Renew/replace my vehicle licence

Find out how to renew or replace your vehicle licence (registration), including the monthly renewal direct debit option, nominated expiry dates for multiple vehicles, and what to do if your vehicle licence is overdue.

  Renewing your WA vehicle licence

All vehicles that have a licence granted, transferred or renewed in WA must be primarily based in the State. If you are temporarily interstate and need to renew your vehicle licence, payment may still be made. If you are a WA resident, you can drive your WA licensed vehicle throughout Australia whilst the licence remains current.

It is recommended that you carry a copy of your vehicle licence whenever you are using your vehicle outside of WA.

You cannot temporarily suspend your vehicle licence, even if you are not using your vehicle. You can voluntarily cancel your vehicle licence by surrendering the number plates at a DVS centre or a regional DoT office or agent. If you want to have the vehicle relicensed at a later date, you must have the vehicle inspected and make an application to license the vehicle.

If you no longer live in WA, return the WA number plates (or a plate receipt) to the DoT and apply for a vehicle licence in your new State of residence.

When your vehicle licence is due to expire, DoT will send you a renewal notice by post or you can choose to receive your notice electronically. You can renew your vehicle licence as early as three months before the expiry date.

Light vehicle licences can be renewed for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. Light vehicle owners choosing the one month option can only pay by direct debit, three month option can only pay online, via BPay or telephone (IVR). 

For more information on the one month renewal direct debit option please refer to the One month renewal option information below.

Heavy vehicles (over 4,500 kg) can be licensed or renewed for 3, 6 or 12 months.

You no longer have to choose between business and private rates as there is now only the one licence renewal rate.

For more information refer to your payment options.

Note:

  • Vehicle licence duty and transfer fees must be paid before the vehicle licence can be renewed if it has not previously been licensed in your name.
  • If a vehicle is subject to annual inspection, an annual inspection report is required before the licence can be renewed.
  • DoT cannot accept payment to renew the licence for a WA vehicle that is temporarily overseas, as the Motor Injury Insurance (MII) included in the licence only covers vehicles operating in Australia.

One month renewal option

The Department of Transport now offers a monthly direct debit payment option for eligible light vehicle licence renewals that will allow people to manage their household budgets more effectively.

The direct debit option will apply to monthly licence payments for light vehicles only.

This will be available in addition to the current 3 month, 6 month and 12 month payment options.

To be eligible for the monthly renewal direct debit option, customers will need to be an existing DoTDirect customer, or register with DoTDirect.

Customers will enter into a direct debit agreement with the Department of Transport and their financial institution to enable monthly payments to be debited from their account.

Customers must have one month remaining on their current vehicle licence to apply for the monthly renewals direct debit option.

A reminder will be sent to customers 5 days prior to a direct debit transaction on their nominated bank account.

Customers will have two chances to ensure there are sufficient funds for payment and will lose the option if the second attempt fails, and be issued with an invoice for the 3, 6 or 12 month payment option.

For more information, customers can read the monthly renewal direct debit option FAQs below. Terms and conditions will apply to this payment option. 

The one month renewal direct debit option is a bill smoothing service that spreads the cost of your vehicle licensing into monthly payments, so it’s better suited to your budget.   

The option is open to individuals who own an eligible light vehicle or motorcycle. 

The option is not open to Companies with vehicles licensed in their name.

Applications can only be made online using DoTDirect. 

You can apply for the one month renewal option from 27 September 2022

Which vehicles are eligible?

To be eligible for the option, the vehicle must be a: 

  • light vehicle with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 4.5 tonnes or less,
  • LAMS approved motorcycle (R-E class), or a
  • Motorcycle with engine capacity exceeding 660 cc or a power to weight ratio greater than 150 kW/t (R Class)

The option is not available to: 

  • Mopeds
  • Trailers, including semi-trailers
  • Caravans or mobile homes
  • Heavy vehicles (those with a GVM over 4.5 tonnes)
  • Vehicles subject to an annual inspection
  • Vehicles already receiving a concession or charge exemption 
  • Vehicles subject to conditions preventing the renewal of the vehicle licence for eg:
    • a suspended or cancelled vehicle licence
    • the transfer fee and vehicle licence duty has not been paid 
    • recorded on the written-off vehicle register
    • recorded as stolen
  • Class B and C vehicles, licensed for limited road use
18/09/2022: One-month renewal option reduce financial burden on WA drivers

Vehicles with annual inspection requirements

School buses, authorised Passenger Transport Vehicles and vehicles with dual controls are examples of vehicles which are subject to annual inspection requirements.

