Is It Illegal to Drive With a Broken Side Mirror in Victoria?
By Duber, The Car Mirror Man · Car Mirrors Australia · Updated August 2026 · 12 min read
Short answer: yes, in practical terms. Victoria's roadworthiness requirements state plainly that a mirror's reflective surface must not be cracked or broken nor peeled, tarnished, discoloured or deteriorated to such an extent that its effectiveness is reduced [1]. A mirror in that state can attract a defect notice, and it will fail a roadworthy certificate.
In Melbourne? We can get you road-legal again the same day at your home or work, anywhere across the metro — see our full Melbourne mirror service.
This question gets asked in two very different situations. One is someone who has just been clipped and wants to know whether they can drive home. The other is someone who has been driving on a cracked mirror for months and has started to wonder. The answer is the same either way, and it is more clear-cut in Victoria than most people expect.
What the law actually requires
Two layers apply, and they say slightly different things.
Most drivers think about the first one. The one that actually decides whether your car is legal today is the second.
The exact wording, and why it matters
It is worth quoting, because it removes the ambiguity people assume exists.
Note what that covers beyond a crack. A mirror that has gone cloudy at the edges, one that has started to de-silver, and one that will no longer hold its adjustment are all named. So is a mirror that is loose in its mounting, even if the glass itself is perfect.
Cracked, missing, or hanging — three different problems
They are not treated the same, and the risk to you is not the same either.
| State | Legal position | What usually happens |
|---|---|---|
| Hairline crack | Grey. Depends whether effectiveness is reduced | Often passes on the road, fails a roadworthy |
| Shattered or spidered | Clearly non-compliant | Defect notice risk, certain roadworthy fail |
| Missing entirely | Non-compliant | Defect notice risk, and a genuine safety problem |
| Hanging or loose | Non-compliant on mounting | Defect notice risk, plus a hazard to other road users |
The pattern is consistent: the further from “securely mounted with an intact reflective surface” you are, the less discretion there is.
What a defect notice actually means in Victoria
This is the part that catches people out, because the consequence is not the fine.
Police or an authorised officer can issue a vehicle defect notice for a non-compliant mirror [2].
The defect label must not be removed by you.
The defect has to be cleared within the period stated on the notice, and a certificate of roadworthiness is the usual way to clear it [2].
If the defect is not cleared inside the window, registration can be suspended. That is the real cost, not the initial notice.
It will definitely fail a roadworthy
Separate from any question of being pulled over, a damaged mirror is an automatic problem at certificate time. A certificate of roadworthiness is required when a vehicle is sold or re-registered [3], and the mirror clause above is exactly what the tester is checking against.
Which means the least expensive moment to fix a mirror is before you book the inspection, not after you have paid for one and failed it.
Can you drive it home?
Almost always yes, and sensibly. There is a difference between driving a car with a damaged mirror to get it off the road, and continuing to drive it that way for weeks.
Nobody is suggesting you leave a car where it was hit. What matters is that the temporary state stays temporary.
The safety argument, which is the real one
The legal position is a floor, not the point. A side mirror is the only thing giving you a view of the lane beside you, and Melbourne asks a lot of that view.
On a tram route, a driver who cannot check the near side properly is guessing about cyclists and about passengers stepping off. That is a much better reason to fix it this week than a defect notice is.
How quickly it can actually be sorted
Faster than most people assume, which is why leaving it is such a poor trade.
One photo of the mirror tells us which part failed and what it costs.
Not a range. The number we quote is the number you pay.
Your driveway, your street, your work carpark. Anywhere across the Melbourne metro.
Fitted, function-checked, and road-legal again before you have finished your coffee.
There is no tow, no workshop booking and no day off work. For a job this size, that is most of the reason people put it off in the first place — and it is exactly what mobile removes.
Where drivers get the law wrong
Four beliefs we hear constantly, and what the standard actually says.
| What people believe | What is actually true |
|---|---|
| “Only the driver's side matters” | Both sides are required on any vehicle with internal rear vision obstruction [1] |
| “A crack is fine if you can still see” | The wording covers cracked or broken glass directly, not just loss of view [1] |
| “Tape is a legal temporary fix” | Tape does not restore the reflective surface. It fails a roadworthy |
| “It's only an issue if I'm pulled over” | It is also an automatic fail whenever the car next needs a certificate [3] |
The common thread is that people test the rule against whether they personally feel safe. The standard tests it against the condition of the mirror, which is a much simpler question to answer.
Interior mirror, exterior mirrors, and what covers what
Worth separating, because the requirements differ and so does who fixes them.
If your interior rear-view mirror has come off the windscreen, that is a glazing job rather than a mirror job. We do exterior side mirrors only.
Deterioration counts, not just breakage
This is the clause people miss entirely, and it catches a lot of older cars at roadworthy time.
De-silvering is the common one. The reflective backing lifts, usually starting at a corner, and the affected area stops reflecting properly. It looks like a stain and it behaves like a hole in your field of view.
It is also a glass-only job, from $135 fitted, which makes it one of the easier things to clear before an inspection.
What an officer is actually assessing
Not a tape measure. Three practical things, in about five seconds.
