If you own or operate a commercial truck in South Africa, the roadworthy certificate isn't optional — it's the law. And yet, every week, trucks are impounded at weighbridges and roadblocks across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal because their owners didn't know exactly what the test covers, or left maintenance too late.

At Boschies CC in Jet Park, Gauteng, we've been preparing trucks for roadworthy inspections for over 30 years. We've seen every failure point there is. This guide gives you the complete picture — what gets checked, what causes failures, and how to make sure your truck passes first time.

What Is a Roadworthy Certificate and Why Does It Matter?

A roadworthy certificate (also called a Certificate of Roadworthiness or CoR) is an official document issued by an accredited Vehicle Testing Station (VTS) confirming that a vehicle meets the minimum safety standards required by South African law under the National Road Traffic Act (Act 93 of 1996).

For commercial trucks, a valid roadworthy certificate is required:

• When renewing your vehicle licence (licence disc)
• When transferring ownership of a vehicle
• When a vehicle is older than a certain age (varies by province)
• When a traffic officer or law enforcement authority demands one
• After a vehicle has been involved in an accident
• After major repairs or modifications to the vehicle

Operating a commercial truck without a valid roadworthy certificate exposes you to fines, impoundment, and — critically — insurance voidance. If your truck is involved in an accident while unroadworthy, your insurer may refuse to pay out. That's a risk no business can afford.

Where Do You Get a Roadworthy Test in Gauteng?

Roadworthy tests for commercial vehicles must be conducted at an accredited Vehicle Testing Station (VTS) registered with the relevant provincial authority. In Gauteng, these include:

• Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality testing stations (serving the East Rand, including Boksburg, Germiston, Jet Park, Benoni)
• City of Johannesburg testing stations
• Tshwane (Pretoria) testing stations
• Private accredited testing stations (increasingly common for commercial vehicles)

For trucks based in the Jet Park and Boksburg area, the Ekurhuleni testing stations are the most convenient. Book in advance — commercial vehicle queues can be long, especially at month-end.

What Does the Roadworthy Test Check on a Commercial Truck?

The roadworthy inspection for commercial vehicles is significantly more thorough than for passenger cars. Here's what inspectors check:

1. Braking System

This is the most critical safety system on any truck and receives the most scrutiny. Inspectors check:

• Service brake efficiency — the truck must achieve a minimum braking force as a percentage of its gross vehicle mass (GVM)
• Parking brake efficiency — must hold the vehicle stationary on a gradient
• Air brake system integrity — no leaks, correct pressure build-up time, functioning low-pressure warning
• Brake balance — braking force must be reasonably equal across all axles to prevent jackknifing
• Brake drum and disc condition, pad/lining thickness

Common failure point: Air leaks in brake lines and fittings. These develop gradually and are easy to miss until the pressure gauge tells you otherwise. Check your air pressure build-up time regularly — it should reach operating pressure within a set time from cold start.

2. Lights & Electrical

Every light on the vehicle must function correctly:

• Headlights (main beam and dipped beam) — correct aim, no cracked lenses
• Tail lights, brake lights, and reverse lights
• Indicator lights (front, rear, and side repeaters)
• Hazard lights
• Marker lights (mandatory on vehicles over a certain width)
• Number plate light
• Reflectors (rear and side)

Common failure point: Blown bulbs and cracked lenses are the most frequent light failures. Do a full walk-around light check before every roadworthy appointment. Marker lights on older trucks often corrode and fail — replace them proactively.

3. Steering System

Inspectors check for excessive play in the steering wheel, worn kingpins, worn tie rod ends, and the condition of the steering box or rack. A truck with sloppy steering is a danger to everyone on the road.

Common failure point: Worn kingpins are extremely common on high-mileage trucks. They're not expensive to replace but are often neglected. If your steering wheel has more than about 30mm of free play before the wheels start to turn, you likely have worn kingpins or tie rod ends.

4. Tyres & Wheels

• Minimum tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, but 3mm+ is recommended for safety)
• No exposed cords, cuts, or bulges in the sidewall
• Correct tyre size for the vehicle's rated axle loads
• No mismatched tyre sizes on the same axle
• Wheel nuts present and correctly torqued
• No cracked or bent rims

Common failure point: Sidewall damage from kerbing and pothole impacts is very common on South African roads. Inspect sidewalls carefully — a bulge in the sidewall is a tyre that can blow out at any time and will fail the inspection immediately.

5. Suspension

Inspectors check leaf springs for broken or cracked leaves, U-bolts for tightness, shock absorbers for leaks and function, and spring hangers for wear or cracking. Suspension failures on a loaded truck can be catastrophic.

Common failure point: Broken leaf spring leaves are surprisingly common and often go unnoticed until the vehicle sits noticeably lower on one side. Check your springs visually every service.

