Protect yourself when buying a used car. Learn how a $2 PPSR search can prevent repossession and reveal crucial vehicle history.
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Does the car have money owing on it?
Look at your search certificate under the heading ‘PPSR Registration Details’:
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No PPSR registrations
If your certificate says:
‘There is no security interest or other registration kind registered on the PPSR against the serial number in the search criteria details.’
This means no one has a current registered security interest (such as a secured car loan) on the PPSR against the VIN or chassis number of the car.
You will be protected if someone tries to repossess the car (as long as you did your PPSR search at the right time).
Download a sample search certificate:
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PPSR registrations
If your certificate shows any ‘PPSR registration’ details, this means someone has registered their security interest on the PPSR. This means someone might have the right to repossess the car. The details of the secured party (generally the person who claims to be owed the debt such as the bank or financier) will appear here.
If your search does show a PPSR registration against a car you want to buy, you should talk to the seller about having the registration removed before you buy it. Going ahead with the purchase can put you at risk of having your car repossessed if the seller still owes money on it.
Download a sample search certificate:
PPSR registration vs vehicle registration
The PPSR search certificate uses the word ‘registration’ in different ways, which can sometimes be confusing.
1. PPSR registration details refers to any security interests registered on the PPSR against the car.
2. State vehicle registered and Registration expiry refers to the car's road registration (or rego) through your local road transport authority.
Other information about the car
When you do a search of a specific vehicle on the PPSR, you may receive additional information from the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS), if NEVDIS is available at the time. NEVDIS has details about the vehicles:
- written-off status
- stolen status
- vehicle registration number and expiry
- make, model and colour of car.
Written off, stolen, make and model details are provided by state and territory road agencies and police. They do this via a database known as the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS).
NEVDIS data is not always available or up-to-date when you do a search of a motor vehicle on the PPSR.
The PPSR interfaces with NEVDIS to provide additional information (where available) on motor vehicles (including if they have been reported as stolen (other than in Tasmania) or written off) when registrations are made against specific motor vehicles as collateral, and when searches of specific motor vehicles are conducted. The PPSR does not store or maintain NEVDIS data, and this data is not managed by the PPSR. The PPSR is not able to provide further details of, or correct mistakes in, NEVDIS data. State and territory road agencies and police are the source of NEVDIS data and the primary point of contact for enquiries, errors and corrections.
The absence of NEVDIS data from a PPSR search certificate or verification certificate does not affect the data on the PPSR in relation to security interests. The PPSR does not provide refunds when NEVDIS data is not available or up-to-date. NEVDIS data is made available without any representation or warranty of any kind regarding its completeness or accuracy.
Is the car recorded as written off?
Look at your search certificate under the heading ‘Additional Motor Vehicle Details—NEVDIS’. If it says:
- Not recorded as written off - it hasn't been recorded by NEVDIS as written off.
- Statutory write-off - the car isn’t safe to drive.
- Repairable write-off - depending on state/territory laws, the car may be able to be repaired, re-registered and driven if it passes a safety and identity check.
Your search result may also provide you a written-off code. You can use this code to understand the type of damage that has occurred to the car.
For more information about the write-off you can also talk to the seller of the vehicle. The seller can contact their local road transport authority if something is wrong with the written-off details recorded.
See Concerned about a used car search result for more information.
Is the car recorded as stolen?
Look at your search certificate under heading ‘Additional Motor Vehicle Details—NEVDIS’:
- Not recorded as stolen - it hasn't been recorded on NEVDIS as stolen.
- If it gives any stolen vehicle indicators (engine, vehicle and/or plate), it is possible it has been stolen. Contact your state or territory police department to find out more information.
Stolen data is recorded by state and territory police departments. It is important to be aware however that just because a car is not recorded as being stolen, doesn't mean it isn't. While it may seem unfair, if you buy a car from a private buyer which is later found to be stolen, you may lose both the vehicle and the money you paid for it.
See Concerned about a used car search result for more information.
For tips to minimise your risks visit the Car Safe website.
If there's no information or more than one car is listed
If your PPSR car search returned no additional information under NEVDIS, this may be due to the following reasons:
- You searched with an incorrect VIN or chassis number. Check that you've entered the correct serial number and chose the right serial number type (VIN or chassis ).
- The vehicle has either never been registered for road use, or has been unregistered for a long period of time. Contact your state or territory road transport authority for more information.
- The NEVDIS database was temporarily unavailable. Please check PPSR availability for outage updates and try your search again when service resumes.
Even if your search does not return NEVDIS information, it will still provide you with information about any security interests registered against the serial number of the vehicle you did your search on.
No data recorded in most fields
If most of the fields under additional motor vehicle details show ‘no data recorded’, it means that NEVDIS has the identifier in their database but does not have a vehicle description, or a vehicle registration recorded. If NEVDIS has any records for written off or stolen, this information will be displayed.
Contact your state or territory road transport authority for more information.
Multiple NEVDIS results
If there’s more than one vehicle under ‘Additional Motor Vehicle Details—NEVDIS’, it means the chassis or manufacturer number of the vehicle isn’t unique. This can occur with specialised vehicles such as bulldozers and trailers.
It may help to check the vehicle make and model to see which description matches your vehicle. You may also want to do a search on the grantor of the security interest.
See Concerned about a used car search result for more information.
Save your search results
The PPSR search certificate is a legal record. Keep it safe in case you ever need to use it as evidence of the search result.
You can either have the certificate emailed to you or save it as a PDF when you view it on screen. The search fee covers both options.
You can also get a copy of your search certificate at a later date at no additional cost.
I completed my search through another company – is it incorrect?
Some businesses provide their customers with assistance to search and register on the PPSR, often as part of a broader range of information and products. For example, they may provide car history reports which include PPSR data relating to financial encumbrances.
The ‘Powered by PPSR’ logo is a way for these businesses to show you that some of the data they provide comes from the official Australian Government PPSR. They may also provide you with a copy of the official Government search certificate.
The services you receive from a business displaying the logo should clearly show what comes from the PPSR and what’s extra.
For more information about the PPSR generally, see the PPSR website.
What if my provider isn’t “Powered by PPSR” – is it still a legitimate search?
While we encourage providers to use Powered by PPSR, it isn’t a requirement. If you have concerns about whether the search you have received is legitimate, you can verify a search certificate for free at Get a copy of a PPSR search result, using the search number.
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