Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) will only consider an application to repair and re-register a written off vehicle in limited circumstances. This applies when there is no non-repairable damage and the vehicle fits one of the exempt categories. Therefore, do not begin any repairs without authorisation from the RMS.

Non-repairable damage

RMS will only consider applications to re-register written off vehicles which have no non-repairable damage. Non repairable damage is classified when the damage is so severe that it’s not safe to attempt repairs. If your vehicle has no ‘non-repairable’ damage and you want to apply for authorisation to repair and re-register it, you’ll need to get a ‘Declaration of vehicle damage’ from your insurer.

Exempt categories

RMS will only consider applications to repair and re-register written off vehicles if they fit one of the exempt vehicle categories below.

 

• Hail damaged, where you were the registered operator for more than 28 days before the vehicle was hail damaged (contact your insurer)

• Inherited in a will or letters of administration

• Registered in your name for more than 28 days before the damage that caused it to be written off.

Applying for authorisation to repair

If your written off vehicle has no non-repairable damage and fits one of the exempt categories, you can apply to RMS for authorisation to repair it. You’ll need to provide the following:

 

• A completed Application to repair a written-off vehicle

• Declaration of vehicle damage from your insurer – original only (copies and certified copies are not acceptable)

• Evidence that your vehicle fits one of the ‘exempt’ categories.

If authorisation to repair is granted

If your application is approved, RMS will mail you an Authorisation to Repair. Contact a NSW Fair Trading licensed repairer for advice and guidance before beginning repairs. Your vehicle must be repaired to the manufacturer’s guidelines or recognised industry standards. Once repairs are complete, your repairer will give you a Certificate of Compliance declaring that the vehicle has been repaired to the required standards.

If you intend to carry out repairs yourself, a licensed repairer must certify your repairs. The certifier may need you to present the vehicle for inspections during the repair process. You may need to keep a repair diary of the repair process, photograph the damaged areas before and after repair and keep copies of the relevant standards used for the repairs.

RMS recommends that you keep all information to do with the repair process, including invoices and receipts for parts, to support your application for registration. All vehicles successfully repaired and re-registered will have noted on their Certificate of Registration that the vehicle has been written off. Once the repairs are completed and certified, there are three steps you need to take:

       1)  AUVIS inspection
       2)  VIIU inspection
       3)  Apply for registration.

AUVIS inspection

You’ll need to have the vehicle inspected at an Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station (AUVIS), and get an identity and safety check. You can find an inspection station here.

VIIU inspection

If you’re in the Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong areas, the vehicle must then be inspected by the RMS Vehicle Identification Inspection Unit (VIIU). You’ll need to make a booking and pay the inspection fee. Call 13 22 13 to make a booking, or go to any registry or service centre. You’ll need to bring all the documents related to the vehicle repairs to your VIIU inspection, including:

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• Certificate of Compliance issued by a licensed repairer

• Any third-party certifications, for example for air bag repairs or structural certification

• Identity and safety check from an Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station (AUVIS)

• Completed Application for Registration form (PDF, 258Kb)

• CTP insurance.

If your vehicle is outside the Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong areas, copy all of these documents and post them to: RMS Vehicle Identification Inspection Unit (PO Box 646, Botany, NSW 1455)

Apply for registration

Once VIIU has passed the vehicle, attend a registry or Service NSW centre in person (or send a representative) to apply for re-registration. You’ll need to bring all the documentation related to the vehicle repairs to the registry or service centre, including:
 

• Certificate of Compliance issued by a licensed repairer

• Any third-party certifications, for example for air bag repairs or structural certification

• Identity and safety check from an Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station (AUVIS)

• Completed Application for Registration form (PDF, 310Kb)

• Proof of registration entitlement

• CTP insurance.

•  

You’ll also need to provide:
 

• Proof of your identity. If you’re registering the vehicle in the name of an organisation, you’ll need to complete the Representative’s Authority section on the Application for Registration form (PDF, 310Kb)

• If you send someone else to register the vehicle in your name, you’ll need to complete the Representative’s Authority section on the Application for Registration form (PDF, 310Kb) or provide a letter of authority. Your representative must also provide their own proof of identity.

• If you’re not already recorded in RMS systems, you cannot send a representative – you must attend in person.

• Proof of your residential address in NSW (not required if registering in an organisation’s name)

• Payment for the applicable registration costs.

 

Vehicles written off interstate

If you obtain a vehicle that was written off interstate on or after 1 February 2011, the vehicle must be repaired, inspected and registered interstate before you can apply for NSW registration.

If the vehicle has been registered for less than 12 months, it must be inspected by the RMS Vehicle Identification Inspection Unit (VIIU). You’ll be able to book a VIIU inspection when you apply for NSW registration. An inspection fee is payable.

To apply for registration, attend a registry or Service NSW centre in person (or send a representative), and provide:
 

• Identity and safety check from an Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station (AUVIS)

• Completed Application for Registration form

• Proof of registration entitlement

• CTP insurance

• Proof of your identity. If you’re registering the vehicle in the name of an organisation, you need to complete the Representative’s Authority section on the Application for Registration form (PDF, 310Kb)

• If you send someone else to register the vehicle in your name, you’ll need to complete the Representative’s Authority section on the Application for Registration form or provide a letter of authority. Your representative must also provide their own proof of identity 

• If you’re not already recorded in RMS systems, you cannot send a representative – you must attend in persoProof of your residential address in NSW (not required if registering in an organisation’s name)

• Payment for the applicable registration costs

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Reference: Roads & Maritime (2015). Renew Your Registration.

Retrieved from http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/registration/renew/index.html