How to Conduct a PPSR Check on a Motor Vehicle: A Step-by-Step Guide - Coastal Motor Advisory

When buying a used or even a demo car in Australia, you have to make sure that the car you are to buy is that there is nothing registered on the PPSR against it! This means ensuring that the car is not financed, written off or stolen. A simple way is to protect yourself with a PPSR check on motor vehicle when buying a used car from a car dealer. It is quick and cheap and may prevent a lot of bother and cost you a lot of money. On this article, you will be taught what a PPSR examine is, why it’s vital, and how you can get a outcome in a short while for any vehicle you have an interest in buying.

If you would like to know more check out our blog that outlines what the PPSR is. It can be accessed here.

What is a PPSR Check?

The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a nation wide online registry where one could search for the financial links between people and companies and personal property such as cars. A PPSR check will provide key details about a car’s history, such as:

Security Interests: Assuming that, something of a debt or loan has been secured against the car.
Written-Off Status: As to whether the car was written off through damage or declared a total loss.
Stolen Status: Whether the car is reported as stolen or not.
Other Encumbrances: Known information of financial or legal claims about the vehicle.
PPSR check is as crucial a step and is best done before buying a used vehicle, as it can help you to avoid buying a car that has a defective history and thus can be recovered.

A PPSR Check is important for a number of reasons.

Purchasing a used vehicle without conducting a PPSR check can leave you vulnerable to several risks:

Financial Liability: If the vehicle you purchase has money owing on it, the financier or lender still has a claim to the car. It also means that after you’ve bought the car they can repossess it.
Written-Off Vehicles: A written off car (especially where damaged beyond repair) may contain hidden structural or safety issues which make it unsafe to drive.
Stolen Vehicles: If you buy the car it can be taken from you by the guy who owns it and your car and your money can be lost.
And with a simple PPSR check, you will be able to rest easy knowing that the history of the vehicle is clear which will assist you in confidently buying a car.

If you are wondering how to run a PPS Certificate Check Online for Motor Vehicle – this post gives you an indication.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a PPSR check on a motor vehicle:

Step 1: Assemble the Required Material
To conduct a PPSR check, you will need the following details about the vehicle:

• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): Assigned to every vehicle this is a special 17 character code which may appear on the vehicles registration papers, in the engine bay or on the vehicles compliance plate.
• Registration Number: The number plate of the car is this one. Although it’s possible to do a PPSR check using the registration number, the VIN is more accurate. Note: that registration numbers can change if the car is registered in other states. It is important to use the VIN were possible.
• Personal Information: If you are doing this check for your own purpose, you’re going to need to prove that these are your own contact details like email address. Make sure you get a copy of the invoice and search results sent to your email address incase there are any issues or you loose your results.

Step 2: For more details, log on to the official PPSR website.
To conduct the search, go to the official PPSR website (https://www.ppsr.gov.au) or google “PPSR” which will lead you to the website. The PPSR website is a government run database to search and download official PPSR certificates (Make sure you are not tricked by fake websites!). It is important that you ensure that you are using the correct website.

Step 3: Choose the Type of Search
You will be offered the opportunity to select what type of search you would like to do, on the PPSR website. In this particular case (make sure you are searching for a car), select “Search by Serial Number” and then “Motor Vehicle.” Following that, you will be asked to input VIN or the registration number of the vehicle.

Step 4: Enter the Vehicle Details
After choosing a motor vehicle search option you enter the VIN (or registration number) in search box. Make sure you double check the number, one character off and you won’t find the information you’re looking for. If you get the VIN incorrect, try again.

Step 5: Pay the Search Fee
PPSR search costs a small amount of money (AUD 2 to 5). Once you have entered the vehicle details you will be asked to pay for this fee using a credit card or via PayPal. The payment process is simple and the PPSR website is secure.

Step 6: You must review the PPSR Search Certificate.
Once the payment is processed, you’ll be mailed an official PPSR certificate, normally by email. This certificate will contain important information about the car, including:

Security Interests: This section describes all loans and financing arrangements in relation to the vehicle that have creditors or financial institutions with claims on the car.

Written-Off History: Statutory writeoff or repairable writeoff, as shown by the certificate. A repairable write off can be repaired and put back on the road, while a statutory write off can never be registered again. Make sure you understand what each of these mean so you dont get them mixed up!. Stolen Status: It will also indicate whether the police have reported a car as stolen.

Step 7: Interpret the Results
Clear PPSR check means that there are no encumbrances, the vehicle is not written off and it is not stolen if you have the search back from the check. That gives you a little more confidence in going ahead with the car since at least you know the history of the car is clean.

If the search shows there is a financial encumbrance on the car, it’s been written off, or it’s reported stolen, think again. For example, if you see a car with a security interest listed, you may want to check with the seller that you pay off the debt first before you complete the transaction.

Check Out Key Takeaways of a PPSR Check

Security Interest: If you are buying a car with an outstanding loan or financial claim make sure the seller pays off the debt before you buy it.
Written-Off Status: If a car has been declared a write off, be careful — it might still have some hidden damage that can pose safety and resale value problems.
Stolen Vehicles: You always should never purchase a car that been reported as stolen as you could lose both the car and your investment.

How often should a PPSR check be conducted?

PPSR checks are not only for buyers; they’re also useful for sellers. Perhaps you are selling a car; by doing a PPSR check, potential buyers will rest assured your vehicle has no outstanding encumbrances or problems from its past, and a smoother sale will be more achievable. As always, buyers should do a PPSR check just before finalizing the purchase to make sure the information is current and accurate.

Conclusion

Check a PPSR is an important part of the process of buying an Australian used car. You can pay for a fee to avoid getting harmed from the potential thrusts connected with purchasing a car with an uncertain fiscal or lawful record. The PPSR check provides you with information on any outstanding debts, write offs or theft reports which helps you in making a better decision and protect your investment.

So before you commit to purchasing a used vehicle, spend the time to run a PPSR check because it’ll cost you very little but could end up saving you lots of money and legal trouble in the future. Dont worry if you are using the services of Coastal Motor Advisory, we will provide you with a copy of the PPSR searches