A maximum licence expiry period of 12 months applies to any vehicle which is subject to an annual inspection requirement. 

This means that, regardless of which renewal period/s you choose (3, 6 or 12 months), you will be unable to renew your licence for a combined licence period that is greater than 12 months, without first passing an annual inspection.  

Holders of vehicle licences for vehicles which are subject to annual inspection requirements should note the following:

  • You will be unable to renew your licence for any period that would result in your annual inspection being overdue. 
  • You will receive an annual inspection reminder letter 42 days before your maximum licence expiry date.
  • Once you have completed a successful annual inspection you will be sent a renewal notice automatically.
  • In some cases, you will receive a renewal notice with limited renewal options. This ensures that you do not exceed the maximum period that you can license your vehicle without a successful annual inspection.

If your vehicle does not pass a required inspection before the expiry of the maximum licence period (12 months) your vehicle licence will expire, the vehicle cannot be driven, can be impounded and your insurance may be invalid. 

For further details on how to get your vehicle inspected visit our Get a vehicle inspected page.

  Expired vehicle licences (renewal period)

A vehicle licence can be renewed at any time during the renewal period. The overdue period commences the day after the renewal date on the notice.

Overdue period What you need to know
Up to three months late You cannot drive your vehicle on the road. You have three months from the expiry date to renew your vehicle licence without the need to return the plates and have the vehicle inspected. The renewal period will be calculated from the previous expiry date where the fees are paid within this three month period.
Over three months late You cannot drive your vehicle on the road and you are required to return the number plates to us in order to avoid a penalty being issued. To re-licence your vehicle you will need to get your vehicle inspected.

  Nominated uniform expiry dates and renewals

If you are the owner of 3 to 9 vehicles, you may nominate a common expiry date. Upon receiving your next vehicle licence renewal notice, or within the vehicle licence renewal period, you can request to renew the vehicle licence to your preferred date by:

You will need to do the same for each vehicle licensed in your name until all vehicle licences have been adjusted to expire on your requested common expiry date. In this case you will not be provided a fleet schedule or a bulk billing code. Instead you will be sent individual renewal notices close to the nominated common expiry date.

Owners with more than 10 vehicles qualify for the fleet-licensing payment scheme, in which all your vehicle licences will expire on a nominated day. A fleet schedule will be sent out before the expiry date, which will list all the vehicles and the total renewal payment due. Individual renewal notices are not sent to these vehicle owners.

  Vehicle licence 'rego' check (online)

The Department of Transport is not responsible for how this information is interpreted or used. It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to determine whether the vehicle should be driven.

Vehicle licence 'rego' check (online)
 

You can quickly check the vehicle licence (rego) status of your;

  • Caravan,
  • Car,
  • Goods vehicle,
  • Moped,
  • Motorcycle,
  • Omnibus,
  • Tow truck,
  • Tractor,
  • Trailer,
  • Truck, etc.

  Replace my vehicle licence document

There are two options for you to obtain a replacement copy of the vehicle licence document.

Note: Obtaining a copy does not renew or extend the expiry date of the vehicle licence. It is a copy of the current licence only.

Option A: Obtain a copy via your online account 

If you have a DoTDirect account you can obtain a copy of your vehicle licence documents free of charge online. This is limited to vehicles licensed in your name only.

The button below will prompt you to login before directing you to the online service. If you don't already have a DoTDirect account you can follow the prompt to create an account. 

Obtain a copy of vehicle licence documents

Option B: Purchase a copy in person

You can purchase a copy of a vehicle licence document at a Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) centre, regional DoT office or agent. A fee applies.

