Green Slip vs Pink Slip vs Blue Slip in NSW Explained

NSW has three slips with three colours, and they're easy to mix up. Only one of them is insurance. The green slip is your compulsory third party (CTP) policy. The pink and blue slips are both vehicle inspections, used in different situations. This guide sorts out which is which, who needs each one, and how they fit around your rego. We checked the details against NSW Government, Service NSW and SIRA pages on 30 October 2026.

GreenSlipInsurance.com.au is a general information site operated by Dominet BV. This page is general information only and is not financial, legal or insurance advice. It does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. We are not an insurer or broker, we don't sell green slips and we don't recommend any insurer. SIRA (the State Insurance Regulatory Authority) is the official source of green slip information in NSW, so check its website or your insurer before you act. Facts were checked on 30 October 2026. Read our general information notice. Inspection fees are set by inspection stations and Transport for NSW, so we don't quote them.

The three slips at a glance

The simple way to remember it: green is insurance, pink and blue are inspections. Having one never replaces another you also need.

Green slip: the insurance

A green slip is CTP insurance. SIRA's compulsory Green Slip insurance page (updated 17 April 2025) says it covers your liability for injuries or death caused to other people by your vehicle. Under the current scheme it also gives drivers and third parties some cover regardless of fault, unless the driver is charged with a serious driving offence.

It doesn't cover damage to cars or property. That's what third party property and comprehensive policies are for, as our cover types guide explains.

You buy a green slip from any of the six licensed CTP insurers. It's generally for 12 or 6 months, and the term must match the registration term. The insurer sends your CTP details to Transport for NSW electronically, so there's no paper to carry. SIRA notes the cover isn't valid until the vehicle is registered.

Some vehicles don't need a separate green slip. The NSW Government says CTP is included in the registration of trailers, caravans and conditionally registered vehicles. That doesn't excuse them from inspections, though. A caravan can need a pink slip even with no green slip.

Pink slip: the yearly safety check

A pink slip is a safety inspection report. The NSW Government's safety checks and vehicle inspections page says most light vehicles more than 5 years old need one each year to renew their rego.

The 5 years are counted from the month and year on the vehicle's compliance plate, or for imported vehicles, from the month and year of manufacture. So it's the vehicle's age that counts, not how long you've owned it. Your renewal notice tells you if an inspection is needed this time.

Light vehicles include passenger cars, motorcycles, goods vehicles up to 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass without power-operated brakes, and trailers and caravans up to 4.5 tonnes aggregate trailer mass, among others.

Exemptions include caravans with a tare weight under 411 kg, unbraked trailers with a tare weight under 251 kg, and some plant vehicles, conditionally registered vehicles and historic vehicles.

Getting one

• Only an Authorised Inspection Scheme station can do a pink slip. Stations display AIS signs at the front showing which checks they can do.
• Mobile pink slip providers can come to you. The NSW Government says the pink slip fee is the same, but a call-out fee may apply.
• The station sends the result to Transport for NSW electronically.
• A NSW report is valid for 6 months, so you need to renew within that time for it to count.

If the vehicle fails

You'll need to fix the problems before you can renew. If you do the repairs within 14 days and go back to the same station, the reassessment has no extra inspection fee. After 14 days, you pay for another inspection.

Heavy vehicles are different. Their inspections are done at a Heavy Vehicle Authorised Inspection Station or by Transport for NSW, and the renewal notice says which one applies.

Blue slip: the unregistered vehicle inspection

A blue slip is the old name for an inspection under the Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Scheme (AUVIS). The NSW Government says it checks that a vehicle meets safety requirements and design and identity standards.

You must get one if the vehicle:

• has had its registration expired for more than 3 months
• has been brought into NSW from another state, territory or country
• has no number plate
• is a write-off approved for re-registration

It may also be needed after major changes to the vehicle's records, such as a new engine, and for clearing some defect notices.

A brand new vehicle that's never been registered usually doesn't need one if a copy of its Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV) entry is provided or a dealer registers it.

AUVIS reports are valid for 42 days from the date of inspection. That's a short window, so it helps to have your green slip and paperwork lined up before booking.

How they fit together at renewal

For an ordinary renewal of a car more than 5 years old, the order usually looks like this:

1. Your renewal notice arrives, 4 to 6 weeks before the due date, and says a pink slip is needed.
2. You buy the green slip from a licensed CTP insurer.
3. You get the pink slip from an AIS station.
4. Both results reach Transport for NSW electronically, and you renew the rego with Service NSW.

Steps 2 and 3 can be done in either order. Our green slip renewal guide has the full timing rules.

How they fit together when registering again

For a vehicle that's been off the road for more than 3 months, or one coming from interstate, it's a blue slip plus a green slip instead. Service NSW's interstate vehicle page (last published 8 May 2025) lists NSW CTP and an AUVIS report issued no more than 42 days earlier among the requirements. Our guide to unregistered, new and interstate vehicles walks through it.

What this means for you

Check your renewal notice first. It tells you whether you need a pink slip. If you do, book an AIS station within the 6 month window, and allow time in case repairs are needed. Buy the green slip separately from an insurer.

If the vehicle has been unregistered for more than 3 months, has come from another state, or has no plates, think blue slip, not pink, and keep the 42 day validity in mind.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a green slip and a pink slip?

A green slip is CTP insurance from an insurer. A pink slip is a safety inspection report from an authorised inspection station. They do different jobs and you may need both to renew.

Do I need a pink slip every year?

Most light vehicles more than 5 years old need one each year to renew rego, counted from the compliance plate date. Your renewal notice tells you.

How long is a pink slip valid?

A NSW pink slip is valid for 6 months. You need to renew the rego within that time.

When do I need a blue slip instead of a pink slip?

When the rego has been expired for more than 3 months, the vehicle has come from interstate or overseas, it has no plates, or it's a write-off approved for re-registration.

Does a caravan or trailer need a green slip?

Not a separate one. The NSW Government says CTP is included in the registration of trailers, caravans and conditionally registered vehicles. Some may still need a pink slip.