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Transferring vehicle registration after a sale: rules in every state

In every Australian state and territory the buyer has 14 days to transfer a registered vehicle into their name. What the seller must do, and how quickly, depends on where the vehicle is registered.

By Australia Motors Editorial Team Published 5 min read

Short answer

When a registered vehicle is sold in Australia, the buyer has 14 days to transfer the registration into their own name. That is the rule in every state and territory. The seller also has to tell the transport authority about the sale: within 7 days in Western Australia and Tasmania, within 14 days in Victoria and the Northern Territory, and straight after the sale in New South Wales.

A sale is not finished when the money changes hands. Until the transport authority's records are updated, the vehicle is still linked to the seller. The buyer and the seller each have their own job to do, and each has a deadline.

The deadlines at a glance

The table shows what each transport authority says on its own website. It covers a registered vehicle sold to a buyer in the same state or territory.

State or territory Buyer must transfer within What the seller must do
New South Wales 14 days Submit a notice of disposal. Service NSW says to do it immediately after the sale.
Victoria 14 days Tell VicRoads within 14 days by completing a notice of disposal with the buyer.
Queensland 14 days Start the transfer. Online, the seller must complete their part before the buyer can finish.
South Australia 14 days Submit a notice of disposal to Service SA. There is no fee.
Western Australia 14 days Notify the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure within 7 days.
Tasmania 14 days Submit a notice of disposal within 7 days.
Australian Capital Territory 14 days Notify Access Canberra of the sale using the notice of disposal.
Northern Territory 14 days Submit a notice of disposal to the Motor Vehicle Registry within 14 days.

Warning

These rules were checked on the date shown in the sources below. Deadlines, fees and forms change. Always confirm with the transport authority for the state or territory where the vehicle is registered.

What the buyer has to do

The buyer's job is the same everywhere: apply to transfer the registration within 14 days and pay what is owed. That is usually a transfer fee plus vehicle duty, often called stamp duty. See stamp duty on a used car for how each state works it out.

Missing the deadline costs money. New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory charge a late fee. Western Australia applies a penalty, and Tasmania says penalties may apply.

Some places also need an inspection before the transfer can go through:

  • Queensland: a current safety certificate is needed to transfer a vehicle, and a certificate can be used for one transfer only.
  • Victoria: the seller gives the buyer a roadworthy certificate, which is valid for 30 days, unless the vehicle is exempt.
  • Australian Capital Territory: a vehicle that weighs up to 4.5 tonnes and is more than 6 years old, or is imported, needs a roadworthy inspection before the transfer.
  • Northern Territory: a light vehicle that is 7 years old or older needs a roadworthy inspection when its ownership is transferred.

For more on what these certificates do and do not prove, see roadworthy and safety certificates explained.

What the seller has to do

The seller's job is to tell the transport authority that the vehicle has a new owner. In most places this is called a notice of disposal.

It matters for a practical reason. Service NSW says that once the notice is submitted, the seller cannot be held responsible for parking or driving fines the buyer runs up. VicRoads warns that a seller who does not submit it may be subject to fines, tolls and other legal issues linked to the vehicle after it is sold.

A notice of disposal does not transfer the registration. South Australia states this plainly: the vehicle remains in the seller's name until the buyer completes the transfer and pays the fees. That is why both steps are needed.

Tip

Do your part on the day of the sale, even where the deadline is longer. Keep a copy of the notice and of the receipt, with the date and time of the sale on both.

How the two steps fit together

In several states the buyer cannot finish online until the seller has done their part:

  1. New South Wales: the buyer can transfer online only if the seller has submitted a notice of disposal. Otherwise the buyer must visit a service centre.
  2. Victoria: the seller starts the transfer in their myVicRoads account, and the buyer is then notified.
  3. Queensland: online transfer is a two-step process. The seller transfers the registration out of their name, then the buyer finalises it and pays the fees and duty.

If you are buying, ask the seller to do their step while you are both still together. If you are selling, do it before the buyer drives away.

Buying or selling across a state border

The rules above are for a sale inside one state or territory. A sale across a border is handled differently. For example, Western Australia says a WA vehicle licence cannot be transferred to an interstate buyer, and South Australia needs a paper notice of disposal when the buyer is from interstate. Check with both transport authorities before you agree to an interstate sale.

Before you hand over the money

  • Check that the seller is the registered operator. Ask to see the registration certificate or their online account.
  • Run a PPSR check for money owing on the vehicle.
  • Get a receipt with both names, the date, the price and the vehicle's details.
  • Agree who will do which step, and when.

On Australia Motors

Sources

The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Rules and processes differ between states and territories and change over time: always confirm with the authority for where you live. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.

  1. Service NSW, Transfer a vehicle registration (checked )
  2. Service NSW, Submit a notice of disposal for a vehicle (checked )
  3. VicRoads, Buy and transfer a vehicle (checked )
  4. VicRoads, Selling a vehicle (checked )
  5. Queensland Government, How to transfer a Queensland registered vehicle online (checked )
  6. Government of South Australia, Transfer a vehicle registration (checked )
  7. Government of South Australia, Notify Service SA you've sold a vehicle (checked )
  8. Transport WA, Buy a vehicle and transfer a vehicle licence (checked )
  9. Transport WA, Sell a vehicle and transfer a vehicle licence (checked )
  10. Service Tasmania, Transfer a vehicle registration (checked )
  11. Service Tasmania, Dispose of a vehicle registration (checked )
  12. Access Canberra, Buying an ACT registered vehicle (checked )
  13. Access Canberra, Selling an ACT registered vehicle (checked )
  14. Northern Territory Government, Buying and selling a used vehicle: registration (checked )