A yellow sticker on your windscreen is a bad surprise. Suddenly you’re wondering whether you can still drive the car, what the fix will cost, and whether anyone would buy it as it is.
This guide walks through what the sticker means, what you can and can’t do with the car, what clearing it really costs, and how to decide between repairing it and selling it. If you’re weighing up a sale, we’ll also cover selling to a wrecker in WA.
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change, so call DTMI on 13 11 56 if you need to confirm the current position on your notice.
What Is a Yellow Sticker on a Car in WA?
A yellow sticker is the everyday name for a defect notice, which is also called a work order.
According to Transport WA, it’s issued to a vehicle found to be unroadworthy. The people who can issue one are WA Police, authorised officers from the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI), authorised Main Roads WA officers, and Consumer Protection officers when the car is at a dealership.
Every notice has an expiry date, and that date drives almost everything else in this guide. Check it before you do anything else.
Defect Notice WA: What Happens If Your Car Gets Defected?
The process is simpler than most people expect. You fix the listed defects, then book a full inspection at an Authorised Inspection Station (AIS) within 14 days of the expiry date on the notice. Once the car passes, the notice is cleared. It can’t be cleared any other way.
The catch is the word “full”. The inspector checks the whole car, not just the item written on your sticker. If something else turns up, a new work order can be issued on the spot. So a cheap repair on the listed problem doesn’t guarantee a pass, especially on an older car that’s tired all over.
Can You Drive a Car With a Yellow Sticker?
The answer depends on where you are in the notice period.
Before the expiry date
Follow whatever conditions are written on your notice.
After the expiry date
Driving the car is an offence, with a few narrow exceptions. You can only drive it if the car is currently licensed, the listed defects have already been repaired, and you’re taking the shortest sensible route from the repairer straight to the nearest AIS. An authorised vehicle examiner can also drive it to road test it.
If the defect hasn’t been fixed, the car has to be towed or trailered to a repairer or the AIS.
If the car is unlicensed
An unlicensed car needs a temporary movement permit just to reach the inspection. And if the licence has lapsed as well, the number plates have to go back to DTMI within 15 days, or you risk an infringement for not returning them.
What Happens If You Don’t Clear a Yellow Sticker?
Ignoring it only makes things worse, and it escalates on a fixed timeline.
14 days after expiry
If the car hasn’t had a full inspection by then, you get a first and final notice. You either get the car inspected or surrender the plates. If you already know you can’t manage it in time, you can hand the plates in at a DTMI service centre or regional agent before the letters start arriving.
Beyond that
Your plates can be seized and an infringement notice can follow. At 28 days after expiry, a notice requiring you to return the plates is produced, and your rego may not be renewed until the notice is cleared.
Yellow Sticker Inspection Perth: What Gets Checked?
Transport WA lists these as the key areas, though it’s clear the list is general advice and not everything an examiner might look at:
| Area | What it covers |
| Bodywork | Condition of the body |
| Brakes | The braking system |
| Chassis and suspension | Structure and suspension parts |
| Driveline | Drive components |
| Electrical | Relevant electrical systems |
| Steering | Steering components |
| Tyres and rims | Wear and condition |
| Vehicle identification | VIN and identity details |
| Modifications | Anything changed from standard |
| Vehicle standards | Compliance with the rules |
A few practical points for booking. AIS are private businesses, so you book and pay the provider directly, and hours vary. Standard AIS handle light vehicles under 4,500 kg gross vehicle mass.
Turn up about 15 minutes early, and give 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel. If the car fails, you ring the same AIS for a re-inspection and quote the reference number from your first one.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Defect Cleared?
The government fees are the easy part. For 2026/27 in the Perth metro area, Transport WA lists these for light vehicles:
| Cost | Amount |
| Initial inspection | $225.40 |
| Re-inspection | $153.85 |
| Temporary movement permit (unlicensed cars only) | $32.40 |
| Repairs, parts and labour | Depends on the defects |
| Towing | Depends on distance and provider |
Motorcycles and trailers have their own, lower fees, and regional prices differ slightly.