Cracked, shattered, missing or visibly deteriorated.
A mirror that moves when the door shuts, or hangs from its wiring.
A mirror that will not stay where it is set is non-compliant on adjustment [1].
The practical version of all three.
None of that requires an inspection pit, which is why a mirror is one of the few faults that gets noticed from outside a moving car.
The roadworthy timing question
A certificate of roadworthiness is generally required when a vehicle is sold or re-registered [3], and it is current for 30 days from issue. That creates a specific trap.
| When you fix the mirror | What it costs you |
|---|---|
| Before booking the inspection | The repair, from $135. Nothing else |
| After failing the inspection | The repair, plus the failed inspection, plus a re-check and another trip |
| After a defect notice | The repair, plus a full roadworthy, plus a deadline |
| Never | Registration suspension is on the table [2] |
The first row is the whole argument. A mirror is a two-minute thing to check yourself the week before you book.
If your car is a work vehicle
The stakes shift when the car is a ute on a site or a van doing deliveries across the metro.
For fleet vehicles the calculation is not close. The repair is smaller than a single hour of the van not moving.
What to do in the first hour after it breaks
A short, practical sequence, whether it was a carpark knock or a passing truck.
Two shots: one close, one showing the whole door. Do this before you move the car if you can.
Off the road and off the door sill. It is a hazard to cyclists more than to cars.
If it is swinging on the wiring, tape it against the door for the drive. That is a transport measure, not a repair.
Fixed number, and a time that fits your day.
If someone else caused it, that invoice is what you claim against.
The photograph is the step people skip and the one that matters most if there is a claim behind it.
The bottom line for Victorian drivers
Three sentences, and they cover the whole question.
A mirror that is intact, firmly mounted and holds its adjustment is legal. Anything else is a defect notice waiting to happen and a certain roadworthy fail — and the fix, on most cars, starts from $135 fitted at your door.
What Melbourne drivers tell us
Getting road-legal again is usually a much smaller job than people expect.
Every review quoted on this site is a real, verified customer review. We do not write them and we do not edit them.
Your rights if someone else broke it
Different question, and worth separating out. If another driver hit your parked car, the repair is a claim against them, not something you wear.
Get a written quote, photograph the damage before anything is touched, and keep the invoice. Consumer Affairs Victoria sets out how repair disputes work if it comes to that [7]. We do not bill insurers directly — you pay us, we give you a proper invoice, and you claim it back.
What we can do is give you the written quote in the format an insurer expects, which is usually what holds these up.
Every band above comes from our national price guide, which is the single source of truth for what we charge. If you want the full breakdown by part and by vehicle, read our side mirror replacement cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to drive with a cracked side mirror in Victoria?
In practical terms yes. Victoria's roadworthiness requirements state the reflective surface must not be cracked or broken, or deteriorated to the point its effectiveness is reduced [1].
Will I get a fine for a broken mirror?
More likely a vehicle defect notice than an on-the-spot fine. The notice requires you to fix the fault and have it cleared within the stated period, or registration can be suspended [2].
Can I drive home with a broken mirror?
Generally yes, carefully and by the shortest route. What you should not do is leave it that way for weeks, and you should not drive a mirror that is hanging off the door.
Will a broken mirror fail a roadworthy in Victoria?
Yes. The mirror clause in VSI 26 is exactly what the tester checks, so cracked, broken or deteriorated glass is a fail [1].
Is the passenger side mirror a legal requirement?
For most modern cars, yes. Vehicles subject to internal rear vision obstruction must have external mirrors on both sides [1], which covers the great majority of vehicles on Melbourne roads.
How long does clearing a defect notice take?
The repair itself is 30 to 60 minutes with us. The clearing process on top of that involves a roadworthy inspection and a deadline, which is why fixing the mirror first is far less work.
How much does it cost to fix?
Glass on its own starts from $135 fitted. A full unit depends on the car and its features. Send a photo and we will price it exactly.
Do you come out the same day?
Often, yes. We cover the whole Melbourne metro and most mirror jobs are booked within a day or two.
More on Melbourne mirrors
Based in Melbourne? These cover the rest of it.
Sources
- VSI 26 Roadworthiness requirements, full text (PDF) — rear vision mirror clause — cdn-nrspp-s3-aus.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/site
- Vehicle defect notices, VicRoads — www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/roadworthiness/vehicle-defect-notic
- Get a certificate of roadworthiness, VicRoads — www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/roadworthiness/get-a-certificate-of
- Australian Design Rule 14/02 — Rear Vision Mirrors, Federal Register of Legislation — www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2006L02663
- Australian Road Rules, National Transport Commission — www.ntc.gov.au/laws-and-regulations/australian-road-rules
- Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2021, Victorian Legislation — www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/road-safety-vehicles
- Maintenance and repairs — your rights, Consumer Affairs Victoria — www.consumer.vic.gov.au/consumers-and-businesses/cars/maintenance-and-re
- Rear-view mirror — mount types and history, Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear-view_mirror
Prices and information in this article are indicative only and reflect real quoted jobs at the time of publication. Costs vary with vehicle, part availability and features. Send a photo for an exact fixed price.