6. Chassis & Body

• Chassis rails must be free of cracks, unauthorised welds, or severe corrosion
• Body mounting must be secure — no loose or missing body bolts
• Tipper bodies: hydraulic system must function correctly, safety prop must be present and functional
• Dropside bodies: all hinges and latches must be secure
• Fuel tanks must be securely mounted with no leaks

7. Windscreen & Wipers

The windscreen must be free of cracks in the driver's line of sight. Wiper blades must clear the windscreen effectively. Washer fluid system must work. These seem minor but are checked and can cause a failure.

8. Exhaust System

The exhaust must be complete, properly mounted, and not leaking into the cab. Excessive smoke (black, blue, or white) will be noted and can result in a failure, particularly as emission standards tighten.

9. Mirrors

All required mirrors must be present, correctly positioned, and undamaged. Commercial trucks require specific mirror configurations — check the NRTA regulations for your vehicle class.

10. Speedometer

The speedometer must be functional and accurate. On older trucks with mechanical speedometers, cable wear can cause erratic readings — replace the cable if the needle bounces.

How to Prepare Your Truck for a Roadworthy Test

Don't arrive at the testing station hoping for the best. Here's a systematic pre-inspection checklist to run through at least two weeks before your appointment — giving you time to fix anything that needs attention:

Two Weeks Before

• Book a full service if you're within 5,000 km of your service interval
• Have the brakes professionally inspected and adjusted
• Check all fluid levels: engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, gearbox oil, diff oil
• Inspect all tyres for tread depth, sidewall condition, and correct inflation
• Check wheel nut torque on all positions

One Week Before

• Do a full walk-around light check — replace any blown bulbs immediately
• Test all indicators, hazards, brake lights, and reverse lights
• Check wiper blades and washer fluid
• Inspect mirrors for damage or missing units
• Check the windscreen for cracks in the driver's line of sight

Day Before

• Check tyre pressures cold
• Ensure the vehicle is clean — inspectors can't check what they can't see
• Confirm all documentation is in order: registration papers, previous roadworthy certificate, service records
• Check that the safety prop (on tippers) is present and functional

What Happens If Your Truck Fails?

If your truck fails the roadworthy inspection, you'll receive a rejection notice listing the specific items that failed. You then have a set period (typically 21 days) to have the defects repaired and return for a re-inspection.

During this period, the vehicle should not be operated on public roads — operating a vehicle that has failed a roadworthy inspection is a criminal offence under the NRTA.

Re-inspection fees vary by testing station and province. In Gauteng, expect to pay a re-inspection fee for each return visit.

Roadworthy Certificates When Buying a Second Hand Truck

When purchasing a second hand truck, always insist on a current roadworthy certificate — ideally issued within the last 30 days. A certificate that's several months old tells you the vehicle was roadworthy then, not now.

At Boschies CC, every truck we sell is either sold with a current roadworthy certificate or the price reflects the cost of obtaining one. We don't hide compliance issues — we deal with them upfront. That's been our approach for over 30 years.

If a private seller is reluctant to provide a current roadworthy certificate, treat it as a serious red flag. The cost of the items that failed the inspection is almost certainly being hidden in the "good deal" price.

Keeping Your Fleet Compliant Year-Round

For fleet operators, managing roadworthy certificate expiry dates across multiple vehicles is a real administrative challenge. Here's a simple system that works:

• Stagger your renewals — don't let all your certificates expire in the same month. Spread them across the year so you're never scrambling to get multiple trucks through testing simultaneously.
• Set calendar reminders 60 days before expiry — this gives you time to service the vehicle, fix any issues, and book the test without rushing.
• Keep a maintenance log per vehicle — a simple spreadsheet tracking service dates, tyre replacements, brake work, and light replacements makes pre-inspection preparation much faster.
• Build roadworthy costs into your operating budget — treat it as a fixed cost, not a surprise. A well-maintained truck should cost R2,000–R5,000 to prepare for roadworthy. A neglected one can cost R20,000+.

The Bottom Line

A roadworthy certificate isn't just a bureaucratic requirement — it's proof that your truck is safe to operate on South African roads. Failing to maintain compliance doesn't just risk fines and impoundment; it risks lives, contracts, and your entire business.

The good news is that keeping a well-maintained truck roadworthy is not expensive or complicated. It requires consistent servicing, regular visual inspections, and dealing with small issues before they become big ones.

At Boschies CC in Jet Park, Gauteng, we stock 278+ second hand trucks that have been evaluated by our experienced team. We're happy to advise on compliance requirements for any vehicle in our yard — and we can point you toward trusted service providers in the East Rand area for pre-roadworthy preparation.

Call Gerrie on 083 276 0810, visit us at 39 Bisset Street, Jet Park, or browse our full inventory online. We're here to help you keep your trucks legal, safe, and earning.