PPSR Search
Don't drive away with someone else's problem
Run an instant background check on your next car to see if there is any finance owing, write-off history, major accidents and ensure the vehicle isn’t stolen.
Highlight Previous Accidents
Know if the car has had serious accident damage that has been repaired or concealed.
Highlight Finance Owing
Know if the car is under finance or not, This is incredibly useful when buying a car as if financed the vehicle cannot be released until payment has been closed out.
Highlight If Stolen
Purchasing a stolen vehicle means you could potentially lose all the money spent on your purchase.
What is a PPSR Report?
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is the official online government register that provides valuable information safeguarding consumers looking to purchase registered assets such as cars, marine vessels and even aircraft.
For a very small fee, a PPSR report provides vital information that you want to know when buying a used car privately or through a dealership including write-off history, outstanding finance, registration details and whether it is stolen.
PPSR Certificates include:
Registration and Vehicle Details
Confirm the vehicle’s registration against the State Government’s records, including expiry date and ensure that the vehicle identifiers are consistent with the used car you’re considering purchasing.
Financial Status
Identify if there is any outstanding finance still owing on the vehicle. Otherwise you could end up purchasing a vehicle you can’t legally own or having to pay for the car twice – at double the overall price.
Accident History
Make sure the car hasn’t been previously written off and is safe for on-road use. A vehicle with accident history could have incurred long-term expensive damages that are yet to be identified. Accident history affects the purchase/resale value of the vehicle.
Stolen Vehicle Check
Check the legitimacy of the vehicle being sold to ensure it hasn’t been stolen. As you have no legal claim to the vehicle, the police or previous insurance company are entitled to recover the vehicle from you and the burden of reclaiming the funds from the purchase becomes your responsibility.
Quick and Easy Peace of Mind in 2 Steps
Step 1
Enter your potential new vehicle’s registration or VIN
Step 2
Add your email address and payment details
If the PPSR gives you the green light, what's the next step?
When purchasing a used car, engaging an expert mechanic to inspect the vehicle can save you thousands of dollars. Verifiinspect offers mobile pre-purchase car inspections Australia wide.
Rain, hail or shine, we will organise the inspection on your behalf and provide a detailed inspection report, usually within 24 hours, so that you can buy with confidence.
PPSR Frequently asked questions
Our most frequently asked questions and answers about PPSR certificates.
Your PPSR Report is emailed to you immediately after payment has been made. Simply enter the vehicle’s registration or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), your nominated email address and provide payment. Moments later, you will be emailed a downloadable PDF containing all the information you’ll require for peace of mind.
The PPSR Report is applicable to all states and territories, Australia wide.
If the vehicle you’re interested in is currently unregistered, simply obtain the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This unique 17 character serial number is found on the body of the vehicle. It should be located underneath the bonnet, in the driver’s side door closure section or at the base of the windscreen on the passenger’s side.
The PPSR Check ensures the vehicle you’re interested in is not written-off, unregistered, stolen or has finance owing. Even if the car looks fine, it’s best to obtain a PPSR Check. If all the information provided in the report shows the car is a viable option, then pursue a mechanic to assess the current working order of the car.
The write-off history reveals if the vehicle has been damaged in a fire, flood, has been stripped or suffered significant structural damage. A written-off vehicle means that it cannot be repaired to a sufficiently safe condition to be on the road legally.
Purchasing a car that is still under finance means that unless the amount outstanding is paid, the lender will likely repossess your vehicle. It’s the nightmarish situation of having paid for the privilege of being left carless, or paying for a car twice.
If the seller is open and upfront about any outstanding finance, this information becomes an important part of your negotiations. You can request that the person selling the vehicle pays off the debt before the purchase is complete.
Alternatively, you can organise to pay the financier directly. The seller can get a dated payout quote to be sent to you from the financier. This means you would pay off the outstanding finance and the remainder of the agreed upon price. Sometimes a seller may just want the finance on their vehicle paid off.
If you are unfortunate enough to purchase a stolen vehicle then it is extremely unlikely that you will get your money returned. This is because the fraudulent seller will have made efforts to conceal their actual identity and contact information. So the police will have the ability to impound that car and reunite it with the previous owner or their insurance company if they have already paid out a claim.
The PPSR report should be completed first with any vehicle you are seriously interested in. It will tell you whether the car has been written-off, stolen or has finance owing as well as its general information and registration status.
