How to get your CRW

All commercial vehicles must complete and pass a Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness (CVR) test in order to get a certificate of roadworthiness (CRW).

Follow these steps:

1. First your vehicle must undergo a CVR test. You can request a test booking online now or alternatively contact a CVR testing centre directly to make a test booking.

2. Make sure you bring presenter ID to the testing centre in the form of a valid driver’s licence, passport or public services card. If you do not bring presenter ID, the testing centre can still carry out the CVR test on your vehicle. However, we cannot issue a CRW until you return to the testing centre with presenter ID.

3. When your vehicle has completed its CVR test, we will give you a report outlining the results of the test​. You will receive one of the following:

   • A pass statement, meaning that your vehicle has passed the CVR test. Unless you tell us the vehicle is undergoing a change of ownership we will automatically send the CRW to the registered owner of the vehicle. If you have any queries on not receiving your CRW in the post but you have received a pass statement, please email cvrtfinance@rsa.ie.

   • A test report advising you that your vehicle has failed the CVR test. The vehicle owner must get the vehicle repaired and re-present it for a CVR retest at the same testing centre within 21 days and it having travelled less than 4,000km. When your vehicle completes and passes the retest, we will automatically issue a CRW to the registered owner of the vehicle.

   • From 20 May 2018 you may receive​ a test report stating Pass pending recheck of minor deficiencies. This means that we identified only minor defects during the test. (We did not identify any major or dangerous defects).In this instance your vehicle does not require a retest. However, the vehicle owner must return with the vehicle to the testing centre where the original test was conducted to verify that the minor defects have been repaired.​​There is no time limit on re-presenting the vehicle for assessment that the minor defects have been ​repaired but we would encourage you to do so at the earliest possible date. We will automatically issue the CRW to the registered owner of the vehicle when the testing centre has confirmed that the minor defects have been repaired.

Your CRW is proof that your vehicle met a set of basic safety requirements on the day it passed its test. Only test items that are visible and accessible can be assessed at the CVRT. A CRW or EU Recognition Certificate cannot be regarded as a warranty for your vehicle. Therefore should you be considering purchasing a used vehicle, you should have it independently checked by a qualified mechanic before you purchase it, or else buy a vehicle with a warranty from an authorised dealer. Visit the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission website for further information.

Your CRW has a detachable disc that you are legally obliged to display on your vehicle. The disc must be displayed on the windscreen of the vehicle or in the case of a goods trailer, as close as possible to the registration plate or where it can be easily inspected.

Imported Vehicles - EU recognition certificate

If your vehicle has a valid roadworthiness certificate issued by another EU Member State , from 20 May 2018 you can have it exchanged for an Irish-issued EU recognition certificate. You must complete the roadworthiness certificate recognition application form (PDF)​ and send it to us at the following address

CRW Exchange
Road Safety Authority
Clonfert House
Bride Street
Loughrea Co. Galway

Once we have completed a few formalities and assuming that the certificate of roadworthiness from another EU Member State is valid, we will then send you an EU recognition certificate. Its expiry date will be aligned to the expiry date on the out-of-state certificate of roadworthiness.

Visit our mutual recognition of EU roadworthiness certificates page for further information.

Note: If your imported vehicle is over one year old and does not have a valid roadworthiness certificate issued by another EU Member State, you must get the vehicle tested at an authorised CVR testing centre by following the procedure outlined above in order to receive a CRW.