QLD REVS Check
What has this Queensland car been through?
Buying in Brisbane or regional Queensland? Every report includes the official PPSR certificate. MotorRegistry checks more data than any other Australian vehicle history report.
A REVS check in Queensland is now a PPSR search, and every MotorRegistry report includes the official PPSR certificate for finance owing, written-off and stolen records. The PPSR stops there. MotorRegistry checks more data than any other Australian vehicle history report, so a report on a Queensland car can also show its 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
Written-off cars are more common in Queensland
Queensland has the highest written-off rate of any state. Finance owing sits at the national rate, about 1 in 10, and more than 1 in 5 Queensland vehicles we checked had finance owing, a written-off record or a stolen record.
A clear PPSR result isn't the whole story
The PPSR answers three questions: finance owing, written off and stolen. A car can come back clear on all three and still have been crashed and repaired, had its odometer wound back or missed its services. MotorRegistry checks more data than any other Australian vehicle history report, including more damage assessment data than any other report.
Over the past year, 3.1% of the same reports also had a possible odometer rollback flagged. Neither damage assessments nor odometer readings appear on a PPSR certificate. Service and repair records, registration and location history and the depth of odometer history in a MotorRegistry report aren't available from any other Australian report.
See everything in a Comprehensive Plus report.
What a written-off record means in Queensland
In Queensland, a vehicle is written off when the cost of repairing it plus its salvage value is more than it was worth before the damage. A collision, fire, flood, hail or other weather can all do it. The assessor records the write-off as one of two types:
Repairable write-off
Can be repaired and registered again once it passes a safety certificate inspection and a written-off vehicle inspection (WOVI). The WOVI checks the identity of the vehicle and of the parts used in the repair.
Statutory write-off
Can never be registered again anywhere in Australia. It can only be used for parts or scrap.
The written-off status is permanent. It stays on the national register after the car is repaired, passes its inspections, is sold or moves interstate, so a repaired write-off with a current safety certificate still shows as written off on the PPSR. Some hail-damaged vehicles are exempt from the WOVI, but the write-off stays on the record.
A repaired write-off is usually worth considerably less than the same car without one, and it can be harder to insure and to resell. What matters is knowing before you agree on a price, and having the repairs inspected independently. Our written-off vehicle check page explains what to look for.
REVS in Queensland is now the PPSR
Queensland's Register of Encumbered Vehicles, REVS, recorded finance owing against vehicles registered in the state. It closed in January 2012, when its records were transferred to the national Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR), which took over on 30 January 2012.
A REVS check in Queensland today is a PPSR search. Because the PPSR is national, it covers a car brought in from interstate as well as one registered in Queensland. Every MotorRegistry report includes the official PPSR certificate. Our REVS check and PPSR check pages cover the register in more detail.
What the free Queensland rego check shows
The Queensland Government's free Check Rego service shows a vehicle's registration status and expiry date, its make, model and body shape, and its purpose of use. It's useful for confirming the registration is current and matches the car in front of you.
It doesn't show finance owing or who owns the vehicle. The Queensland Government recommends a PPSR search before you buy a used vehicle, to check for finance owing, written-off and stolen records.
Buying a car privately in Queensland
Before you pay:
- Ask for the safety certificate. The seller must give you a current one. For a private sale it's valid for 2 months or 2,000 km from the date of issue, whichever comes first (3 months or 1,000 km from a licensed dealer), and it covers one transfer only.
- Check that the number plate, VIN and engine number on the registration certificate match the vehicle.
- Check the car as close to payment as you can. Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus reports include a free 14-day finance re-check that emails you if the finance status changes.
- Transfer the registration into your name within 14 days of buying the car.
A safety certificate isn't a full mechanical inspection. For that, have the car inspected independently before you buy. To record the sale, our free Bill of Sale gives the buyer and the seller the same record of the vehicle, price and date, to print and sign.
QLD REVS Check FAQ
Can I still do a REVS check in Queensland?
Yes, as a PPSR search. Queensland's REVS register closed in January 2012 and its records were transferred to the national Personal Property Securities Register, which took over on 30 January 2012. A REVS check and a PPSR check are now the same search. Every MotorRegistry report includes the official PPSR certificate.
What does a MotorRegistry report show that a REVS check doesn't?
MotorRegistry checks more data than any other Australian vehicle history report. A REVS or PPSR check answers three questions: finance owing, written off and stolen. A MotorRegistry report includes that official certificate and, depending on the report, adds the vehicle's service and repair records, every odometer reading we hold with possible rollbacks flagged, damage assessments including repaired damage that was never written off, past sales listings, recall repair status, and where the vehicle has been registered and kept, where records exist.
How much does a REVS check cost in Queensland?
The government PPSR search costs $2 at ppsr.gov.au and gives you the certificate on its own. A MotorRegistry report includes that same official certificate, explained in plain English, along with the history the PPSR doesn't hold.
Does a Queensland safety certificate mean the car hasn't been written off?
No. A safety certificate shows the car met minimum safety standards on the day it was inspected. It isn't a mechanical inspection and it doesn't show finance owing or a write-off. A repaired write-off needs a safety certificate to go back on the road, so a car can have a current certificate and a written-off record at the same time. Check the PPSR as well.
Can a written-off car be registered in Queensland?
A repairable write-off can, once it has been repaired and has passed both a safety certificate inspection and a written-off vehicle inspection (WOVI). A statutory write-off can never be registered again anywhere in Australia. Either way, the written-off record stays with the vehicle permanently, including after it's repaired, sold or moved interstate.
What is a WOVI in Queensland?
A written-off vehicle inspection checks the identity of a repaired write-off and of the parts used to repair it, to stop stolen vehicles and parts being passed off as legitimate. Queensland Inspection Services carries out these inspections in Queensland. Passing a WOVI doesn't remove the write-off: it stays on the written-off vehicle register so future buyers can see it.
Does the free Queensland rego check show finance owing?
No. The Queensland Government's free Check Rego service shows the registration status and expiry, the make, model and body shape, and the purpose of use. It doesn't show finance owing or who owns the car. The Queensland Government recommends a PPSR search before you buy a used vehicle, to check for finance owing, written-off and stolen records.
Does a PPSR search cover cars from other states?
Yes. The PPSR is national, so the search covers the vehicle wherever it's registered, and written-off records are shared between every state and territory through the national written-off vehicle register. If you're buying a car interstate to register in Queensland, search by its rego and state or by the VIN.
How long do I have to transfer the registration in Queensland?
The buyer must transfer the registration into their name within 14 days of buying the vehicle. The seller has to provide a current safety certificate for the transfer, unless the vehicle is unregistered or is being sold to a licensed dealer.
Start with a PPSR check or a full car history check.
Check the car before you pay
Enter the rego or VIN to see what's on record for the vehicle.
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