Searching the PPS Register

Why would a business search the PPS Register?

Finding information about the credit status of a potential debtor has been made easier with PPS reform: because the PPS Register provides a simple and inexpensive way for a potential lender to find the details of the borrower’s personal property used as security for supply arrangements or loans.

For example a potential creditor who is considering a lending arrangement would search the PPS Register to identify any existing security interests in personal property the potential debtor may have already granted to other lenders or creditors. Having this information will assist the potential creditor to decide whether to advance credit, provide or lease goods on credit in exchange for security in tangible and/or intangible personal property.

Another example would be a business owner who is a potential buyer of personal property; for example a vehicle or business equipment; and wants to check before making the purchase to ensure the property is clear of any security interest so that if they purchase the property it cannot be claimed by a secured party.

Examples of common agreements that may create a security interest which is registrable on the PPS Register are:

• supply of goods on credit to another business under a retention of title agreement
• a lease for equipment to another business where the lease is for more than 12 months
• a business buying another business’ equipment or inventory
• a finance company lending money to another business to purchase personal property

When would a business owner/advisor search the PPS Register?

Businesses may consider searching the PPS Register:

• initially when they are considering whether to offer credit terms to a customer or 
  whether to buy vehicles or equipment;
• just before finalising any agreement for credit or purchase.

Searches of the PPS Register are low cost, and businesses may decide it is prudent to search on more than one occasion during the course of finalising a business agreement.

Who are the parties involved in the creation of a security interest?

Usually there are two distinct parties involved in the creation of a security interest:

• the secured party (creditor, lender or lessor), and
• the grantor (debtor, borrower, or lessee).

You should read and accept the PPS Register General Conditions of Use before searching.

If you are intending to search using an individual’s details (you will require their given names, family name, and date of birth) you must have an authorised purpose to search. Generally, the person/s who can search the PPS Register are:

• an individual with their consent
• an individual or organisation needing to decide whether to provide credit to a person or organisation
• an individual or organisation needing to decide whether to invest in, with or through a person or organisation
• an individual or organisation needing to establish whether personal property is subject to an existing security interest.

Access to the PPS Register

As a business user, you may access the PPS Register either as a casual user or an account customer online via https://transact.ppsr.gov.au/ppsr/Home.

If you are a regular PPS Register user you may also choose to build a business to government interface. For more information, visit the B2G channel page.

A fee will apply to searches of the PPS Register regardless of the search result. For more information about fees, visit the fees page.

Visit the PPS Register search page to begin a search.

PPS Register tutorials

Five tutorials have been developed to assist users undertake key functions of the PPS Register. They are:

• Getting started
• Creating an account
• Creating a secured party group
• Creating a registration
• Searching the PPS Register

They are available on the PPS Register tutorial page.

Search for historical information

Registrations from 23 Commonwealth, state and territory based registers of personal property securities were transferred to the PPS Register immediately prior to the commencement of the PPS Register on 30 January 2012.

You can access historical records on the transitional registers. Contact details and other information about how to access historical records is available on the transitional registers page.

How do I know my security interest was migrated successfully?

All current security interests registered on the transitional registers were transferred to the PPS Register prior to the PPS Register commencement on 30 January 2012. You can search for these registrations using the information required for each main search type.

If you are a secured party (creditor or lender), you cannot search the PPS Register using your details to find registrations belonging to you as a secured party, but you can participate in a find and claim process to claim migrated registrations. In order to do this, you need to be an account customer.

Searching the PPS Register – main search types

When searching for a security interest in personal property, you will need to provide certain identification details either for the grantor (eg the borrower) or for the item of property in order to search for it.

Choice of search types

The PPS Register offers six search types. The table below lists the six search types and the type of information you will need to provide to make each search.

Table of PPS Register search types

Search result

You need to make sure that you enter the details correctly, as required by the particular search you are doing, or you risk not getting the result you should from the PPS Register – you may not get details of security interests when you should, or you get details of security interests that don’t relate to the particular property you are interested in.

An important thing to remember is that the PPS Register is a noticeboard of security interests and you may need to make further enquiries to verify the result you get from your search. In addition, the accuracy of information on the PPS Register is dependent on its source, usually the person who registered the security interest, and the Commonwealth cannot guarantee the quality, completeness or accuracy of the information contained on the PPS Register.

Overview of PPS Register search types

Motor vehicle search

Motor vehicle

This search option allows you to identify whether a registration has been made against a specific motor vehicle. This is a serial number search. Note that a serial number for this type of search does not include an engine number.

Watercraft search 

Watercraft

This search option allows you to identify whether a serial numbered watercraft has a registration against it. This is a serial number search. Note that an outboard motor is not classified as watercraft, so a different search may need to be done for this type of personal property.

Serial number search

Serial number

This search option allows users to identify whether a specific item of personal property that may or must be described by serial number has a registration.

Search by registration number

Search by PPS registration number | Registration number

This search option allows users to enter a specific registration number and retrieve its details. This is the number assigned to a registration in the PPS Register (that is, not a registration number of a motor vehicle).

Search by individual grantor

Search by individual grantor | Individual grantor 

This search option allows users to identify whether an individual has any registrations over their personal property. It requires the exact spelling of an individual's name and their date of birth. Rules about the identification of individual grantors on the PPS Register can be found in the PPS Regulations.

You can read more about this on the privacy page. This option allows users to filter search results according to the collateral class.

What is Find and Claim?

This is a service to assist secured parties to claim migrating registrations that belong to them and to make sure the migrated registrations contain up-to-date information, including the address for service for the secured party. 

Find and claim is a free service that will remain available for the foreseeable future.

There is a Fact Sheet is available on how to apply for access to the Find and Claim process.

What are the steps in the Find and Claim process?

• search the catalogue to identify the migrated security party groups that belong to you as the secured party
• claim the migrated secured party group, and
• transfer the data from the migrated secured party group into the  target secured party group.

For more information about the migration of security interests to the PPS Register visit the migrated registrations page.