might be issued with a defect notice

If you receive a vehicle defect notice, you will be given the exact reason in the notice.

A vehicle might be issued with a defect notice because of:

• faulty, broken or defective lights
• cracked or damaged windshield
• faulty brakes
• poor steering or suspension
• worn-out tyres.

Transporting a vehicle that has a defect notice

There will be a specified "prohibit” time listed on your defect notice. This is the time after which your vehicle can no longer be driven on the road.

If you need to transport the vehicle to get repaired, you will need to tow it or take it on a trailer.

Once the vehicle has been repaired

If the vehicle has been repaired, and the registration has not been suspended, you can take the vehicle on the road if you are:

• taking it to a Licensed Vehicle Tester
• examining and testing the vehicle
• returning the vehicle after it has been tested
• taking it to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to be inspected or to have the defect notice cleared.

If the vehicle’s registration has been suspended, you can’t drive it on the road unless it is being:

• driven to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre or authorised vehicle inspection centre to be inspected, or to have the defect notice cleared
• used by a licenced vehicle tester for the purpose of examination and testing.

Clearing a defect notice

Once your vehicle has been repaired, you will need to have the vehicle inspected.

Your defect notice will tell you if you can have the vehicle inspected at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre, or if you will need to get a certificate of roadworthiness.

A fee will apply to clear a defect notice.

If the defect notice is not cleared within 28 days of the issue date, the vehicle’s registration may be suspended.

Self-clearing defect notice

There are some instances where a defect notice is issued for minor defects that can be easily repaired. Self-clearing defect notices are only issued to heavy vehicles.

If your vehicle defect notice can be self-cleared, you do not need to present it for inspection.

Formal warning 

A formal warning is a type of defect notice issued to a driver or operator of a vehicle. Any listed faults do not need to be inspected.

Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) notices

Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Vehicle Testing Notices are issued by the EPA. You will need to address any issues and present your vehicle to an EPA-approved motor vehicle tester for testing.

You can learn more about clearing your EPA notice at the EPA website.

EPA notices cannot be cleared by VicRoads.