Motor vehicle repair business licence

A motor vehicle repair business licence is required if you are an owner of a motor vehicle repair business, a self-employed motor vehicle repairer or operate a mobile repair business.

Before your licence can be approved by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection, you must be a certified repairer or employ a certified repairer to supervise repairs for each class of repair work your business carries out.

In November 2014 the Motor Vehicle Repairers Act 2003 was amended to dispense with the requirement for persons or firms to be licensed for specific classes of repair work. There remains a requirement for licensees to ensure that repair work is carried out by a person who holds a certificate for that class of repair work (or is supervised by a certificate holder for that class of repair work).

Your premises, fixed and/or mobile, will also need to be authorised in order for you to operate from them. 

An application can be made by a sole trader, a partnership (firm) or a body corporate (Pty Ltd company).

Once you have your licence approved you can use the licensed repairer tick to help promote your business and encourage consumer confidence. 

How to apply for a licence

To obtain a motor vehicle repair business licence, you must:

  • Complete the application for a Motor Vehicle Repair Business Licence.
  • Attach/pay the correct fee. This is payable at the time of lodging the application.
  • Provide the relevant police check(s), which are not more than three (3) months old at the time of lodgement, for all partners/directors or the sole trader. Only police checks issued by our list of approved providers will be accepted.
  • Meet the requirements for obtaining a repair business licence.
  • Obtain relevant documents and evidence to support your application.
  • Check to make sure that the application form is complete and that you have provided all relevant supporting documents. 

Should you require assistance with completing the application, please contact the Licensing Branch by telephone on 1300 304 064 (within Australia) or email.

Note: the Commissioner may attach conditions or restrictions to any licence.

Licence requirements

You may qualify for a repair business licence if you:

  • Have reached the age of 18 years.
  • Are a person of good character and repute. You must satisfy the Commissioner for Consumer Protection that the members of the applying entity (sole proprietor, partners or directors of a corporation) are “of good character and repute” to hold a licence. The Commissioner will consider any serious convictions relating to offences of dishonesty or against the person when making this decision.  (A National Police Certificate will need to be provided for each individual associated with the application to establish this criterion. Only Police Checks issued by our list of approved providers will be accepted.)
  • Are ‘fit and proper’ to be concerned in the management or conduct of the repair business to which your application relates.  You must satisfy the Commissioner that the members of the applying entity (sole proprietor, partners or directors of a corporation) are 'fit and proper persons' to hold a licence; that is, they have no recent significant criminal convictions, as determined by the Commissioner, which may also take into account your experience and your qualifications.
  • Have an authorised premises (including mobile premises) from which to carry on the business. You must specify the premises where you propose to carry on business. For mobile premises, you must provide information about each vehicle used for mobile repairs.
  • You must satisfy the Commissioner that you, and any persons who constitute the firm, have sufficient resources to meet the obligations to carry on the business of doing the class(es) of repair work that you intend to undertake.
  • Employ (including self employment) at least one motor vehicle repairer who has a motor vehicle repairer’s certificate in each of the class(es) of repair work your business carries out and at each of the premises from which the business operates.  A single person may qualify for all of those classes.
  • Register the business name (if applicable).
  • Register the company (if applicable).

If you are thinking of applying for a motor vehicle repair business licence and want more information, contact the Consumer Protection licensing advice line on 1300 304 064

Note: the Commissioner may attach conditions or restrictions to any licence.

Change of employees

Motor vehicle dealers and motor vehicle repair businesses are required to report details of changes to licensed staff, including details of staff including new staff and staff no longer employed within the business, within 14 days of the change.

Changes can be reported using the change of details notification form or by email.

Electronic communication

Consumer Protection sends courtesy renewal reminders to licensees. These reminders are sent electronically (via sms and email) so it is important that you inform Consumer Protection if you need to update your contact details.

Mutual recognition

If you are registered or licensed as a motor vehicle repair business elsewhere in Australia or New Zealand, and want to be registered in Western Australia, you can find out more information about having your licence recognised in WA.

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