The vehicle owner (or their representative) must attend with at least one form of primary proof of identity (POI) to purchase a copy of the vehicle licence document.

If a representative attends on behalf of the vehicle owner, a copy of the vehicle licence document will be mailed to the owner of the vehicle, at the address recorded on the vehicle register.

Note:

The following cannot be obtained using either method:

  • Expired vehicle licence documents.
  • Document for a previous year.
  • Documents for a vehicle you no longer own.
  • Documents for a vehicle that is no longer licensed.

  Light vehicle licence (registration) fees (2022/2023)

Vehicle owners must also pay motor injury insurance (MII) insurance. Visit the Motor Injury Insurance (MII) page for fees and more information.

Light vehicle: Administration fee

Fee type Fee
Light vehicle standard administration recording fee $10.30

Light vehicle: Bulk, transfer and duplicate licence fees

Fee type Fee
Duplicate or certified copy of vehicle licence document $5.30
Vehicle Licence Administration fee (Bulk licensing fee) - Applicable to vehicle dealers only $13.30
Vehicle licence transfer fee $19.40

Light vehicle: Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) not exceeding 4,500 kg fees

Fee type Fee
Per 100 kg
Light vehicle registration: Caravan (motor propelled), per 100 kg $25.52
Light vehicle registration: Caravan (trailer type), per 100 kg $6.38
Light vehicle registration: Converter dolly, per 100 kg $12.76
Light vehicle registration: Fork lift, per 100 kg $6.38
Light vehicle registration: Goods vehicle, per 100 kg $25.52
Light vehicle registration: Mobile crane, per 100 kg $6.38
Light vehicle registration: Motor car, per 100 kg $25.52
Light vehicle registration: Omnibus, per 100 kg $25.52
Light vehicle registration: Other trailer, not being a plant trailer truck, per 100 kg $12.76
Light vehicle registration: Plant trailer, per 100 kg $6.38
Light vehicle registration: Semi-trailer, per 100 kg $12.28
Light vehicle registration: Tow motor, per 100 kg $6.38
Light vehicle registration: Tow truck, per 100 kg $25.52
Light vehicle registration: Tractor (not prime mover), per 100 kg $6.38
Light vehicle registration: Tractor plant truck, per 100 kg $6.38
Light vehicle registration: Trailer, per 100 kg $12.76
Light vehicle registration: Tractor (prime mover type) and truck $25.52
Motorcycles
Light vehicle registration: Motorcycle (not exceeding 250 cc) $51.04
Light vehicle registration: Motorcycle (power to weight ratio not exceeding 150 kW/t) $51.04
Light vehicle registration: Motorcycle (power to weight ratio exceeding 150 kW/t) $76.56
Light vehicle registration: Motorcycle (exceeding 250 cc) $76.56

Light vehicle: Example, how to calculate your vehicle licence fee

In the following example, a 12 month renewal is applied to a standard motor car (Tare weight: 1,650 kg - the weight of the unladen vehicle):

Calculate your light vehicle licence fee Fee calculation
Vehicle fee per 100 kg x Total weight (rounded up to the nearest 100 kg) / 100 $25.52  x (1,700 kg / 100) = $433.84
Plus prescribed flat fee $13.20 (12-month renewal: (discounted rate) = $6.60) $6.60
Total vehicle licence fee (rounded to the nearest five cents) $440.45

Notes:

  • Prescribed flat fee for a vehicle for a period of one year is $13.20 discounted 50%.
  • Any vehicle renewal term less than 12 months; calculation will be $13.20 divided by 12 then multiplying by the number of months in respect of which the renewal is paid.
    • 6-month renewal: ($13.20/12)*6 = $6.60.
    • 3-month renewal: ($13.20/12)*3 = $3.30.

Key:

  • GVM = Gross vehicle Mass. kg = kilogram. cc = cubic centimetre, engine displacement.
  • kW/t = kilowatt per tonne, 1 m² / S³.
Page last updated: Mon Nov 21 2022 12:01:08 PM