The inspection fee is rarely the problem. Repairs are. A worn wiper and a cracked chassis rail both count as defects, but the bills are nowhere near each other. For illustration only, a $150 tow, $900 in repairs and the $225.40 inspection comes to about $1,275 before any re-inspection. If the car is worth $1,500 on a good day, that’s a tough sum to love.
Can You Sell a Car With a Defect Notice in WA?
Yes, a notice doesn’t automatically stop a sale. Transport WA has guidance for owners who have sold or otherwise disposed of a defected vehicle: you must tell DTMI who the new owner is so licence renewals go to the right person. The general steps are on Transport WA’s sell a vehicle page.
What you shouldn’t do is play down the notice. Tell any buyer that it exists, whether it has expired, what defects are listed, whether the car runs, and whether it’s still licensed. And if the notice has expired with the repair undone, don’t ask the buyer to drive it away. It has to be towed.
Can You Sell a Yellow Sticker Car to a Wrecker in WA?
Yes, a defect notice doesn’t mean you have to repair the car first, and for many older vehicles, selling as-is is the more sensible move. Whether a particular buyer takes it depends on the car and the buyer, so ask before you assume.
Have these details ready when you make contact:
- make, model, year and registration status,
- what the notice says and when it expires,
- whether the car starts, and where it’s parked,
- proof of ownership, such as the title or a scrap certificate,
- keys, plus a few clear photos.
The price comes down to the car’s age and condition, whether it’s complete, parts demand, and current scrap metal prices. Anyone quoting a fixed figure without knowing those things is guessing. If the car has simply been parked up and forgotten, buyers who handle unwanted car removals deal with that situation all the time, and if it’s at the end of its life, scrap car removal is usually the simplest route.
Should You Repair or Sell a Yellow Sticker Car?
Forget what you paid for the car. Compare what it’s worth today, in its current condition, with the realistic cost of making it roadworthy and getting through a full inspection.
| Your situation | Leaning towards |
| One or two minor defects, and the car has decent value | Repair and inspect |
| Several expensive defects | Get repair quotes, then compare against value |
| Won’t start or barely runs | Selling as-is |
| Crash damage or structural problems | Selling, or a professional assessment first |
| Repairs cost about what the car is worth | Selling |
| You don’t want to put any more money into it | Selling |
If the notice followed a knock, accident car removals cover the kind of vehicles where repairing rarely adds up. And when a car is truly beyond saving, car recyclers in Perth recover usable parts and materials so the car doesn’t end up dumped.
Yellow Sticker vs Unregistered Car vs Green Sticker
These three get mixed up constantly, including on plenty of other websites.
A yellow sticker is a roadworthiness issue. Your car can have one and still be fully registered.
Unregistered is a licensing status. The rego has lapsed or been cancelled. It’s a separate problem, although a car can have both at once.
A green sticker is an order to remedy defects under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act 1973, which lets authorised officers examine second-hand vehicles at a dealer’s premises. It’s a dealership matter and doesn’t apply to a private sale.
Perth Fast Car Removal: Cash for Cars and Free Car Removal in Perth
If the repair sums don’t stack up, you don’t have to keep paying for a car you no longer want. Perth Fast Car Removal buys unwanted, damaged and scrap vehicles across Perth. You get a free quote, and once you accept it, the cash for cars pickup is free. Mention the yellow sticker when you call, and they’ll let you know whether they can take the car. You can also browse their other car removal services, or send your details through the contact us page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I peel the sticker off myself?
No, an under the Road Traffic (Vehicles) Act 2012, damaging, removing or destroying a defect notice while it’s in force is an offence. Only an inspection clears it.
I bought the car interstate. Can the notice be cleared in WA?
Yes, a defect notice can be issued or cleared in any Australian state or territory, and the jurisdictions share the records. Take the car to an authorised inspection place and ask what else is needed.
Can any car be booked in for inspection?
Not quite; a car with an open compulsory Takata airbag recall can’t be inspected until that’s resolved, so check before you book.
Will the inspection tell me what my car is worth?
No, a DTMI says its inspection only checks that a car meets vehicle standards and licensing requirements. It isn’t a full assessment of condition and shouldn’t be used to work out value. A pass certificate is also only valid for 3 months, so don’t sit on it.
