Car selling glossary

The words that come up when you sell a car in Australia, from payout figures to PPSR checks, explained in plain English.

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A

Access Canberra: The ACT Government service that handles vehicle registration. When you sell, you and the buyer sign the transfer and notice of disposal sections on the back of the rego certificate. You then notify Access Canberra, online if you both hold ACT licences or with the form if not: see selling a car in the ACT.
Auction: Also called car auction; Selling through an auction house, where buyers bid on the day and the car sells if bidding reaches the reserve price you agreed. The ACCC says most consumer guarantees don't apply to second-hand cars bought at auction, and fees and payment times vary by auction house. Compare it with other options in car auction vs selling to a dealer.

B

Balloon payment: Also called balloon; A lump sum left to pay at the end of a car loan, agreed at the start so the regular repayments are smaller. Moneysmart notes the total cost is typically higher, because interest applies to that lump sum. If you sell before or when it falls due, the balloon is part of your payout figure: see balloon payment due: sell or refinance.
Bank cheque: A cheque issued by a bank rather than drawn on the buyer's own account. It isn't money until your own bank confirms it has cleared, so check it with the issuing bank on a phone number you look up yourself and keep the car until then. See is a bank cheque safe when selling a car.
Battery state of health: Also called SOH, battery health; How much energy an EV or plug-in hybrid battery can hold now compared with when it was new, usually shown as a percentage. It isn't the charge level or the range estimate on the dash. A dated report from a dealer for your brand or an EV specialist, showing the VIN and kilometres, is the strongest proof for a buyer: see EV battery health before selling.
Bill of sale: Also called sale receipt; A written receipt for the sale. Service NSW says it should include the vehicle details, the date and time, and the names, addresses and signatures of both buyer and seller. Keep a copy with your notice of disposal: see what to include in a bill of sale.
Blue slip (NSW): Also called AUVIS inspection; An Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Scheme (AUVIS) report. NSW requires one to register a car whose rego expired more than 3 months ago, that came from another state or country, has no number plates, or is a write-off approved for re-registration. It's valid for 42 days from the inspection and isn't part of selling a car with current NSW rego.
Build date: The month and year a car was made. It can be earlier than the compliance date and the year on the rego papers, and it's what tells buyers which update or generation a car belongs to. Check it on the car's identification labels or your purchase papers before you describe the car.

C

Capped-price servicing: Also called capped price service plan; A manufacturer's scheme that fixes the price of scheduled services for a set period, usually when the work is done at its dealers. Kia, for example, says the balance of its 7-year capped price servicing stays with the vehicle for the new owner if each service is done at an authorised Kia dealer. Other plans and prepaid service packages have their own terms, so check before you tell a buyer it's included.
Car-buying service: A business, usually a licensed dealer, that buys cars directly from owners: it makes an offer, inspects the car and arranges collection. Before you agree, check its dealer licence and ask exactly when you're paid compared with when the car leaves. Sell Your Car Australia is one, run by a NSW licensed motor dealer: see how it works.
CGT exemption for cars: Also called capital gains tax; The ATO says your car is exempt from capital gains tax, and defines a car as a motor vehicle that carries a load of less than 1 tonne and fewer than 9 passengers. Some utes have payloads near or above 1 tonne, so if yours is a ute or was used for work, check with your accountant. See do I pay tax when I sell my car.
CIN (Tasmania): Also called Customer Identification Number; A Customer Identification Number. Motor dealers and organisations use one to access Tasmania's online disposal portal, and the online transfer accepts a licensed dealer number and CIN as the buyer. Tasmanian sellers must lodge the disposal within 7 days: see selling a car in Tasmania.
Cleared funds: Money that has actually landed in your account and is available to use, as your own bank confirms. A screenshot, an emailed receipt or a message saying the money is on its way is not cleared funds. When you sell to us, the car is collected only after you confirm the funds have cleared: see paid before pickup vs paid after handover.
Compliance plate: Also called compliance date; A plate showing the month and year a car was certified for supply in Australia, known as the compliance date. NSW counts a car's age for pink slips from it. Cars supplied under the federal Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 are recorded on the Register of Approved Vehicles, which you can search by VIN.
Consignment: Leaving your car with a dealer who sells it for you and pays you after it sells, usually less a fee or commission. In NSW the dealership may submit the notice of disposal on a consignment sale, and in WA a dealer selling on consignment needs Category E on its licence. See consignment vs selling outright.
Consumer guarantees: Also called Australian Consumer Law; Rights under the Australian Consumer Law for people who buy from a business, including a licensed car dealer: the car must be of acceptable quality, match its description and come with clear title. The ACCC says most of them don't apply to second-hand cars bought privately or at auction. When a dealer resells your car, those duties sit between the dealer and its buyer.
CTP insurance: Also called compulsory third party; Compulsory third party insurance covers people injured in a crash involving your car, not damage to vehicles or property. NSW sells it separately as a green slip, while other states and territories collect it with the rego under their own scheme names. In NSW and SA it passes to the new owner when the rego transfers.

