Buying a used car on Facebook Marketplace in Australia

The checklist

Print this, or keep it open on your phone at the inspection. Each step is explained below.

Before you go

• Read the whole listing and every photo for write-off, damage and dealer signs
• Compare the price with similar cars nearby
• Ask the seller for the VIN (or chassis number) and the plate number
• Run a PPSR search on the VIN (do it again on the day you buy)
• Run your state’s free or low-cost rego check
• Ask why they are selling, for the service history, and whether it has been in an accident
• Ask whether a mechanic can inspect it (a no is a red flag)

At the inspection

• See the registration papers and the seller’s licence; the names should match
• Check that the VIN on the car matches the papers and your PPSR result
• Get an independent pre-purchase inspection
• Test drive from a cold start
• Get the roadworthy or safety certificate if your state needs one

When you buy

• Search the PPSR again (the day of purchase or the day before)
• Get a written receipt with both names, addresses, signatures, the date and time, and the car’s plate, VIN and engine number
• Pay at handover, to an account whose name matches the seller
• Make sure the seller lodges their part of the transfer
• Transfer the rego into your name and pay the transfer fee and stamp duty
• Arrange your own insurance before you drive away

Step 1: Read the listing properly

Many bad buys can be spotted before you leave home. Read the full description, not just the title. Words like “repairable write-off”, “WOVR”, “no rego”, “sold as is” or “needs work” change what the car is worth. Look at every photo for mismatched paint, hail dimples, dash warning lights and a car yard in the background. Our guides to spotting written-off and salvage cars and filtering out dealers list the signs.

Then compare the price with similar cars nearby, using our guide to checking a Marketplace price. A price far below everything else is a question, not a bargain.

Step 2: Ask the seller the right questions

VicRoads suggests asking a private seller why they are selling, whether they have service and maintenance records, whether it comes with keys and a spare tyre, whether it has been modified, whether it has been in any accidents, and whether you can get it inspected by a mechanic. If the seller refuses an inspection, VicRoads calls that a red flag.

Ask for the VIN now. The PPSR search needs it, and most honest sellers will share it. You will find it on the rego papers, at the bottom of the windscreen, in the engine bay or inside the driver’s door frame.

Step 3: Run a PPSR search

The Personal Property Securities Register is the Australian Government’s register of security interests, such as car loans, over personal property. At the time of writing (September 2026), a search costs $2.00 online or $7.00 through the assisted phone service. You search by VIN or chassis number, not by number plate.

The result tells you whether a security interest is recorded against the car. That matters because a car with money owing on it can be repossessed from you even after you have paid for it. The search usually also shows the make, model and colour, and whether the car is recorded as written off or stolen. You get a search certificate you can keep.

What it does not tell you: how much is owing, who owns the car, the odometer reading, or unpaid fines.

Step 4: Check the rego, the roadworthy rule and the transfer deadline

Every state runs its own registration system, so the rules change when you cross a border. Check the car’s rego online first (NSW and Victoria describe their checks as free) and make sure the details match the car in front of you. Then check what your state needs before the rego can move into your name.

State	Inspection needed to transfer a registered car?	Transfer deadline
Queensland	Yes. The seller must have a current safety certificate. For a private sale it is valid for 2 months or 2,000 km, whichever comes first, and can only be used once	14 days
New South Wales	No inspection to transfer a current NSW rego. Most light vehicles over 5 years old need a yearly safety check (pink slip) at renewal, so ask when the last one was done	14 days
Victoria	Yes. The seller gives you a roadworthy certificate, valid for 30 days, unless the car is exempt	The seller starts it online; contact VicRoads if you have not been asked to finish it within 14 days
Western Australia	No inspection to transfer a WA-licensed vehicle. Cars from interstate must be inspected	Notify within 14 days
South Australia	Not for cars. A change-of-ownership inspection applies to heavy vehicles and trailers 3 years or older	14 days (a $108 late fee may apply)
Tasmania	Not if the car is registered. If it has been unregistered for 3 months or more, it needs an inspection	14 days
ACT	Yes, for light vehicles more than 6 years old (and imports). The certificate is valid for one month	14 days
Northern Territory	Yes, for light vehicles over 7 years old, under the rules that started on 9 February 2026	14 days

A roadworthy or safety certificate is a safety check on the day. VicRoads puts it plainly: it shows the car is safe enough to drive but does not promise it is mechanically reliable. It is not a substitute for a proper inspection.

Some state checks go further. In NSW you can check for free whether a car has been written off by calling 13 22 13 with the plate, and Tasmania’s Rego Check shows whether a car is listed as stolen or wrecked. Queensland only records write-offs for vehicles 16 years old or younger, so an older car can be clean on paper and still have a history.

