Warrants and certificates
This domain tests the legal paperwork and inspections that allow a vehicle to be used on the road: the Warrant of Fitness (WoF), registration, and certificates for heavier vehicles. The exam checks that you know what each document means.
Core rules
- WoF: a light-vehicle safety inspection, generally every 12 months. New light vehicles generally get their first WoF at 3 years old; used imports need inspection. It covers tyres, brakes, lights, steering, suspension, seatbelts, windscreen and exhaust, among other items.
- Registration: the vehicle must be registered and registration kept current. Do not drive with expired registration.
- Labels: display the current WoF and registration as required.
- CoF: heavy vehicles and some passenger services need a Certificate of Fitness, often inspected more frequently than a WoF.
- No WoF or registration: the vehicle is not legal for normal road use; there can be fines and insurance consequences.
Worked example
Your car’s WoF expired yesterday. It still drives normally, but it is no longer warranted. You cannot use it normally on the road; book an inspection. The reasoning is that a WoF certifies compliance at inspection, not your personal opinion of the car’s condition.
Traps
Confusing a WoF with registration or a service; thinking a new car never needs a WoF; ignoring failed inspection items; driving on an expired label; and assuming CoF rules are the same as WoF rules.