Transferring ownership of vehicles and newly registering vehicles in Queensland requires a lot of paperwork. From invoices through to transfer and registration papers with the Transport Department, see our how to list below.

If a vehicle has run out of registration or is being transferred to Queensland registration from another state, a Vehicle Registration Application form is required for Queensland Transport and Main Roads.

You can download this form from M1 Safety Certificates website as well as Queensland Transport and Main Roads website. It is the Form F3518.

Completing the Vehicle Registration Application can be confusing.

Here is a breakdown of each section and further explanations of what is required to fill it our correctly.

Section 1:

A CRN number (Customer Registration Number) is your Queensland drivers’ license number. If you are transferring your vehicle and license over from another state best to leave this section blank until you transfer your license to fill in the new number.

Section 2:

A vehicle can be registered in two names. Example: Husband/wife, business name/proprietor.

Section 3:

This is the section that you can list the second registered operators details.

Section 4:

There are concessions for registration. On the attached white page of the New Registration Application there are lists of the concessional types and documentation that is required to apply for these when lodging your form.

• Pensioner/Ex-Service person/Seniors card/Special Interest Vehicle concessions must complete a form F3937
• Primary Producer/Farm Plate/Restricted Area Concessions must complete from F4517
• Charity/Community concessions – Form 4508 – these vehicles must be used solely for charity or community purposes
• Local government concession – these vehicles must be used solely for the purpose of local government purposes
• Special Purpose Concession – complete  form F3630

Section 5:

If you don’t have time to change the registration on your vehicle yourself, then you can have a friend/family member do this on you behalf. They will need to bring with them their proof of identity as well as proof of identity for you as the registered owner.

Section 6:

To register a vehicle in Queensland you must have it garaged in Queensland.

Section 7:

Does a leasing company manage the vehicle? You will need to contact them and ask for their customer reference number with the Transport Department.

Section 8:

Everyone uses his or her vehicle for different purposes. Some may solely use it for personal use others use their vehicle solely for work. Queensland Transport allows you to select the type of purpose that is appropriate for you. There are some things to consider.

• Fines can be higher in value for companies/commercial use
• Tolls cost more for commercially registered vehicles
• Contact your accountant for taxation purposes as to which category it should be registered in.

Section 9:

CTP insurance – Compulsory Third Party Insurance in Queensland is different to other states. When you pay your registration the registration cost includes CTP Insurance. This is different to Third Party Insurance that you can take out through an insurance company. In Queensland it is illegal to drive any vehicle on the road without CTP insurance. You can nominate the insurance company in this section.

Section 10:

Vehicle Registration Duty is the amount including GST that the vehicle is valued at. If you have brought the vehicle as an unregistered vehicle, you will need to put in the price that is on your invoice as the dutiable value of the vehicle. If you already own the vehicle and are transferring it from interstate then you can refer to Carsales.com to the value of the year, make and model to fill out this section.

There are exemptions to paying duty. Read through these carefully to make sure that none of these apply to your circumstances.

1. Vehicle was previously registered in Queensland or another state or territory and the application is made by the same registered operator or a relative of that person
2. Vehicle is a trailer/caravan or motorised wheelchair
3. Vehicle is being registered to a beneficiary of a deceased estate
4. Vehicle is being registered to a prescribed service person (ex-service person) whose concession is applied to that vehicle.
5. Vehicle is bring registered to a person who has lost the use of one or both legs and uses the vehicle for transport to and from their place of employment or education because they are unable to use public transport due to their disability.
6. The vehicle will be used by a vehicle dealer as trading stock
7. Vehicle duty is paid through a dutiable transaction (for example, contract of sale of a business or farm). Verification from the Office of State Revenue must be provided
8. The vehicle is being registered to n owner who has repossessed the vehicle under hire purchase agreement or on termination of a hiring agreement.
9. The vehicle is being registered to a Primary Producer. The vehicle must be more than 6 tonne GVM and is intended for use solely in connection with their business as a primary producer for five years
10. Where the applicant is the sole owner/s of the business or another business owned solely by the same owner/s, as the previous registration.
11. The vehicle is being registered to a local government.
12. The vehicle is being registered to a government entity.
13. The vehicle is being registered to a consul or an officer of the consulate and is a national of the country represented.

Section 11:

If you are transferring the registration from another state you will need to list the previous state registration details in this section. Even though there are forms in the Queensland Transport and Main Roads for Vehicle Registration Transfer Applications, you will need to fill out this form as a New Registration to Queensland.

Section 12:

Proof of origin is required.

This is your invoice of the vehicle if you have purchased an unregistered vehicle. This invoice includes the following details

• Name of previous owner
• Address of previous owner
• Date of purchase
• Registration number of the vehicle if interstate
• Year, make and model
• VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
• Details of who the sale is being made to: Name and Address
• Amount the vehicle was purchased for

If the vehicle is currently registered in another state, you will require the registration papers from that state with your details on it to show you are the owner who is authorized to transfer the vehicle to Queensland registration.

