Motor Vehicle Dealers & Repairers

This licence is required to conduct a business which involves the buying, selling, dismantling or exchanging of new or second-hand motor vehicles.

Motor vehicles include cars, trailers, motorcycles, tractors and commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles are vehicles made especially to carry goods, ten or more passengers or for industrial or agricultural use. Tractors, dual cab and crew cab vehicles are commercial vehicles. Four-wheel drive vehicles with at least one forward facing rear passenger seat (unless they are dual cab or crew cab vehicles) are not commercial vehicles.

You will also require a licence if you intend to buy, sell or exchange motors, gearboxes and certain other types of parts or accessories.


Fair Trading uses GLS to administer the following classes of Motor Dealer Licence:

1) Auto-Dismantler
2) Car Market Operator
3) Dealer
4) Motor Vehicle Consultant
5) Motor Vehicle Parts Reconstructor
6) Wholesaler

If you carry on the business of repairing motor vehicles then you must hold a repairer’s licence. This includes part-time work, mobile work and subcontractors and includes working in a partnership or as a company.

The following classes of Motor Vehicle Repairers Licences are issued to Businesses:

1) Automotive Electrician - Fixed Workshop
2) Automotive Electrician - Mobile Workshop
3) Body Maker
4) Brake Mechanic
5) Exhaust Repairer
6) Front End Specialist
7) Liquefied Petroleum Gas Mechanic
8) Motor Cycle Mechanic
9) Motor Mechanic Fixed Workshop
10) Motor Mechanic Mobile Workshop
11) Natural Gas Mechanic
12) Panelbeater
13) Radiator Repairer
14) Transmission Specialist
15) Vehicle Painter - Fixed Workshop
16) Vehicle Painter - Mobile Workshop

Anyone who does motor vehicle repair work in a motor vehicle repair business, including the owner of that business must hold a tradesperson’s certificate for the class or classes of repair work being performed.

Anyone who does repair work and is employed by a commercial vehicle owner is also required to be certificated.

Apprentices and trainees do not need to be certificated, but can only do repair work as part of their apprenticeship or traineeship and under the supervision of a certificated tradesperson.

The following classes of Motor Vehicle Tradespersons Certificates are issued to tradespersons:

1) Automotive Electrician
2) Body Maker
3) Brake Mechanic
4) Exhaust Repairer
5) Front End Specialist
6) Motor Cycle Mechanic
7) Motor Mechanic
8) Panelbeater
9) Radiator Repairer
10) Transmission Specialist
11) Vehicle Painter
12) Liquefied Petroleum Gas Mechanic
13) Natural Gas Mechanic