Buying a used car: checks, transfer of registration and duty

One step applies everywhere in Australia when you buy a used car: search the PPSR for A$2 using the VIN to check whether the car has money owing on it, or has been stolen or written off. Everything else depends on the state. The buyer must transfer the registration within 14 days and pay a transfer fee and vehicle duty (stamp duty). In VIC the seller must provide a roadworthy certificate, in QLD the seller must provide a safety certificate, and in NSW a private sale with current registration does not need an inspection certificate. Buying from a licensed dealer gives you a statutory warranty; buying privately gives you almost none. This page covers NSW, VIC and QLD.

Key facts

Nationwide: PPSR car search

Search at ppsr.gov.au using the car's VIN or chassis number (not the number plate or engine number). An online search costs A$2 and gives you a search certificate as legal proof. It shows whether there is a registered security interest on the car (meaning money may be owing on it, and it could be repossessed even after you have paid), and whether it has been recorded as written off or stolen (from NEVDIS data supplied by state road authorities and police, which may not be complete; cars registered in TAS must also be checked with Transport Tasmania). It does not show how much is owing, the owner or the car's history, odometer readings or unpaid fines. Search on the day you buy or the day before, so that a certificate showing no security interest protects you later. A car from a licensed dealer is unlikely to be repossessed, but you can still check.¹

NSW: dealer guarantee

If you buy a used car (including a demonstrator) from a licensed dealer and it is less than 10 years old with fewer than 160,000 km, you get a dealer guarantee under the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013: the car has no money owing, you get clear title, the dealer is responsible for defects that appear after purchase, and you can claim on a compensation fund. It lasts 3 months or 5,000 km, whichever comes first. The consumer guarantees in the Australian Consumer Law also apply and cannot be excluded.³

NSW: transfer

The buyer must transfer the registration within 14 days of getting the car, or pay a late transfer fee. Once the seller has submitted a Notice of Disposal online, you can transfer online with your MyServiceNSW account, entering the purchase date and the purchase price or market value (whichever is higher). If you bought interstate or from a dealer, or the registration expired more than 3 months ago, go to a Service NSW service centre. Transferring a current NSW registration does not need a safety inspection report (pink slip). CTP insurance (green slip) transfers to you automatically with the registration.⁴

NSW: transfer fee

A$42 if you transfer within 14 days of getting the car; A$193 after 14 days. Vehicle tax, registration fees and stamp duty may also apply.⁵

NSW: motor vehicle duty (stamp duty)

For a passenger car valued up to A$44,999, A$3 for every A$100; A$45,000 and over, A$1,350 plus A$5 for every A$100 (motorcycles, buses for 9 or more people, hearses and vehicles for people with disability are excluded). It is calculated on the purchase price or market value (including GST), whichever is higher, and collected by Service NSW on behalf of Revenue NSW when you transfer.⁶

VIC: what you pay on a private transfer

For most private transfers, the new owner pays a transfer fee and motor vehicle duty (MVD), and must provide a roadworthy certificate (RWC); you pay VicRoads at the time of transfer. The private transfer fee for a motor vehicle is A$47.50 (A$7.60 for motorcycles and trailers; A$24.20 for a motor vehicle transfer done by a dealer).⁷

VIC: roadworthy certificate (RWC)

Needed to sell a car, re-register it or clear certain defect notices. A licensed vehicle tester checks the tyres, steering, suspension, brakes, seats and seatbelts, lights, windscreen and body structure, and issues the certificate. It is valid for 30 days from issue and can be used for registration or transfer within those 30 days. It only means the car is safe to drive on that day: it does not mean the car is mechanically reliable, and it does not check non-safety items such as air conditioning, so get an independent inspection to learn about the car's condition. The fee depends on the car's age, type and condition, so ask the tester for a quote first. If the car fails, you can have it fixed and re-tested within 14 days; after 14 days you pay for a full new test.⁸

VIC: buying privately and the 14 days

Before buying, use the free VicRoads registration check to confirm the car's details, and ask the seller to show in myVicRoads that the car is registered in their name. On handover, the seller gives you the RWC (valid 30 days) and submits a Notice of Disposal in myVicRoads to start the transfer; you then log in, pay the transfer fee and MVD and complete it. If the seller has not started it, you can select 'I've bought a new vehicle' to prompt them; if you hear nothing from VicRoads within 14 days, contact VicRoads. A car bought interstate cannot simply be transferred: it must be registered again in VIC, and you may need an unregistered vehicle permit from the other state to drive it home.⁹

VIC: pay duty within 14 days

If you buy a registered car privately, you must transfer it and pay motor vehicle duty directly to VicRoads within 14 days of purchase; if you are late you may receive an assessment notice. If you buy from a dealer, you pay the duty to the dealer, who passes it on. The dutiable value is the purchase price (including GST and luxury car tax) or the market value at registration or transfer, whichever is higher, rounded up to the nearest A$200.¹⁵

