Driving an Unregistered Car in the ACT: Penalties and the 15 Day Parking Exemption

In the ACT, using an unregistered vehicle, or one with suspended registration, on a road breaches Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Act 1999 (ACT) section 18, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units ($3,200 for an individual) and a $750 infringement penalty, and the Territory's 15 day exemption under section 18(3) protects only a vehicle left parked, never one being driven.

This page covers ACT specific rules. For how the unregistered vehicle offence compares across every state and territory, see unregistered vehicles in Australia, or return to the Australian driving laws hub.

The Offence: Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Act 1999 (ACT) Section 18

Section 18, Prohibition on using unregistered registrable vehicles or vehicles with suspended registration, sets a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units, which is $3,200 for an individual at the ACT penalty unit value of $160 (Legislation Act 2001 section 133). The Road Transport (Offences) Regulation 2005 sets an on-the-spot infringement penalty of $750 for this offence. The current republication of the Act, R26, took effect 11 May 2022.

The 15 Day Exemption Is for Parking, Not Driving

Section 18(3) creates a narrow 15 day exemption. It applies only to a registrable vehicle left parked on a road or road related area within 15 days after the vehicle stops being registered or exempted, or after its registration is suspended, or where the area's responsible person has given permission. Section 18(3) gives no exemption for actually driving or using an unregistered vehicle. Access Canberra's own renewal guidance confirms this reading: even where registration expired less than 12 months ago and can still be renewed rather than re-established, an unregistered vehicle permit is required to drive the vehicle at all, including for a trip to a required roadworthy inspection.

Driving Without CTP Cover Is a Separate, Higher Penalty Offence

The ACT's compulsory third party equivalent changed law in 2020. The Road Transport (Third Party Insurance) Act 2008 (ACT) was repealed by Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 (ACT) section 615(1), effective 1 February 2020, so the 2008 Act is no longer the current law. The uninsured vehicle offence now sits in Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 (ACT) section 289, Offence, use uninsured motor vehicle on road or road related area, which applies to using, or permitting or allowing the use of, a motor vehicle on a road or road related area that is not an insured motor vehicle. The maximum penalty is 50 penalty units ($8,000 for an individual). The Road Transport (Offences) Regulation 2005 sets no infringement penalty for this offence, so it is dealt with in court. Exceptions apply where an unregistered vehicle permit is in force, where the vehicle is exempt from registration under Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2000 part 2.2, where a regulation provides an exemption, or where the vehicle is Territory or Commonwealth owned; a reasonable belief that the vehicle was insured is also a defence.

Section 289 does not combine, subsume, or cap its penalty jointly with section 18's unregistered vehicle offence. The two are separate offences under separate Acts, each with its own independently stated maximum, 20 penalty units for section 18 and 50 penalty units for section 289, and both can be charged over the same conduct.

MAI cover has a 14 day period of grace (section 305). If registration is renewed within 14 days of expiry, the old insurer stays on risk until midnight on the renewal day, so the vehicle was insured for that gap. If it is renewed later, or not at all, the vehicle is uninsured from the expiry date. There is no period of grace after registration is cancelled or surrendered. The 15 day parking exemption and the 14 day insurance grace are different rules, and neither permits driving an unregistered vehicle. For CTP claims specifically, see motor accident compensation in the ACT.

Unregistered Vehicle Permits and the UVP Liability Contribution

An unregistered vehicle permit, issued under Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Act 1999 (ACT) section 7, lets a driver legally use a vehicle that is not registered, for example to reach a required roadworthy inspection. Under Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 (ACT) sections 332 and 333, an applicant for that permit must also pay a UVP liability contribution, an amount the Motor Accident Injuries Commission sets under its guidelines to help fund the nominal defendant's present and future liability for claims connected to unregistered vehicle permits. In practice this functions as a compulsory insurance style levy bundled into the permit application rather than a flat administrative fee. The Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Act requires this contribution in addition to any fee for the permit. Access Canberra's fees, correct as at 1 July 2026, each include a $32.10 permit fee and the MAI insurance component: for a private motor car, $45.50 for a day permit (up to 12 hours) or $52.30 for an unrestricted permit of up to 7 days. Day and unrestricted permits are for driving in the ACT only, and a 28 day unrestricted permit is possible in financial hardship after a roadworthy inspection at the Hume inspection station.

Registration Labels

Access Canberra's current registration pages make no mention of a physical registration label or sticker, consistent with registration now being checked electronically. No primary ACT Government source confirming an exact abolition date was located, so no specific year is stated here.

Trailers and Checking Rego Status

Trailers are registrable vehicles under section 18's general definition, and no trailer specific carve out was found in the offence provisions. A trailer does not need separate MAI cover while it is attached to an insured vehicle: the towing vehicle's policy covers it (Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 section 290(d)). Access Canberra also says an unregistered trailer attached to a registered vehicle needs no permit to travel to an inspection, but one that has failed a roadworthy inspection does. To check a vehicle's registration status, use Access Canberra's free online registration check by number plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the penalty for driving an unregistered vehicle in the ACT?

Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Act 1999 (ACT) section 18 sets a maximum penalty of 20 penalty units, $3,200 for an individual, for using an unregistered registrable vehicle, or one with suspended registration, on a road or road related area. The on-the-spot infringement penalty is $750.

Does the ACT's 15 day exemption let me keep driving an unregistered vehicle?

No. Section 18(3) only exempts a vehicle that is left parked within 15 days after registration stops or is suspended. It provides no exemption for actually driving an unregistered vehicle.

Can I be charged with both the unregistered vehicle offence and the uninsured vehicle offence in the ACT?

Yes. Section 18 of the Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Act 1999 and section 289 of the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 are separate offences with independent maximum penalties, 20 penalty units and 50 penalty units. However, if registration is renewed within 14 days of expiry, the vehicle is treated as insured for that gap (Motor Accident Injuries Act section 305), so only the section 18 offence would apply.

Is the Road Transport (Third Party Insurance) Act 2008 still the ACT's CTP law?

No. It was repealed effective 1 February 2020. The current uninsured vehicle offence and compulsory third party machinery are in the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 (ACT).

How much does an ACT unregistered vehicle permit cost?

As at 1 July 2026, a private car unregistered vehicle permit costs $45.50 for a day permit (up to 12 hours) or $52.30 for up to 7 days. Each fee combines a $32.10 permit fee with the UVP liability contribution required by Motor Accident Injuries Act 2019 sections 332 and 333. Day and 7 day permits are valid in the ACT only.