How to qualify to be a motor vehicle repairer
To be a certified motor vehicle repairer, applicants must demonstrate they are sufficiently qualified in each class of repair work for which they are applying. The methods for qualifying for certification are outlined below.
Formal qualification and training
The qualifications a person must have completed in order to be deemed ‘sufficiently qualified’ in a particular class of repair work are set out in Regulation 8 of the Motor Vehicle Repairers Regulations. Please refer to the classes of motor vehicle repair work page for the associated prescribed qualifications.
The prescribed qualifications can be achieved by completing an apprenticeship, or other relevant training, through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) eg. Institute of Technology (TAFE).
As the names of the training packages, as well as the individual certificates, have changed over the years, if you hold a qualification which supersedes those prescribed by the Regulations for a particular class of repair work, your application can still be considered.
If you completed an Australian apprenticeship prior to 1999, you would have received a Trade Certificate in the trade you completed eg. “Trade Certificate in Motor Mechanics”. You may have also been issued a Certificate of Trade Studies for completing the theory component of your apprenticeship eg. “Certificate of Trade Studies Automotive Mechanical”. These certificates can still be considered as long as they are directly relevant to the class of repair work for which you are applying.
If you have lost your Western Australian trade certificate you may be able to obtain an “Extract of Apprenticeship Record” by contacting the Apprenticeship Office on 13 19 54 or email.
Third Party Skills Assessment/Certification test
If you do not hold a prescribed qualification for a particular class of repair work you can complete a third party skills assessment. Depending on the third party assessor, a report may be sent directly to Consumer Protection at the completion of the test.
The tests can be conducted by the following organisations. Please contact them for the costs of the assessment.
| Organisation | Area in which test can be taken | Contact details |
|---|---|---|
| MTA WA Training (classes: TFW and WSS) | Across WA (additional fees may apply for remote areas) | (08) 9233 9800 |
| Cartec Training Solutions (classes: LVW, UNW and WSS) | Perth, South West region (will travel to other regions at extra cost) | 1300 767 454 |
| Institute of Automotive Mechanical Engineers (IAME) (classes: ACW, BBW, BRW, CSW, EAF, ELW, ERW, GLW, HVS, HVW, LVS, LVW, MAF, MCS, MCW, PAW, PBW, TRI, UNW and WSS) | Perth, Albany, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Port Hedland, Broome, Bunbury | (08) 9478 1642 email |
| Tom Price and Sons (classes: ACW, BBW, BRW, CSW, EAF, ELW, ERW, GLW, HVS, HVW, LVS, LVW, MAF, MCS, MCW, PAW, PBW, TRI, UNW and WSS) | South West region (will travel to other regions at extra cost) | (08) 9726 0812 email |
| North Regional TAFE (classes: ACW, BBW, BRW, CSW, EAF, ELW, ERW, GLW, HVS, HVW, LVS, LVW, MAF, MCS, MCW, PAW, PBW, TRI, UNW and WSS) | Karratha, Roebourne, South Hedland, Pundulmurra, Tom Price, Newman, Pannawonica, Paraburdoo, Jigalong, Onslow | 1300 304 244 |
If you are a registered training organisation and would like become an accepted third party assessor, please contact the licensing branch by email for further information.
Overseas qualifications
You may be able to have an overseas qualification assessed by Trades Recognition Australia or an RTO. In most cases a New Zealand qualification will be assessed as fully equivalent to a qualification obtained in Australia.
An applicant who holds a recognised prescribed Certificate II or Certificate III issued by Trades Recognition Australia or an RTO, or an Australian Recognised Trade Certificate, after assessment of an overseas qualification may be considered ‘sufficiently qualified’ in the relevant class of repair work.
Alternatively, an applicant who has undertaken a migration skills assessment with Trades Recognition Australia and holds a ’classification letter’ which identifies the trade occupation for which they have been approved for migration may be considered ‘sufficiently’ qualified in the relevant class of repair work.
Please contact the Department of Training and Workforce Development on 08 6551 5000 or email for details of the RTO that can best assess your qualification.
Approved in-house training
If you have completed in-house training with your employer, which has been approved by the Commissioner for Consumer Protection as sufficient for the purposes of demonstrating that you are ‘sufficiently qualified’ in a particular class of repair work, you may also supply evidence of your completion of the appropriate training.