VIC: motor vehicle duty rates (from 1 July 2026)

For an ordinary passenger car: dutiable value up to A$80,809, A$8.40 for every A$200 (or part of A$200); A$80,809.01 to A$100,000, A$10.40 per A$200; A$100,000.01 to A$150,000, A$14.00 per A$200; over A$150,000, A$18.00 per A$200. Green passenger cars (CO2 emissions of no more than 120 g/km, including fully electric cars) and used non-passenger vehicles (utes, vehicles for 8 or more people and so on) pay A$8.40 per A$200 on the whole value. The dutiable value is the purchase price (including GST) or market value, whichever is higher, rounded up to the nearest A$200.¹⁰

QLD: transfer

The registration must be transferred within 14 days of the car changing hands. The buyer pays the transfer fee and vehicle registration duty; the seller pays nothing. You can do it online (the seller first transfers the car out online, then the buyer completes it online and pays; cars with personalised plates, gas systems and some other cases must be done at a service centre), or both of you fill in the vehicle registration transfer application (form F3520) and the buyer takes Part A, the safety certificate and proof of identity to a transport and motoring service centre. The seller must give the buyer a current Queensland safety certificate (or certificate of inspection), and for a car with a gas system a gas certificate issued no more than 3 months earlier. A car under SPER enforcement action cannot be transferred.¹¹

QLD: safety certificate

Only an approved inspection station (AIS) can issue one. A private seller's certificate is valid for 2 months or 2,000 km from issue; a licensed dealer's for 3 months or 1,000 km (whichever comes first). One certificate covers one transfer, so a new one is needed every time the car is sold. A certificate is no longer required before advertising, but it must be obtained before the car is transferred to a non-dealer: transferring without a current certificate can be fined A$700 or more, and without one the buyer cannot transfer the registration into their name. Inspection fees (from 1 July 2026): motor vehicles under 4,500 kg A$102.70, motorcycles A$66.00. It only covers basic safety items and is not a full mechanical inspection.¹²

QLD: vehicle registration duty rates (light vehicles up to 4.5 tonnes)

Calculated on the dutiable value (purchase price or market value, whichever is higher): hybrid or electric vehicles, A$2 per A$100 (or part) up to A$100,000, and A$4 per A$100 on the part above A$100,000; 1–4 cylinders, A$3 / A$5; 5–6 cylinders, A$3.50 / A$5.50; 7 or more cylinders, A$4 / A$6. No duty is charged on transfers of trailers, caravans and mobility scooters for people with disability.¹³

QLD: dealer statutory warranty

If you buy a used car from a licensed dealer or licensed auctioneer: Class A (under 160,000 km on the day of sale and no more than 10 years old) has a 3-month or 5,000 km warranty; Class B (160,000 km or more, or more than 10 years old, since 1 September 2019) has a 1-month or 1,000 km warranty, whichever comes first. Motorcycles, caravans, commercial vehicles, cars sold on consignment for a private owner and cars recorded as written off have no statutory warranty, and the dealer must say so clearly. Tyres, batteries, lights, paint and similar are not covered. If you find a defect during the warranty period, notify the dealer in writing; the dealer must reply within 5 days and repair it within 14 days. The consumer guarantees in the Australian Consumer Law also apply, even when there is no statutory warranty.¹⁴

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

• Individuals in Australia buying a used car from a private seller or a licensed dealer
• Buying from a licensed dealer: each state has a statutory warranty or dealer guarantee (conditions and periods differ by state), plus the nationwide Australian Consumer Law protections
• Buying from a private seller: there is almost no warranty, you must check the car's condition yourself, and the PPSR search for money owing is especially important
• This page covers NSW, VIC and QLD only; for WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT, check your state transport department's website for transfer deadlines, inspection requirements and duty rates

How do I do it? Steps and process

1. Inspect the car and check the VIN and registration

   Compare the VIN on the car (under the bonnet, at the bottom left of the windscreen, on the driver's door frame) with the registration certificate and the registration details the seller shows you in myVicRoads, Service NSW or the QLD system, and confirm the seller is the registered owner. Use your state's free registration check to see the registration expiry date and odometer records.

2. Do a PPSR search

   At ppsr.gov.au, search by VIN for A$2 to check for security interests and stolen or written-off records, and save the search certificate. It is best to search again on the day you pay or the day before.

3. Get a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic

   An RWC, a safety certificate or a pink slip only covers basic safety items and does not mean the car is reliable. Have a licensed mechanic or a motoring association do a pre-purchase inspection. A seller who refuses an inspection is a warning sign.

4. Confirm the certificates the seller must give you

   VIC: the seller must give you an RWC that is within its 30 days. QLD: the seller must give you a current safety certificate (private seller: 2 months / 2,000 km) and a gas certificate if the car has a gas system. NSW: transferring a current registration does not need a pink slip, but you can ask the seller when the car was last inspected.

