Short answer: decals on the body of a car or ute are fine anywhere in Australia. Glass and number plates are where the rules are. Doors, tailgates, toolboxes, bumpers and canopies can carry as much vinyl as you like. The windscreen, the front side windows and the plates are the places to be careful, because the law protects the driver's view and the plate's readability.
This guide sets out where decals can and cannot go, where the states differ, and what to check before you put a business name or a slogan on a work ute.
Can I put a sticker on my windscreen?
Only in a narrow band at the top. Across Australia, a tinted or shaded band is allowed across the top of the windscreen, generally the top 10% of the glass or the area above the wiper sweep. That is where registration labels, toll tags, parking permits and service stickers belong.
Below that band, keep the glass clear. Anything that obstructs the driver's view of the road can earn a defect notice, and in-car sensors and cameras mounted behind the windscreen must not be covered either.
What about the side windows?
Front side windows: keep them clear. Across Australia, the front side windows (beside the driver and front passenger) must let through at least 35% of visible light, and they are how the driver sees the side mirrors. An opaque sticker blocks all of the light where it sits, so these windows are not the place for a decal.
Rear side windows and the rear window can be darker: tint and film down to 20% light transmission in most states, and 15% in the Northern Territory, provided the vehicle has a rear-view mirror on each side. Small stickers in a corner of the rear window are common and generally fine on a vehicle with mirrors on both sides. For a decal that covers most of the rear window, the usual solution is perforated "one-way vision" film, which is treated like tint and has to meet the same light transmission limits.
| Window | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| Windscreen | Top band only (roughly the top 10%), for labels, tags and permits |
| Front side windows | Keep clear; at least 35% light transmission everywhere |
| Rear side windows | Tint to 20% (15% in the NT) with mirrors on both sides |
| Rear window | Small stickers generally fine with mirrors on both sides; large graphics as perforated film |
The details and the enforcement differ from state to state. Before you cover any glass, check your state's page:
- NSW: Transport for NSW window and tint guide
- Victoria: Transport Victoria window tinting
- South Australia: window tinting
- Western Australia: window tinting bulletin (PDF)
- Northern Territory: vehicle window tinting (PDF)
Can I put a sticker on or around my number plate?
No. In every state and territory it is an offence to drive with a number plate that is obscured, defaced or hard to read. That includes stickers on the plate, plate surrounds that cover any characters, and tinted or reflective plate covers. The plate has to stay readable from a distance, both by people and by traffic cameras, and the fines and demerit points are real.
If you want a logo near the plate, put it on the bumper or tailgate instead. A plate surround is only safe if it covers none of the plate's characters.
Are there rules about what a decal says?
In Queensland there are. If Ad Standards upholds a complaint that advertising on a vehicle is offensive, the Department of Transport and Main Roads can direct the owner to remove it, and cancel the registration if it is not removed within 14 days. The scheme sits in the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 and was aimed at slogans on hire campervans, but it applies to any vehicle registered in Queensland.
Elsewhere, the sensible rule is the same one: a work ute is a moving billboard for your business, so keep it to something you would be happy for a customer's kids to read. And avoid anything that could be mistaken for police, ambulance or other emergency-service markings.
Does a work ute need signage?
Generally no. Most trades and businesses are not required to sign their vehicles, although some industries and some licensing schemes have their own rules. It is usually a marketing choice rather than a legal one, and a good one: a clearly signed ute gets seen in every car park and on every job.
For signage that people can read on the road:
- Business name big, everything else small. A name and a phone number read at a glance; a list of services does not.
- Size for distance. A 6 x 24cm bumper sticker suits a name or website on a tailgate. For a door or a canopy, 15cm and up.
- Put it on the body, not the glass. Doors, tailgate, toolbox and canopy sides avoid every window rule above.
Will vinyl survive on a car?
Every decal we print is vinyl with a protective laminate, rated for up to five years outdoors, and made to handle sun, rain and regular washing. Horizontal surfaces like bonnets and roofs get the most sun, so expect decals there to age faster than on a vertical door panel. Our guide to how long vinyl lasts outdoors in Australia explains why.
Apply to clean, dry paintwork in the shade, not on a hot panel in full sun. Our guide to applying a vinyl decal without bubbles walks through the dry and wet methods.
Ready to order?
For cars and utes, start with bumper stickers for names and slogans, die cut stickers for logos, or custom shape stickers. We check every file free of charge, print in Sydney within 1–2 business days, and ship free Australia-wide.
This guide is general information, current at the time of writing, and not legal advice. Road rules and vehicle standards are set by each state and territory; if you are unsure, check with your state transport agency before applying anything to glass.
