This Australian state wants to make it more difficult to re-register vehicles that have been written off
Queensland is looking to introduce new regulations that could make it harder to re-register expired vehicles as the state looks to catch up with laws implemented elsewhere almost 15 years ago .
The Queensland Government is currently seeking feedback on proposed changes to the written-off vehicle regulations, the most important of which is the introduction of mandatory Quality of Repair (QOR) checks for with vehicles being written off.
This will provide a more detailed assessment of vehicles that are considered repairable damaged goods. Currently, the time it takes to inspect a vehicle post-repair in Queensland is up to 90 minutes, while in Victoria the same inspection can take between 2-6 hours.
All other states and territories have implemented a QoR process since 2010, and while it has been reviewed twice for Queensland, the Sunshine State still has no such plans.
Without a QoR process in place across Australia’s seven other jurisdictions, vehicles will have the opportunity to be re-registered in Queensland rather than the state or territory in which they were written off.
Between 2015 and 2023, there were 28,220 vehicles written off interstate but inspected in Queensland, with a staggering 76% of those initially declared failed in Victoria, where has the strictest re-registration regulations.
During that same eight-year period, more than 417,000 vehicles were written off in Queensland, with 69 per cent of them being repairable cars. Last year alone there were 35,284 written-off vehicles deemed repairable in the state.
“The lack of a QoR process in Queensland means the safety of these vehicles cannot be guaranteed,” the Queensland Government Public Consultation Document says.
“[A] The QoR will impose stricter obligations on repairers and vehicle inspectors to ensure repaired WOVs are safe for use on the road.
There have been two proposed approaches to implementing the QoR process.
The first requires a repair log with photographic evidence of the key stages of the repair (as well as evidence of purchasing parts from reputable sources), which is an approach adopted in Victoria and is said to “add an additional two to six hours of time to each repair.” The vehicle is in the process of being repaired.
The second approach is for the repaired vehicle to be inspected at “specific times throughout the various stages of the repair process,” ensuring better oversight that theoretically provides The quality is closer to the required standard – although at a higher cost, both financial and in time, to the repairer. .
Additional proposed changes include removing the age limit of 16 for relevant vehicles declared a total loss to be placed on the Wrong Vehicle Register (WOVR), as well as covering includes odometer readings on WOVR and their status as cleared or otherwise on the Queensland Rego Check app.
The Rego Check app currently only shows the vehicle’s registration status and expiration date, leaving used car buyers having to complete a Personal Property Securities Registration (PPSR) check to find out if the transaction Whether their purchase is currently or has ever been declared debt-free.
The Queensland Government will allow licensed drivers within the state have their say on proposals until June 20, 2024.