D

Dealer licence number: Also called MD number, motor dealer licence number; The number a state regulator gives a licensed motor dealer, such as an MD number in NSW or an LMCT number in Victoria. In NSW you enter the dealer's licence number and registered business name on the notice of disposal in place of a buyer's driver licence. Ours is MD 077404, and you can check it on Verify NSW.
Dealer tender: Also called tender platform, dealer bidding site; An online service that shows your car to many trade buyers at once so they can bid for it. The platform usually isn't the buyer, so find out which dealer is buying, when you're paid and whether the price can change after the inspection. See dealer tender platforms explained.
Deposit: Part of the price paid when you accept an offer, to hold the sale until the balance is paid. Get it in writing, including what happens to it if either side pulls out. When you sell to us, the deposit is often paid the same day you accept: see car sale deposit explained.
Depreciation: The fall in a car's value over time. Age, kilometres, condition, demand for the model and changes to new-car prices all move it; used Tesla prices, for example, fell sharply after new-car price cuts in 2023 and 2024. See what decides a used car's value.
DoTDirect (WA): Western Australia's online transport service. WA sellers must tell the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure within 7 days that they no longer own the car, and DoTDirect is the quickest way to do it. Some sales, such as joint ownership, company transfers and optional plates, need the MR9 form instead.

E

E-tag: Also called toll tag; An electronic toll tag fixed to the windscreen and linked to your toll account. After the sale, take it out of the car and remove the car's plate number from your account so the next owner's trips aren't charged to you. See got a fine or toll for a car you sold.
Early termination fee: Also called early exit fee, break fee; A fee some lenders charge for paying out a loan or lease before the end of its term. Moneysmart says variable-rate car loans typically don't have early exit fees, so fixed-rate loans are the ones to check. Ask your lender whether one is included in your payout figure: see car loan payout letter explained.
Engine number: A number marked on the engine, separate from the VIN. In the Northern Territory the notice of disposal must include it alongside the VIN or chassis number, so note it down before the car is collected.
Equity: Also called positive equity; What's left for you when the sale price is more than you owe on the car. If a car sells for $30,000 and the payout figure is $22,000, the equity is $8,000. When you sell to us with finance owing, we pay your lender directly and then pay you any equity: try the car equity calculator.
Escrow scam: Also called secure payment scam; A scam built around a fake escrow or "secure payment" service. Scamwatch has reported vehicle scams where the escrow agent was fake; aimed at sellers, it's an email or page saying your money is "held" when nothing has been paid. Only money in your own account counts: see fake escrow and secure payment scams.

F

Factory warranty: Also called new car warranty, manufacturer's warranty, battery warranty; The manufacturer's warranty generally stays with the car when you sell, so the next owner gets the time and kilometres left, not a fresh term. Battery cover on EVs and hybrids often runs on separate terms; Hyundai, for example, lists 8 years or 160,000 km for its high-voltage batteries. See does remaining warranty increase car value.
Firm offer: Also called genuine offer; A price a buyer commits to for your actual car after hearing about its condition, history and any finance, as opposed to an online estimate. Ask what could change it, such as differences found at the inspection. When you sell to us, the offer comes by phone from a licensed dealer: see why a car offer drops after inspection.

G

Green slip (NSW): Also called NSW CTP; The name used in NSW for compulsory third party (CTP) insurance. It automatically transfers to the new owner when the registration transfers, so you don't need to do anything with it when you sell. See selling a car in NSW.
GST on a car sale: Also called tax invoice; GST isn't payable when you sell a privately owned car. If the car was used in a GST-registered business, the ATO says GST generally applies to the sale and the business may need to give the buyer a tax invoice, so check with your accountant. See selling a company car.
Guaranteed Future Value (GFV): Also called GFV; A finance option that lets you return the car at the end of the loan for a value set at the start, instead of paying the final balloon. Moneysmart notes it comes with conditions, such as kilometre limits and returning the car in good condition. See GFV finance: return or sell.

