From the title itself, one must easily understand that it is an article about having a roadworthy certificate. Roadworthiness is very synonymous while driving on the roads. Public transport in South Africa creates a road rage, thereby making it difficult for car drivers to work on the road.
You need to undergo a roadworthy test to get a roadworthiness certificate. The certificate ensures that the vehicle is safe on the road. Please note that it is not a comprehensive examination of the vehicle. Instead, it is meant to inspect only the safety regulations. The law defines the standards against which the vehicles are thoroughly tested. This ensures the safety of passengers and also of other vehicles on the road.
What does a roadworthy certificate ensure?
If you go to a vehicle administrator, they will do the following tests on your vehicle before handing over the roadworthiness certificate:
Electrical equipment and systems on the dashboard
Safety fittings like airbags, safety belts, and speed governor
The suspension system and tire treads
Engine health
Braking system
Transmission and other driving instruments
The test ensures that your vehicle is safe to drive on the road. It also identifies the potential hazards and helps you save the motoring costs and maintenance costs. Any public or private testing station can do these tests and provide you with the certificate.
How do get the certificate?
You will need to test the vehicle to get the roadworthy certificate. The process is quite simple and you can obtain the certificate by following this process:
Visit a nearby vehicle testing station and submit the essential documents.
The essential documents must include the owner's identity proof, vehicle registration documents, and fees.
Fill in the roadworthiness certification form.
Once you have completed the form, you will be guided to the testing station.
The station employee will carry out the test and submit the details online.
It takes up to 60 days to get the certificate. But you can receive a provisional certificate from the station for the time being. This ensures that your document is under process and you can show it to the vigilantes.
When to get your vehicle tested for roadworthiness?
There is no particular time or reason to get your motor vehicle tested. But as the law suggests, you must test the vehicles periodically under the following circumstances:
If you are owning a vehicle whose gross mass exceeds 3500 kg. For cars and bikes, you don’t need a CoR (certificate of roadworthiness) unless you are planning to sell or change the ownership of the vehicle.
Owners of trucks and other heavy vehicles, except buses, need to obtain a roadworthy certificate every 12 months. Thus, a commercial vehicle owner must possess renewed certificate annually and provide the drivers with a copy of the same.
Bus owners are required to apply and obtain the certificate every 6 months. This is because of the safety of passengers aboard.
The test must be conducted during the change of ownership of the vehicle as stated by the law. It takes around 30-40 minutes to get your roadworthiness test done.
Final words
It doesn't cost much to apply for a roadworthy certificate, and it is recommended by the government for the safety of the driver and passengers. You can get ACR forms from any public and private testing stations and get your vehicle tested properly within no time. The test ensures the safety of the vehicle on the road but also helps you identify the potential problems with your vehicle. So, you can know the issues prior and fix them before any dangerous incident.