Sell your car in Adelaide Hills

Step by step

1. Confirm you can sell and that no finance is owing Recommended

   Make sure you are entitled to sell the vehicle and that no money is owed on it. Buyers commonly run a PPSR search on the VIN, which shows if there is a security interest (money owing) and usually written-off and stolen status.

   NSW Government - Selling a used car
2. Get the inspection certificate your state requires Recommended

   Some states require a certificate before the vehicle can change hands: Queensland requires a current safety certificate before disposing of a registered vehicle, and Victoria requires a roadworthy certificate issued within 30 days before the sale (with exemptions). Other states do not require one for a standard transfer; check your state below.

   Queensland Government - Safety certificates
3. Complete the transfer or disposal paperwork with the buyer Required by law Seller and buyer

   Record the buyer's full name, address and licence details, the date of sale and the sale price, and have both parties sign where the state's form requires it. Most states let you do this online or on the form attached to the registration certificate.

   WA Department of Transport - Selling a vehicle
4. Do not sign over the car until you are paid Recommended

   NSW advises not to sign any transfer document until you have received payment or trade.

   NSW Government - Selling a used car
5. Lodge the notice of disposal by your state's deadline Required by law

   Tell the transport agency you no longer own the vehicle: within 14 days in NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory, and within 7 days in Western Australia and Tasmania. Until the agency records the new owner you can be held liable for the buyer's fines, tolls and camera-detected offences.

   NSW Government - Selling a used car
6. Remove toll tags and stop direct debits Recommended

   Remove the e-tag and delete the vehicle from your toll account, and consider cancelling registration direct debits, so you are not billed for the buyer's use.

   Queensland Government - Transfer registration in person
7. Buyer transfers the registration and pays duty Required by law Buyer

   The buyer must transfer the registration into their name, generally within 14 days of purchase, and pays the transfer fee and vehicle registration (stamp) duty. Late transfers can attract a late fee.

   Queensland Government - Transfer registration in person

Documents checklist

Tick what you already have. This stays on your device, and none of it is needed to post your car.

• Certificate of registration (rego papers)Identifies the vehicle and registered operator; in the ACT and NT the notice of disposal / transfer application is on the back of it.Required by law
• Notice of disposal or seller's part of the transfer formLodged by the seller with the state agency (online in most states, or paper forms such as Queensland F3520 Part B, WA MR9 seller's copy, NT R6).Required by law
• Safety / roadworthy certificate (Queensland, Victoria)Required only in the states that demand it for a transfer; Queensland certificates from private sellers last 2 months or 2,000 km.Recommended
• Buyer's and seller's driver licence detailsNeeded to lodge the notice of disposal online (e.g. NSW, SA, ACT).Required by law

Stay safe when buyers contact you

• Ask buyers to run, or run yourself, a PPSR search on the VIN: it shows whether there is money owing on the car and usually whether it is recorded as written-off or stolen.
• Do not sign any transfer document until you have received payment.
• Lodge the notice of disposal straight away: until the agency records the new owner you can be held responsible for the buyer's fines, tolls and camera offences.