I

IDCARE: The identity and cyber support service Scamwatch points scam victims to. If you've given a scammer a copy of your licence, passport or bank details, call IDCARE on 1800 595 160 and your bank straight away. See scammed selling your car: what to do.
Inspection: Also called appraisal inspection; A buyer's check of the car's condition, covering things like the body, interior, tyres, mechanicals and warning lights. Differences between what you described and what the inspector finds are why offers change, so describe the car accurately. When you sell to us, the inspection happens after you accept, at a time and place that suits you: see what is checked at an inspection.
Instant offer: Also called instant online offer; An offer a website generates from details you enter, often on behalf of a dealer and valid for a set number of days. It's usually conditional on an inspection and can be adjusted if the car doesn't match what you entered. See where to sell your car online.

L

Licensed motor dealer: Also called licensed dealer, motor dealer; A business licensed by a state or territory to buy and sell cars, which means a regulator knows who it is and can act against it. Check a buyer's licence on the register of the state that issued it, and check that the licence, the ABN and your paperwork all name the same business. See how to check a car buyer is licensed.
LMCT (Victoria): Also called licensed motor car trader; Licensed motor car trader, Victoria's name for a licensed car dealer. Consumer Affairs Victoria says an LMCT must pay you for your car, or provide a trade, before trying to sell it. It keeps a public register where you can check a trader's licence.
Logbook servicing: Also called service history, logbook; Servicing done to the manufacturer's schedule and recorded in the service book or a digital record. Consumer Affairs Victoria says a qualified independent mechanic can do it without affecting the warranty, provided the work follows the manufacturer's specifications. A complete, documented history is widely reported to help resale: see does service history affect car value.
Luxury car tax (LCT): Also called LCT; A federal tax on cars priced above a threshold the ATO sets each financial year. The ATO says LCT may apply when a GST-registered seller sells a luxury car. If your car is registered to a business, ask your accountant.

M

MAI insurance (ACT): Also called Motor Accident Injuries insurance; Motor Accident Injuries insurance, the ACT's compulsory third party cover, paid with your rego. Access Canberra says a refund of unused rego and MAI insurance may be available if the rego is cancelled, though sellers typically include the remaining rego in the price.
MAIB (Tasmania): Also called Motor Accidents Insurance Board; The Motor Accidents Insurance Board, Tasmania's scheme for people injured in motor accidents, regardless of fault. It's funded by compulsory premiums paid on registered vehicles, so the cover is part of what you pay for Tasmanian rego.
Motor Dealers and Repairers Compensation Fund (NSW): A last-resort NSW Fair Trading fund for losses when dealing with a licensed motor dealer or repairer, such as a dealer failing to refund a deposit or pass on consignment proceeds. You must first try to recover the loss from the dealer. As at October 2026, payments are capped at $100,000 and claims have time limits: see how to check a car buyer is licensed.
Motor vehicle duty: Also called stamp duty, dutiable value, vehicle registration duty, vehicle licence duty; A state tax the buyer pays when a car changes hands, charged on its dutiable value: in most states the higher of the price paid and the market value. Rates differ by state, and in Queensland and the ACT they also depend on the engine type or emissions. Licensed dealers buying cars to resell can be exempt in some states, including Victoria and WA.
MR9 form (WA): Western Australia's paper vehicle transfer form. Sellers can lodge their copy by mail or in person instead of using DoTDirect, and it's required for some sales, including deceased estates, joint ownership, company transfers and optional plates. See selling a car in WA.
MVR (NT): Also called Motor Vehicle Registry; The Motor Vehicle Registry, which handles registration in the Northern Territory. There's no online form: you and the buyer sign a notice of disposal, such as the R06 form or the latest rego certificate, and send it to MVR within 14 days by email, mail or in person. See selling a car in the NT.
mySAGOV: South Australia's online government account, used in a browser to lodge a notice of disposal with Service SA. It only works when the buyer is from SA; if the buyer is interstate, as we are, you use the paper notice of disposal instead. See selling a car in South Australia.
MyServiceNSW Account: The online account NSW sellers use to lodge a notice of disposal. You'll also need your NSW licence or Photo Card, the rego details, the sale date and the higher of the sale price or market value. For the buyer, you give their NSW licence or, if you sell to a motor dealer, its business details.
myVicRoads: VicRoads' online account, where Victorian sellers complete the notice of disposal under the transfer vehicle option. VicRoads asks you to let it know within 14 days of selling, or you may be liable for fines and tolls linked to the car afterwards. See selling a car in Victoria.

