Certificate of fitness inspections

What is a CoF?

Certificate of fitness (CoF) inspections are regular safety checks.

They are required for:

• heavy vehicles such as trucks, tractors, buses, large motorhomes and large trailers
• all passenger service vehicles, such as taxis, shuttles and buses
• rental vehicles.

It's illegal to drive one of these vehicles on the road if:

• it doesn't meet the CoF requirements, or
• it doesn't display a valid CoF sticker.

What else is required?

As well as six-monthly certificate of fitness inspections, these vehicles must have:

• a certificate of loading. (This states the various required weight ratings, such as axle and tyre ratings; and the maximum number of passengers, if the vehicle is a passenger service vehicle. It is usually on the front windscreen or in the cab)
• A road user charges licence if the vehicle has a manufacturer's gross laden weight of over 3.5 tonnes or is powered by a fuel not taxed at source (eg diesel).
• An approved hubodometer if the vehicle has a manufacturer's gross laden weight of over 3.5 tonnes.

Last updated: 24 July 2008