Section 13:

A Valid Safety Certificate is required for most vehicles when registering them in Queensland. A Safety Certificate can be obtained from an Approved Inspection Station that is accredited by the Transport Department to issue Safety Certificates. They were previously known as a Roadworthy Certificate. In the state of Queensland there are Mobile Approved Units that are vehicles that are authorized to come to you.

A Safety Certificate is valid for 2 months or 2000kms whichever one comes first.

To organise an inspection for a Safety Certificate you will need to contact an Approved Inspection Station to make a booking.

An approved examiner will carry out the inspection on the vehicle and if the vehicle has met the minimum safety standard set by Queensland Transport and Main Roads, a completed Safety Certificate will be issued on the spot.

There are three copies of the Safety Certificate. Please see below:

Blue:

Original copy. This is the ONLY copy that Queensland Transport will accept when registering a vehicle in Queensland. This copy cannot be duplicated and if it is lost you will need to have a new Safety Certificate Inspection completed and be charged the inspection amount again.

Yellow:

This copy is for your records

Green:

This copy is if the vehicle has defects on the first inspection and requires a re-inspection before a completed certificate is issued. 

Blue card/label – If the vehicle is being sold in Queensland when registered this label is to be displayed in the window of the vehicle to show it has a valid Safety Certificate.

If there are items that require repairs before the completed Safety Certificate is issued, the examiner will list these items and advise you of them. You will be issued a partial certificate (green copy). This copy has the 14 days stated on the certificate that is the time that is allocated by Transport Department to complete the repairs. Once the items have been completed you will need to contact the Approved Inspection Station of your original inspection within this time frame to have a re-inspection completed. The items will be checked that they have been repaired to the standard set by Queensland Transport and Main Roads. If they are then passable, the Safety Certificate will be signed off and the other copies (blue and yellow) will be issued to you.

If the 14 days have passed before the repairs have been completed then the process will have to start from the beginning again with the inspection at the same cost as the first inspection.

There are exemptions to requiring a Safety Certificate. They are:

1. A new vehicle, never registered anywhere
2. Tractor-based mobile cranes (any size)
3. A Dealer demonstration vehicle
4. Light trailers and caravans .75t ATM and under
5. Wheelchairs
6. A Queensland island where there is no AIS for Safety Certificate Inspections
7. For a motorbike, caravan and trailer (.75t up to and including 3.5t ATM) with a garage address outside 50km radius of AIS station that can perform inspections for that type of vehicle.
8. Remote areas (contact Department of Transport and Main Roads)
9. The vehicle is garaged prior to and at the time of sale in of the following shires of Aurukun, Barcoo, Boulia, Bulloo, Burke, Caprentaria, Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Doomadgee, Etheridge, Hope Vale, Injinoo, Jowanyama, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Mornington Napranum, New Mapoon, Pormpuraaw, Quilpie, Torres, Umagico, Warroo and Wujal Wujal.

Section 14:

The same form is used for all types of vehicles. This section is solely for motorbikes. If you are registering a car, disregard this section.

Section 15:

Modifications are any changes to the vehicle from how it is released from the manufacturer. One of the most common of these is seat changes, adding or removing seats. During the inspection for your Safety Certificate, the approved examiner is going to be checking if you have any modification plates attached to the vehicle or if there are any modification plates required. Modification codes are listed on the Safety Certificate top right hand corner in the text box if they are on the vehicle. The examiner will advise the modification plate you require if necessary.

Section 16:

LPG and Gas Appliances in vehicles also require a Certificate that is very similar to Safety Certificate. This accreditation is different to that of Safety Certificate Examiner. The Gas Examiner will be checking that all gas cylinders and gas fittings are functioning in a safe manner and that the items are not defective or out of date.

Some vehicles such as a motorhome may require two gas certificates. One for the gas appliances such as fridges/stove tops and the other for the LPG dual fuel.

Gas Certificate Exemptions

10. A new vehicle, never registered anywhere and fitted with a gas compliance plate.
11. Registering an unregistered vehicle in the same name that it was previously registered in.
12. Remote Areas (Contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads)
13. A dealer demonstrator model.

Section 17:

If you have five or more vehicles that have the same registration date you can nominate this date in this section to allow bulk payments.

Section 18:

Unlike other states that only offer a 12 month option for registration, Queensland Transport offer 6 and 12 months for light vehicles and 3, 6, and 12 months for heavy vehicle registration periods.

Section 19:

Heavy vehicles can have a federal registration. This section is only to be filled out by those it is applicable to.

Section 20:

This section is applicable to mainly heavy vehicles (Over 4.5tonne GVM).

Section 21:

This section is applicable to mainly heavy vehicles (Over 4.5tonne GVM).

Section 22:

Declaration – sign the form at the bottom of the page to complete your registration application form.

If you are unsure about any of the sections and if they are applicable to your application, contact the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads on 132380 or visit their website www.tmr.qld.gov.au