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Transferring registration

If you are looking to purchase a second-hand vehicle, motorbike, caravan or trailer it is advisable to do some homework before finalising the sale.

You can do a vehicle search on the Personal Property Securities (PPS) Register at www.ppsr.gov.au. The PPS Register offers those planning to buy a second-hand vehicle a quick, easy and inexpensive way to obtain important information before purchase. A report can be purchased from the PPS Register website for those vehicles manufactured on or after 1 January 1989.

To transfer the vehicle registration to your name you must provide the following:

  • a completed Transfer of Vehicle Registration Application form (F3520)
    available from any 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.
  • a current registration certificate
  • an original copy of a current Queensland safety certificate (unless exempt)
  • a gas certificate that is less than three months old
    if your vehicle runs on gas or is fitted with gas fittings or systems, you must provide a gas certificate from an authorised gas installer. If you are unable to obtain a gas certificate because there is no person who is authorised to issue gas inspection certificates within a reasonable distance of your residence, you must provide a gas exemption certificate issued by the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation. Exemptions will not be issued for caravans or motorhomes.
  • evidence of the vehicle's garage address (must be a Queensland address) if it is different to your residential/business address
    current Queensland driver licence, property rates notice, gas, phone or electricity bill are acceptable.
  • evidence of identification
    • individual
      refer to the Evidence of Identity Information Sheet (F4362) for more information.
    • organisation
      organisation identification is required if you are registering a vehicle in an organisation's name – for example, certificate of incorporation (issued by the Office of Fair Trading), business registration (issued by the Office of Fair Trading), certificate of registration of a company (issued by ASIC – Australian Securities and Investments Commission) and so on. To register a vehicle in a business name, the proprietor of the business must also bring their Queensland driver licence as identification. If the proprietor is an organisation, evidence of identity of the organisation is required.
    • organisation representative
      must also bring proof that they are acting on behalf of the organisation. Evidence of Representation includes one of the following – a person is in their organisation's uniform, a business card or business identification, the person is a regular representative for the organisation at the customer service centre, documentation from the organisation on official letterhead, as well as the representative's personal identification, such as their Queensland driver licence.
  • fees payable
    • transfer fee
    • pro-rata registration fees, if the person selling the vehicle was entitled to concessional registration you will have to pay the difference in the vehicle fee for the remaining period of registration if you are not entitled to concessional registration
    • registration fee (if applicable)
    • vehicle registration duty (if applicable).

      Note: there is a formula for calculating vehicle registration duty (previously called 'stamp duty'). For more information visit the Office of State Revenue website.

If you require the vehicle, motorbike, caravan or trailer to have joint registration, each person must sign the form and provide evidence of identification at the time of transfer. Special conditions apply for transfers that involve personalised plates, recreational vehicles, deceased estates, concessions, taxis and private hire vehicles. For more information call the department on 13 23 80b.

Vehicles involved with the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS)

For information on transferring vehicles involved with the NHVAS, please refer to the selling or transferring of Queensland registered vehicles page.

Further information available:

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zLocal call — Higher rates may apply outside local area or from mobile phones.

Last updated: 23 February 2012