renew registration while travelling
 

Hello,

I am traveling with an Australian registered Cruiser back home to Germany where i am going to import the car. Registration expires this August but wont be in Germany before December. Do I have to renew it? Doesnt make any sense cause i am not using Australian roads anymore...

Cheers Sam

Hi, my Aussie registered DR650 rego ran out on the road. I registered it in the UK no problem so I don't think it matters. Its a bit like the UK road tax, if it runs out elsewhere, it makes no difference other than in the UK.

on the other hand as far as the countries you are crossing are concerned, you are driving on expired documentation, therefore illegal, therefore at minimum a fine, or impounding...

I would never drive with expired documentation - whether it makes SENSE or not is irrelevant.

Egypt's impound compound is a sight to make strong men weep - near new Range Rovers, Hummers, bikes of all sorts etc, covered in layers of dust - when asked why - "Documentation problems".

Grant, if I remember rightly Australian registration is an annually renwable thing like a UK Road Fund Licence, and not like a US regsitration. So while the little sticky thing on your windscreen might have expired the vehicle's paperwork hasn't, it's issued at the start of ownership and only changes when there's a change of ownership.

1 language, 3 meanings.

I disagree, and moreover, some of us have no choice. My DC registration expired, and to renew it I needed a physical inspection of the bike (in DC). This was not possible, and DC DMV would not accept a foreign inspection of any sort, so I could not renew registration, period.

Since then I have been using my DC title for my "official document" (no expiration date) with no problem, and just kept my DC plate after the rego expired. I have crossed numerous borders like this, so far with no issues. Works for me.

Australian States have rego documents which show the expiry date and are re-issued annually after you've paid the registration fee and compulsory third party insurance. The Rego label/window sticker is posted out with the rego renewal notice nowadays as so many people pay by phone or internet. Victoria and Qld dont have annual roadworthy tests so you just pay your fees, NSW has annual roadworthy tests so you have to present the vehicle to a tester within NSW for rego renewal. I cant remember what happens elsewhere.

I'm not aware that you can only pay the registration fee and not the third party insurance - I will ask the question - but I doubt it as most Australian law is very parochial and cant cope with the concept of a vehicle not being in Australia.

Internationally (other than the Green Card Zone) the Vienna Convention covers the movement of vehicles from country to country. One of the clauses states something like "the vehicle must be legal for use in the country of registration" which pretty well covers a host of issues like paying an annual rego fee (if any) to ensuring an annual roadworthy certificate is available.

Most of the motoring clubs that issue carnets will insist that the vehicle has to comply with the Vienna Convention in some sub clause. Dont forget that forfeiting a carnet is fully recoverable against you or your insurer who will no doubt hound you for life.

English language documents are easily read by the great majority of customs/border guards and I would not risk having a vehicle impounded and/or being personally locked up because of a few hundred dollars in registration costs. And once a problem is detected you are open to paying bribes and further risks of ending up in the slammer.

Having an unregistered vehicle will make it difficlut to buy green card insurance on arrival in the GC Zone as well - you have to produce valid registration documents.

Creating a rego document with an ink jet printer and scanner is easy enough, just dont forget to remove the out of date rego label.

Have you spoken to your carnet issuer about renewing the rego? You haven't mentioned which state your registration and carnet is from, but I'm leaving NSW soon for Africa and have been told by Peppina Sorbara at the Australian Automobile Association (Peppina.Sorbara@aaa.asn.au) that it's possible to renew from outside the country via a specific contact person at the RTA. I haven't found out anymore as my rego will almost be expired when I leave so I'll renew here and travel on a full years worth, but it might be worth contacting either your state carnet issuer or Peppina to get more info. As has been said, as far as your carnet issuer is concerned the carnet is not valid unless the vehicle is registered.

Good luck Sam, and I'd be interested to hear how you get on as if my budget stretches to longer than 12 months I'll be in the same situation!

Hello,

thx for all your replies. Well my car is luckily registered in WA where its cheapest and easiest done. I will be able to buy over the Internet, dont need an car inspection and could have send the sticker anywhere I want.

But then on the other side in WA you dont get any registration papers apart from a Bill and the Sticker which goes on the Windscreen so I dont really see the point of it!!

I got my Carnet from the German ADAC cause the deposit is much lower and I am German anyway (where I am going to import the car once I get home).

But then I am wondering how do I get an EU insurance without papers once I reach there???

Shit-the hardest thing in traveling the world is this bloody paperwork....

thanx for your replies...

Sam

The bill is the registration certificate, usually the sticker is part of it and just peeled off.

See the posts on buying Green Card Insurance - you can do that over the Internet and have the green card sent to you. I think some insurers (ADAC) can sort out a green card many months in advance.

"Bloody paperwork"......yep.