Cancelling vehicle registration

Cancellation form

Lodge a completed Vehicle/Recreational Ship Cancellation of Registration Application form (F3517) at a Department of Transport and Main Roads customer service centre or, if you live in a rural area, a Queensland Government Agency Program office or your local police station. Alternatively, you can mail the completed form and number plate(s) or number plate receipt to the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Vehicle Cancellations PO Box 5096, Red Hill Rockhampton Qld 4701. 

Number plates

You must hand in the standard number plate(s) of your vehicle to a customer service centre or, if you live in a rural area, a Queensland Government Agency Program office or your local police station. If you have been issued with two number plates, both plates must be handed in. If you have been issued with one number plate (motorbikes and trailers), you must hand it in. If one or both plates are lost, stolen or destroyed, the statement on the cancellation form must be completed. If you have purchased personalised number plates, or you have customised your plates, you may keep them.

Registration Label

If the registration is current, destroy the registration label and certify on the cancellation form that it has been destroyed. You will then receive a refund for the unexpired portion of your registration, minus the cancellation administration fee.

If you are cancelling vehicle or motorbike registration, the Department of Transport and Main Roads will, on behalf of your compulsory third party (CTP) insurer, include a refund of the remainder of your compulsory third party insurer's premium with the registration refund.

The refund is calculated on a daily proportionate basis for the unexpired portion of the registration fee and compulsory third party insurer's premium.

It does not include the traffic improvement fee and other fees and surcharges, such as the registration renewal reinstatement fee and compulsory third party levies.

If you are cancelling registration because the vehicle has been wrecked, you will need to notify the written-off vehicle register.

Note: if the vehicle has been written-off, and you would like to have the refund backdated, the statement on the back of the cancellation form must be completed declaring that the vehicle has not been used on the road since the date of the accident. Additional documentation is required to confirm the date of the accident (for example Police Report, Letter from Insurer, towing authority). The document provided must also verify the registration number or vehicle identification number (VIN) and chassis number.

Checklist for cancelling a Queensland registered vehicle

To cancel a vehicle registration you must:

1. Complete and sign all applicable sections on the Vehicle/Recreational Ship Cancellation of Registration Application form (F3517).
2. Sign the Vehicle/Recreational Ship Cancellation of Registration Application form (F3517) in all applicable areas for label destruction, declaration statement for cancellation request and any other statement required.
3. Surrender your number plates and attach a copy of the plate surrender receipt. If one or both plates cannot be surrendered (if lost, stolen or destroyed) you must record a reason in the statement area at question 6, or if you have personalised plates complete the personalised plate section on the cancellation form.