Affordable auto services

Posted on: 20 November 2019

If you have anything to do with cars or other vehicles in New South Wales, there are four types of slip you will need to become familiar with.

• Pink Slip - Indicating roadworthiness
• Green Slip - Indicating third-party insurance
• White Slip - Indicating repairs are needed
• Blue Slip - Indicating an unregistered vehicle

While most of these are fairly easy to understand, the use of the blue slip can sometimes cause confusion. Here is a guide when blue slips are used and why you might need one.

When is a blue slip used?

Blue slip inspections are the common way of referring to what is officially termed as the Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection (AUVI) report. The blue slip is used both for vehicles that you have recently purchased and also for vehicles where the registration happens to have lapsed for the set period. It is used to record data such as:

• Identity of vehicle
• Design
• Ownership of vehicle
• Safety of vehicle

Blue slip inspections are a requirement before any vehicle can be legally registered, so you will need to find a company offering blue slip inspections before you can think about driving your unregistered vehicle or any vehicle that has defect notices against it.

Which vehicles need blue slip inspections?

It's not just cars that require blue slip inspections. All unregistered light vehicles also fall under the same requirement. In addition to passenger cars, light vehicles will also include motorcycles, vans and goods transport vehicles, which have a mass below 4.5 tonnes. It also covers caravans and trailers, which come under that weight. Explicitly excluded are vehicles that have been fitted with vacuum or air brakes.

In addition to these vehicles, blue slip inspections may also be needed if:

• Your vehicle has no number plates
• Your vehicle has previously been written-off
• Your vehicle has been brought in from another state
• Your vehicle has been fitted with a new engine

Who can issue a blue slip?

If you have found out that your vehicle needs a blue slip inspection, then you will need to visit an approved service centre or registry. You will need to bring with you the right documentation to ensure that the inspection can take place. These documents include:

• A new registration application
• Proof of vehicle ownership
• Proof of address
• Proof of CTP coverage

If everything is in order, the report with which you are issued at the end of the inspection will be valid for the next 42 days to 6 months, so you will need to renew the vehicle registration within that time period. If you have any questions about how blue slip inspections may apply to your vehicle, then your local service centre will be able to explain what is involved and exactly what documentation they will need from you.