Step 5: Make sure the seller owns the car

The Queensland Government suggests sighting the seller’s licence to make sure they are the registered operator shown on the registration certificate. VicRoads suggests asking the seller to show the car listed in their myVicRoads account. Wherever you are:

• The name on the rego papers should match the seller’s ID.
• The plate, VIN and engine number on the papers should match the car.
• Seeing the car at the seller’s home is better than a car park meeting.

If the seller is “selling it for a mate” or the papers are in someone else’s name, slow down. The same stories are used to sell stolen cars, cars with finance owing and cars from unlicensed traders.

Step 6: Get an independent inspection

Book a pre-purchase inspection with a mechanic you choose, not one the seller suggests. Many mechanics offer them, and a mobile mechanic can meet you at the seller’s place. Ask for a written report that covers the engine, gearbox, suspension, brakes, underbody rust, signs of accident repair and any fault codes.

For a repairable write-off, also ask for the repair paperwork (in Queensland, the WOVI result).

Step 7: Test drive it properly

• Ask for a cold start. Tell the seller you would like to start the car yourself when it has not been run that day. A car that is already warm can hide starting and smoke problems.
• Watch the dash. Every warning light should come on at start-up and then go out.
• Drive a mix. Slow streets, a hill, and a run at highway speed if you can. Feel for a pull under braking, a wandering steering wheel, slipping or hesitant gear changes and knocks over bumps.
• Check the basics. Air conditioning, windows, lights, wipers and the spare tyre.
• Bring your licence. A careful seller will want to see it.

Remember that a private sale has no cooling-off period and no statutory warranty. The Queensland Government lists both as things you give up when you buy privately instead of from a licensed dealer.

Step 8: Do the paperwork

Get a receipt. Service NSW says it should include the car’s details (plate, VIN or chassis number, engine number, colour, make and model), the date and time of sale, and the names, addresses and signatures of both buyer and seller. VicRoads has a receipt template you can use.

The seller then tells the registry they have sold the car (in NSW and Victoria this is the notice of disposal), and you complete the transfer and pay the transfer fee and stamp duty. In NSW, compulsory third party insurance transfers automatically with a current registration. Arrange your own comprehensive or third party property cover before you drive away.

Step 9: Pay safely

Payment is where a scam costs you money. Scamwatch, run by the Australian Government, warns that scammers set up as sellers on marketplaces such as Facebook, and that they also sell expensive items like cars, boats and caravans. Its advice for buyers:

• Do not pay for a big-ticket item before inspecting it in person. No deposits to “hold” a car you have not seen.
• Check the name. When paying by PayID or bank transfer, make sure the account name matches the person you think you are paying. Some banks will confirm whether the payee details match.
• Be wary of unusual payment requests, such as being asked to pay several different PayIDs or accounts, or to pay by pre-loaded card.
• Know that most transfers cannot be pulled back. Scamwatch notes that many payments now go through straight away and you are unlikely to get your money back.

Pay at the handover, after every check is done, by a method that leaves a record. For more warning signs, read our guide to Marketplace scams.

Step 10: Meet safely

• Meet in daylight, and bring someone with you.
• Tell someone else where you are going and send them the listing.
• Prefer the seller’s home, where the car should normally live, or a busy public place.
• Do not carry a large amount of cash to a first viewing.
• Leave if anything feels wrong. Another car will come along.

If you think you have been scammed, contact your bank straight away and ask it to stop the payment, then report it to Scamwatch. IDCARE (1800 595 160) offers free help to limit the damage.

To set up alerts for a specific car, see car alerts on Facebook Marketplace. For Australian suburbs, radius and regional tips, see Facebook Marketplace alerts in Australia.

Sources

1. Do a used car or vehicle search, Personal Property Securities Register.
2. Buying a used vehicle, Selling a used vehicle and How the Written-off Vehicle Scheme works, Queensland Government.
3. Buying a vehicle, Service NSW; Transferring registration when buying a vehicle, Safety checks and vehicle inspections and Owning or buying a written-off light vehicle, NSW Government.
4. Buying a used vehicle, VicRoads.
5. Buy a vehicle and transfer a vehicle licence, Transport WA.
6. Transfer a vehicle registration, SA.GOV.AU.
7. Buying a vehicle and Transfer of registration, Transport Services Tasmania.
8. Buying an ACT registered vehicle, Access Canberra.
9. Check if your vehicle needs an inspection and New owner responsibilities: buyer, NT.GOV.AU.
10. Buying and selling scams, Scamwatch (Australian Government).