Apply for conditional vehicle registration

What is conditional registration?

Conditional registration gives you limited road access to perform specific functions with a vehicle. Conditional Registration is restrictive as conditions are placed on a vehicle’s registration.

In general, you cannot get conditional registration for a non-compliant vehicle if a vehicle that complies with Australian Design Rules, can be used instead. Some standard vehicles (aka ‘complying vehicles’) that do comply with vehicle standards can be conditionally registered in the Historic and Classic schemes if the vehicles are 30 years or older.

Factors considered in conditional registration include:

• any vehicle standards deficiencies
• the safety of the person operating the vehicle and any passengers
• how the vehicle mixes with other vehicles on the road and pedestrians
• the time of the day or night the vehicle will be operated
• where the vehicle will be operated (NSW Only)
   

Vehicles that can be conditionally registered

• agricultural vehicles
• construction vehicles
• recreational vehicles (on Stockton Beach only)
• street rods built to “Registration Requirements and Construction Guidelines for Street Rods in NSW
• purpose built vehicles
• purpose built oversnow vehicles
• rally vehicles (see the Australian Motor Sport Action Group (AMSAG) and Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Ltd for more details)
• historic vehicles (limited to compliant/standard vehicles or plant that have Conditional Registration Vehicle Sheets and are older than 30 years.
• classic vehicles.

Ex-Military vehicles

Note: Many military vehicles cannot be road registered. For example, vehicles built after 1932 must have pneumatic tyres. Tanks and armoured vehicles are ineligible for registration and must be floated to & from events/displays etc. 

Militarised versions of ADR compliant road transportation vehicles may not have ADR compliant ignition systems, exhaust system, have protrusions, may not have lockable door handles or complying seatbelts. Even though ADRs may apply to a vehicle, if they do not have Identification plates or be listed on the Register of Approved (RAV) vehicles or a letter of compliance for the original manufacturer and a VSCCS Compliance Certificate for significant modifications after an identification plate was fitted or vehicle added to the RAV, they cannot be registered. 

Basically, if an ex-military vehicle cannot pass a AUVIS or HVAIS inspection or has no Conditional Registration Vehicle Sheets that applies to it, it cannot be registered in NSW.

Compulsory third party (CTP) insurance

Conditional registration costs include CTP insurance. However, this insurance only covers you on road and road-related areas. It does not cover you on private property.

Operating conditions

Operating conditions apply to all conditionally registered vehicles. Conditions are designed to overcome vehicle deficiencies and restrict how the vehicle can be used.

If suitable operating conditions cannot be applied to overcome deficiencies the vehicle cannot be conditionally registered. Read the conditional registration vehicle sheet for your vehicle to understand the minimum mandatory conditions associated with your vehicle.

The Certificate of Approved Operations you receive for conditional registration outlines the conditions you must follow when you drive the vehicle on a road or road-related area. The certificate must be carried in the vehicle at all times. See the full list of condition codes and descriptions.

Road-related areas are:

• footpaths and nature strips
• service station driveways
• public and private car parks and access areas
• private roads the public drive on
• drive-in fast food outlets and other drive-in commercial areas used by the public.

How to apply for conditional registration

To conditionally register a vehicle you must attend a service centre in person and provide:

• completed Application for Conditional Registration
• Proof of your identity
• Proof of registration entitlement – such as an original receipt for the vehicle showing buyer’s name, seller’s name, address, signature, the vehicle identification number (VIN) or chassis/frame or serial number and the date of acquisition)
• your payment
• a document proving the vehicle is suitable for safe use:

  • For most vehicles – a Vehicle Suitable for Safe Use Declaration

     is acceptable

  • For street rods – a Street Rod Declaration

     and a safety check inspection report issued by the NSW Street Rod Committee or its inspection agents

  • For rally vehicles – a Rally Vehicle Declaration

  • For historic vehicles – a Historic Vehicle Declaration

    . If the club is less than 2 years old you should also provide a safety check inspection, not more than 6 months old.

  • For classic vehicles – a Classic Vehicle Declaration

     and an Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection, not more than 42 days old and:

    • if it is modified, a compliance certificate
    • if it has been imported, a Vehicle Import Approval.

All declarations must not be more than 42 days old.

Find out how to renew, transfer or cancel conditional registration.

Sending a representative

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. Your representative must also provide their own proof of identity.

If you’re not already recorded in our systems, for example you haven't registered a vehicle before, you must attend in person.

Registering in an organisation's name

In addition to the documents above, you'll need to provide:

• completed Application for Conditional Registration

   including the 'Representative’s Authority' section:

  • for a company, the director or authorised delegate must sign or provide a letter of authorisation on company letterhead
  • for an incorporated association, the public officer must sign
• proof of the organisation’s identity
• proof of the organisation's entitlement to register the vehicle.

Certificates of registration and number plates

If your application is successful, you will be issued with a Certificate of Registration, a set of number plates, a Certificate of Approved Operations and a tax invoice for the CTP insurance policy.

The Certificate of Approved Operations outlines the conditions you must follow when you drive on a road or road-related area and must be carried in the vehicle at all times. These conditions are listed as codes on the certificate. To find out what they mean check our list of registration and vehicle codes.

You are not required to display a registration label and you don't need to remove any old labels.