WOVI Check in Queensland? What every used car buyer must know!

If you’ve purchased a repairable write-off vehicle in Queensland or are thinking about it, you’ll need to pass a Written-Off Vehicle Inspection (WOVI) before you can legally drive it on the road again. This guide walks you through everything you need to know: what a WOVI is, how to book one, what to prepare, and how much it costs.

What is a WOVI Check?

A Written-Off Vehicle Inspection (WOVI), sometimes called a WOVR check, is a comprehensive identity and safety verification carried out on repairable write-off vehicles in Queensland. It is a legal requirement that any repairable write-off be re-registered.

The inspection serves two main purposes:

1. Identity verification — to confirm the vehicle hasn’t been rebirthed using stolen parts or identifiers
2. Repair quality check — to ensure all repairs meet acceptable standards and that legitimate parts were used

WOVI inspections in Queensland are conducted exclusively by Queensland Inspection Services (QIS), the state’s contracted service provider.

Important: A WOVI is different from a safety certificate. You’ll need both before your vehicle can be re-registered.

Do you need a WOVI?

Your vehicle needs a WOVI if it is currently listed as a repairable write-off on NEVDIS (the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System).

To check whether your vehicle is listed, visit www.ppsr.gov.au and search using the vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). This is the most affordable way to verify its status, cheaper than private vehicle history check services.

You do NOT need a WOVI if:

• Your vehicle is a statutory write-off (these can never be re-registered)
• Your hail-damaged vehicle meets specific exemption criteria

How to book a WOVI in Queensland (Step-by-step)

Step 1: Check vehicle status

Go to www.ppsr.gov.au and confirm the vehicle is listed as a repairable write-off. If it’s a statutory write-off, no inspection is possible.

Step 2: Obtain a current safety certificate

Before your WOVI, the vehicle must hold a valid Queensland safety certificate, issued by an approved inspection station. Safety certificates are valid for 2 months (or 3 months if issued to a licensed dealer).

Step 3: Book online

All WOVI bookings must be made online at www.wovi.com.au. Bookings cannot be made over the phone.

Key booking requirements:

• Book at least 72 hours in advance
• Have the vehicle’s VIN or chassis number, make, model, and colour ready
• Do not enter the letters I, O, or Q in the VIN field; this will cause an error
• The vehicle owner must have a Queensland Transport and Main Roads Customer Reference Number (CRN)

A non-refundable $100 booking deposit is required at the time of booking. This is deducted from the total inspection fee at drop-off. Cancellations must be made at least 3 business days in advance to receive a refund on the deposit (some discretionary exceptions apply).

Only Visa or Mastercard are accepted online.

Step 4: Prepare your documentation

This is where many people get caught out. Having the right paperwork ready before your inspection is critical; the vehicle will not pass without it.

Essential documents include:

• Proof of vehicle purchase must include make, model, VIN, buyer name, and full seller details (name, address, phone number)
• Repair invoice from a licensed repairer, listing all parts, labour, VINs of donor vehicles, and repair details
• Parts receipts for all parts used in the repair; second-hand parts from private sellers (eBay, Gumtree, swap meets) are strongly discouraged, as proof of ownership is difficult to establish
• Statutory declaration (if repaired by a private individual, or if the vehicle sustained no visible damage)
• Insurance letter of salvage (if the owner retained the vehicle after a write-off)

Pro tip: Photographs taken during the repair process can significantly help the inspection proceed smoothly. Keep them!

Step 5: Attend the inspection

On the day, you (or an authorised representative) must present the vehicle at the scheduled time at your chosen QIS site.

What to know on the day:

• You cannot be inside the inspection premises while the inspection is underway
• If someone other than the owner drops off the vehicle, they need a letter of authority, their own driver’s licence, and a Queensland CRN
• Motorcycles must be removed from any transport vehicle
• The vehicle must be clean, roadworthy, and free of broken glass. If it’s deemed unsafe or has broken glass, it will not be inspected, and you’ll need to rebook

For Brisbane specifically, vehicles must arrive on the day of the booking (not before) and will need to remain on-site for over 2 business days. Collect within 24 hours of being notified, or storage fees apply.

WOVI inspection costs (Effective 1 March 2023)

Vehicle Type	Fee
Passenger vehicle or truck (up to 4.5t GVM)	$484.45
Motorcycle, caravan or trailer (up to 4.5t ATM)	$372.35
Re-inspection fee	$61.15

A non-refundable transaction surcharge of $1.16 applies to all bookings.

The fee is payable regardless of whether the vehicle passes or fails. If your vehicle doesn’t pass on the first attempt, a re-inspection fee of $61.15 applies. Note that cash is not accepted at inspection sites; payment is by bank cheque, money order, credit card, or EFTPOS.

Where are WOVI inspection sites located?

Queensland Inspection Services operates inspection sites at:

Brisbane, Beenleigh, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Mackay, Townsville, and Cairns.

The Brisbane site is open Monday to Friday, 7 am to 3 pm. Other sites operate on a roster basis; check availability on the booking page at www.wovi.com.au.

Common reasons vehicles fail a WOVI

Avoid these pitfalls to give your vehicle the best chance of passing the first time:

• Missing or incomplete documentation, parts receipts, repair invoices, or purchase receipts with insufficient detail
• Second-hand parts without clear provenance, especially from private sellers or online marketplaces
• Broken glass or unsafe conditions, and the vehicle won’t even be inspected
• All outstanding airbag recalls, Takata airbag recalls (and any other OEM recall) must be cleared before the inspection
• Missing identification plates, it is an offence to remove identification plates; affected vehicles may be referred to Queensland Police
• Extensive repairs, leaving little of the original vehicle: Vehicles that have had cabins replaced on a chassis or where only a small portion of the original remains, may not pass

What happens after the inspection?

If your vehicle passes, QIS enters the result into the system. However, the WOVR restriction on NEVDIS (the national registration database) is not updated until overnight, so you won’t be able to re-register the vehicle until the following business day.

Even after passing a WOVI and re-registering, the vehicle remains on the written-off vehicle register. This is permanent and is intended to inform future buyers of the vehicle’s history, something to keep in mind when it comes to resale value.