Road rules and road conditions

As the roads on Scotland Island are NSW gazetted roads, vehicles are permitted on the island. The road rules which pertain on the mainland, apply on the island. Vehicles must be registered.

Driving conditions on the island are different to most mainland conditions in the following ways:

  • island roads are shared by pedestrians and vehicles
  • the roads are only partially paved and are quite rugged in some places, so most vehicles are four-wheel drive
  • most roads are wide enough for only one vehicle and there are limited passing areas on the roads
  • other modes of transport, such as golf buggies and quad bikes, have also been used on the island, but in August 2023 TfNSW announced that they would not permit conditional registration of these vehicles. For more about the history of efforts to achieve conditional registration of buggies and other light vehicles, see  Traffic Management Plan).

Registration of vehicles

All vehicles on the island must be registered. However, vehicles do not have to be taken to the mainland for a pink slip. The Fire Station is a registered inspection centre, and the pink slips given on the annual inspection day are valid for a full year to allow for varying registration expiry dates.  Renewals must be taken to the RMS office at Warriewood Square.

Inspection day is scheduled for June-July every year and residents are advised through the Pittwater Offshore Newsletter (the PON) and through SIRA Communications. Residents must present their cars for inspection at the fireshed and pay a fee. They then file the pink slip until their car’s registration is due.

* Golf buggies and quad bikes etc cannot currently be registered.

Community Vehicle

Click for information about the on demand community vehicle service.