REVS Check
Is the car encumbered, written off or stolen?
A REVS check is now a PPSR search. Every report includes the official PPSR certificate. MotorRegistry checks more data than any other Australian vehicle history report.
A REVS check is now a PPSR search, and every MotorRegistry report includes the official PPSR certificate for finance owing, written-off and stolen records, found from the rego and state or the VIN. The PPSR stops there. MotorRegistry checks more data than any other Australian vehicle history report, so a report can also show the car's service history, every odometer reading we hold, damage assessments including repaired damage that was never written off, past sales listings, and where it has been registered and kept, where records exist.
What a MotorRegistry report shows
- Official PPSR certificate Finance owing, written-off and stolen records, explained in plain English
- Service history Dated services and repairs from verified sources, with the odometer reading at each service
- Odometer history Every reading we hold, charted in date order, with possible rollbacks flagged
- Damage assessments Including damage that was repaired and never written off
- Registration and location history The plates, states and suburbs we hold for the vehicle
- Recall repair status Whether the recall work has been done, where records exist
- Past sales listings Sales and auction listings, often with photos
- Recalls and inspection guide Safety recalls, common problems and a custom pre-purchase inspection guide
- Market valuation An independent valuation to compare against the asking price
- 14-day finance re-check We check the PPSR again and email you if the finance status changes
A clear REVS check isn't the whole story
A REVS check tells you whether a car has finance owing, a written-off record or a stolen record. It doesn't tell you whether the car has been crashed and repaired without being written off, whether the odometer has been wound back or whether it has been serviced. MotorRegistry checks more data than any other Australian vehicle history report, including more damage assessment data than any other report.
See everything in a Comprehensive Plus report.
What happened to REVS
REVS stands for Register of Encumbered Vehicles. NSW, Queensland and Western Australia each ran one, and Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania kept equivalent vehicle securities registers. They recorded finance owing, or encumbrances, against vehicles registered in that state, and a search of one was known as a REVS check.
On 30 January 2012 the state registers closed and their records were transferred to the national Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR). The name stuck, so a REVS check today is a PPSR search. Because the PPSR is national, one search covers a car wherever it's registered. Our PPSR check page explains the certificate in more detail.
What a REVS check finds, state by state
The PPSR certificate shows finance owing, written-off and stolen records. Finance owing sits at about 1 in 10 vehicles in every state. Written-off records vary far more:
How to run a REVS check
- Enter the car's rego and state, or its 17-character VIN, in the search box on this page.
- Choose your report. Every MotorRegistry report includes the official PPSR certificate.
- If the certificate shows finance owing, ask the seller to pay out the loan and check again before you hand over any money.
Free rego checks don't show finance owing
The states and territories run free rego checks, which show whether the registration is current and when it expires, but not finance owing or written-off records. Buying in a particular state? These pages cover the local rules, the free rego check and what our reports find on cars from that state:
- QLD REVS Check: Finance, write-off and stolen checks for Queensland vehicles, plus the history the PPSR doesn't hold.
- NSW REVS Check: Finance, write-off and stolen checks for NSW vehicles, plus the history the PPSR doesn't hold.
REVS Check FAQ
What does REVS stand for?
Register of Encumbered Vehicles. NSW, Queensland and Western Australia each ran one, recording finance owing (encumbrances) against vehicles. Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania kept equivalent vehicle securities registers.
Can I still do a REVS check?
Yes, as a PPSR search. The state registers closed on 30 January 2012 and their records were transferred to the national Personal Property Securities Register. A REVS check and a PPSR check are now the same search.
What's the difference between a REVS check and a PPSR check?
Only the name. REVS was state by state; the PPSR is one national register, so a search covers a car wherever it's registered. The PPSR certificate shows finance owing, written-off and stolen records.
How much does a REVS check cost?
The government PPSR search costs $2 at ppsr.gov.au. Every MotorRegistry report includes that same official certificate, explained in plain English, along with the history the PPSR doesn't hold.
Can I do a REVS check by rego?
Yes, with MotorRegistry: enter the rego and state, or the VIN. The government site at ppsr.gov.au searches by VIN or chassis number only.
Is there a free REVS check?
No. A REVS check is a PPSR search, which always carries the government search fee. The free rego checks run by the states show registration status, not finance owing or written-off records.
Does a REVS check show if a car is written off?
Yes. The PPSR certificate that replaced REVS includes written-off and stolen records from the national register as well as finance owing. Most accident damage never reaches the written-off register, so a Comprehensive Plus report adds damage assessments on cars that were never written off.
Start with a PPSR check or a full car history check.
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