5. Pay and get a receipt

   The receipt should show both parties' names and addresses, the car's details (VIN, number plate, odometer reading), the price, the date and time, and both signatures. Do not pay in unusual ways such as gift cards or cryptocurrency, and do not rush a deal in an unusual place.

6. Transfer and pay within 14 days

   NSW: after the seller submits the Notice of Disposal, transfer online in MyServiceNSW and pay the transfer fee and stamp duty. VIC: the seller starts the transfer in myVicRoads and you pay the transfer fee and MVD to complete it. QLD: transfer online, or take form F3520 and the safety certificate to a service centre, and pay the transfer fee and duty. All three states allow 14 days; after that there are extra fees or penalties.

7. If a car from a dealer has a problem

   Notify the dealer in writing first, describing the defect and what you want (repair, replacement or refund). If the dealer does not act, go to your state's consumer protection agency (NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria, QLD Office of Fair Trading), and then to your state's civil tribunal. With a private sale, your protection generally comes down to your pre-purchase inspection and the contract.

What documents do I need?

• Your driver licence or proof of identity (new customers in QLD also fill in the new customer application, form F3503)
• The registration certificate signed by the seller, the Notice of Disposal or the F3520 transfer form
• RWC (VIC) / safety certificate and gas certificate (QLD)
• The purchase receipt or contract (showing the price, which you declare as the dutiable value when you transfer)
• The PPSR search certificate and the pre-purchase inspection report (as evidence if there is a problem)

What should I watch out for?

• 'Six months of rego left' usually transfers to you with the car (in NSW the CTP transfers too), but in QLD, if the previous owner had a registration concession that you do not have, you must pay the difference.
• A car bought in another state cannot simply be transferred: in VIC it must be registered again, and in QLD it must first be changed to QLD registration. You may need a temporary unregistered vehicle permit to drive it home.
• A seller who is not the registered owner, who contacts you from an email or phone number that does not match their identity, who pushes you to pay quickly, who asks for payment by gift card or cryptocurrency, or who refuses an inspection: VicRoads lists all of these as signs of a scam.
• All three states charge duty on the purchase price or the market value, whichever is higher. If you under-declare, the difference will be recovered; the SRO Victoria page says clearly that late or under-declared transfers are assessed.
• A dealer saying 'as is' or 'no warranty' cannot exclude the consumer guarantees in the Australian Consumer Law, and the statutory warranties in QLD and NSW cannot be signed away (except, in QLD, for cars over 20 years old sold for restoration).
• The stolen and written-off information on the PPSR comes from state databases and may not be up to date; cars registered in TAS must be checked separately. You can download your PPSR certificate again free at any time.
• A seller must also notify the road authority within 14 days (NSW Notice of Disposal, VIC myVicRoads, QLD online transfer-out or F3520 Part B); otherwise the car stays in their name and fines and tolls come to them.
• This page is a plain-English summary of public information. State rules and fees change around 1 July each year, so check the PPSR, Service NSW, VicRoads and qld.gov.au for the latest. It is not legal advice and does not recommend any dealer or website.

What has changed recently?

• 2026-07-01
  VIC motor vehicle duty and QLD safety certificate inspection fees move to the 2026–27 rates.Source: sro.vic.gov.au ↗

Common questions

Where can I check the official information?

1. Do a used car or vehicle searchPersonal Property Securities Register (Australian Financial Security Authority) · ppsr.gov.au
2. Buying a used vehicleNSW Fair Trading · nsw.gov.au
3. Dealer guarantees and warrantiesNSW Fair Trading · nsw.gov.au
4. Transfer a vehicle registrationService NSW · service.nsw.gov.au
5. Vehicle registration feesTransport for NSW · nsw.gov.au
6. Motor vehicle dutyRevenue NSW · revenue.nsw.gov.au
7. Transfer fees and exemptionsVicRoads · vicroads.vic.gov.au
8. Roadworthy certificateDepartment of Transport and Planning Victoria · transport.vic.gov.au
9. Buying a used vehicleVicRoads · vicroads.vic.gov.au
10. Motor vehicle duty (current rates)State Revenue Office Victoria · sro.vic.gov.au
11. How to transfer a Queensland registered vehicle, trailer, caravan or boat in personQueensland Department of Transport and Main Roads · qld.gov.au
12. Safety certificatesQueensland Department of Transport and Main Roads · qld.gov.au
13. Vehicle registration duty ratesQueensland Department of Transport and Main Roads · qld.gov.au
14. Guarantees and warranties for used carsQueensland Office of Fair Trading · qld.gov.au
15. Understanding motor vehicle dutyState Revenue Office Victoria · sro.vic.gov.au

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