Let's Get You Back On The Road
If your car, trailer or caravan is unregistered or has been given a defect notice, it will be subjected to a roadworthy inspection by a mechanic approved by the Department of Transport. We offer these examinations onsite for all passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles under 4.5 tonnes.
If your vehicle's registration has lapsed, it can't be re-registered without first being inspected by a Department of Transport authorised inspection station. Once we have carried out an inspection, provided it meets our state's requirements for vehicles of its type, your vehicle will be given a clean bill of health, and be allowed to be re-registered. Navigating the intricacies of DOT requirements is made simple at Busselton Auto Repairs — our team is well-versed in DOT inspection standards and can help ensure your vehicle meets all necessary criteria.
Work Through Our Pre-Inspection ChecklistFree and interactive — for cars, 4WDs, caravans and trailers. Give yourself the best chance of passing first time.
DOT Inspection FAQs
Before your inspection
Yes — caravans and trailers up to 4.5 tonnes, as well as cars and light commercial vehicles. Our pre-inspection checklist has a section just for trailers and caravans.
Your registration papers and photo ID, plus a movers permit if the vehicle is unlicensed and your yellow sticker paperwork if you have one. Tray-back utes need a weighbridge docket, and a GVM upgrade needs its signed installation checklist. The checklist lists exactly what to bring for your vehicle.
We recommend booking ahead — call (08) 9752 4466 or use our booking form. How long it takes depends on the vehicle, and we'll give you an idea of timing when you book.
Prices are set by the DOT and are GST free, due on collection — we can't change them. An initial inspection (unlicensed, yellow sticker or interstate transfer) is currently $225.40 (FY27), and a re-inspection within a month of the initial is $153.85.
You'll be given a list of items to rectify, which you or a repairer can fix. Bring it back within a month of the initial inspection for a re-inspection; after a month it's a full inspection cost again.
An engine, airbag, ABS or brake light means that safety system isn't working — and in a crash that could cause injury or death. That's why it fails on the spot.
Yellow stickers, permits & write-offs
No — every yellow sticker requires a full inspection, as noted on the lower part of the sticker itself. The same applies if your rego has simply lapsed: the DOT requires a full inspection regardless of the vehicle's age or how long it was registered.
The dealer or previous owner may not have known about illegal items on it — for example a long-range fuel tank fitted without the right modification permits. These often only surface when the vehicle is inspected.
Only after a DOT inspection, and only if there's nothing dangerous on the vehicle (like bald tyres). The DOT allows up to 2 weeks for a first extension, 2 for a second and 1 for a third — a full inspection is required first, and an extension isn't guaranteed.
Most likely, yes. Any non-factory item added or replaced needs a permit — even aftermarket extractors. And a common surprise: even a suspension lift of up to 50mm needs an inspection and a pre-paid permit, while anything above 50mm needs engineering certification and Department approval. If you're planning a build, talk to us before you buy the kit — more on the Department of Transport website.
On vehicles from 1991 onwards it's a WA requirement, and it falls to the buyer to organise once a car becomes unregistered or is transferred from the eastern states.
Once repairs are finished, the vehicle must first be examined at a WOVA station. See the Department of Transport's guide for the required steps — we can't pass it without the WOVA forms.