1.1 million drivers could face whopping $960 fine: Are you one of them?
Ever forgot to renew your rego? It's easier done than you think.
Over one million drivers admit they've forgotten to register their car in the past 12 months, according to new Finder research.
The survey of 961 drivers revealed that 6% had missed a car registration bill in the past year. A further 4% knew someone who had.
Driving an unregistered vehicle
Driving an unregistered vehicle is illegal in the majority of circumstances.
One of the few exceptions, ironically, is driving your unregistered vehicle to get it registered.
Don't think about taking the scenic route though, or popping into your local to pick up some groceries. State government websites say you must go to the closest possible registration venue and use the shortest and most direct route.
If you get caught in NSW, you could be hit with a $704 fine and up to 20 penalty units.
In Victoria, there's a $962 fine for passenger cars. Driving an unregistered 3, 4, 5 or more axle vehicle comes with a whopping $1,731 penalty.
In most cases though, you should be able to avoid this headache and register your vehicle online. It's only if your car needs work that you would need to do this.
Parking on the street
Fines aren't just reserved for driving though. Parking an unregistered vehicle on the street can cost you a hefty fine in some parts of the country.
This puts you in a pretty tough spot if you don't have a garage and you've let your rego lapse.
In New South Wales for example, it's illegal to park an unregistered car on a road or a road related area for more than 15 days after the vehicle's registration has expired.
Who's the most likely to forget?
Of those who admitted to not registering their car, the research found women (7%) were more likely than men (5%) to have missed a registration bill – or, women were more likely than men to be honest and admit they've missed a registration bill.
Thankfully, most of us aren't too forgetful. There were 20.1 million registered motor vehicles in Australia as at January, 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
If you're getting paranoid you're driving an unregistered vehicle, you can check if your vehicle is unregistered on your state's transport website. For example, Transport NSW has a free rego check.
Make sure your car is insured as well. In some states, such as Queensland and Victoria, compulsory third party (CTP) is included with your rego, so you can kill two birds with one stone when you register.
In others, such as New South Wales and South Australia, you'll need to take it out separately.
Keep in mind that CTP only covers you for legal and medical costs caused by car accidents. You'll need third party car insurance or comprehensive protection if you want cover for more than that.
Already got your rego sorted? Compare car insurance providers on Finder.