N

Negative equity: Owing more on the car than it sells for. The gap has to be paid to the lender before the sale can settle, because the lender's security interest stays on the car until the loan is cleared. See selling a car with negative equity.
NEVDIS: The National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System, which draws on data from state agencies and police. Written-off and stolen status on a PPSR certificate comes from NEVDIS, and the PPSR notes this data isn't always available or up to date.
Notice of disposal: Also called NOD, disposal notice; The notice a seller lodges to tell the transport authority the car has been sold, so later fines, tolls and rego aren't pinned on you. The deadline is 14 days in NSW, Victoria, SA and the NT, 7 days in WA and Tasmania, and as soon as you sell in the ACT; in Queensland you start the transfer online within 14 days instead. We'll make sure yours is done correctly: see what to do after selling your car.
Novated lease: Also called salary-packaged car lease; A car lease paid from your salary under an agreement between you, your employer and a finance company. It ends with a residual value to pay, and the ATO sets minimum residuals, such as 46.88% for a 3-year term, for the lease to be treated as genuine for fringe benefits tax. See novated lease residual value explained.

O

Online estimate: Also called online valuation; A price or range an online valuation tool produces from the details you enter. It isn't an offer, because no one has committed to buy your car at that price. See online car valuation vs a real offer.
Operating lease: A lease where the leasing company usually keeps the car at the end, so it's rarely yours to sell. If your contract talks about returning the car and gives you no residual to pay, it's probably an operating lease, so ask your provider before planning a sale. See selling a car on a novated lease mid-term.
Overpayment scam: A scam where a "buyer" pays, or seems to pay, more than the agreed price and asks you to refund the difference, often to a third party. Scamwatch lists it as a warning sign: the original payment bounces or turns out to be fake, and the refund was your own money. See the car sale overpayment scam.

P

PayID scam: Also called PayID upgrade scam; A fake buyer sends an email or message that looks official, saying you must pay a fee or "upgrade" your account before their PayID payment can be released. PayID doesn't message you and you never have to pay money to receive money, and Scamwatch also warns about payments split across several PayIDs. See the PayID scam aimed at car sellers.
Payout figure: Also called payout letter, payout quote; The exact amount needed to close your car loan or lease on a given date, including interest to that date and any fees for paying out early. It can differ from the balance on your statement and is valid only until a set date, so ask your lender for it in writing. See car loan payout letter explained.
Personalised plates: Also called custom plates, special plates, optional plates (WA), TasPlates; Number plates with a combination you chose and paid for. To keep them, you usually swap to standard plates or transfer them before you sell; in Victoria the buyer is presumed to get custom plates sold on the car unless they're transferred separately. See keeping personalised plates when selling.
Pink slip (NSW): Also called safety inspection report; A NSW safety inspection report that most light vehicles more than 5 years old need each year to renew rego, counted from the month and year on the compliance plate. It's valid for 6 months and isn't needed to transfer a current NSW registration. Most cars built in 2021 or later won't have needed one yet.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV): Also called PHEV; A car with a petrol engine and a battery you can charge from a power point or charger, giving some electric-only range. Buyers ask about battery health, how it was charged and which charging cables come with it. See selling a plug-in hybrid.
PPSR: Also called PPSR check, REVS check; The Personal Property Securities Register, the national register that shows whether a lender has a security interest recorded against a car. A search by VIN costs $2 online as at October 2026 and also shows written-off and stolen status where available, but not the amount owing, the owner or the odometer reading. See when the PPSR clears after a payout.
Private sale: Selling your car yourself to a member of the public, usually through an online listing. You handle the ad, enquiries, test drives, payment and paperwork, including any roadworthy or safety certificate your state requires. See the true cost of selling a car privately.

R

Recall: A campaign in which a manufacturer fixes a safety or compliance fault in a group of cars. Search your VIN on vehiclerecalls.gov.au, the Australian Government's recall site; the work is free at a dealer for your brand, and the recall stays with the car if you sell before it's done. See check open recalls before selling.
Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV): Also called RAV; The federal register of road vehicles provided in Australia under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018. It has a public search by VIN.
Registered operator: The person or organisation a car is registered to. It isn't always the legal owner, for example when a finance company owns a leased car. Transport authorities deal with the registered operator as the seller, so they sign the transfer and lodge the notice of disposal.
Registration transfer: Also called transfer of registration, rego transfer; Moving a car's registration into the buyer's name. In every state and territory the buyer must apply within 14 days and pays the transfer fee and any duty. The seller's part is the notice of disposal or, in Queensland, starting the transfer online: see selling a car in Australia.
Rego refund: Also called registration refund; Money back for unused registration when the rego is cancelled rather than transferred. Access Canberra says a refund of unused rego and MAI insurance may be available, and the NT suggests checking whether you can get one if you sell the car unregistered. Rules differ by state, so ask before you cancel: see selling an unregistered car.
Repairable write-off: A car declared a total loss, usually because repairs would cost more than it's worth, that wasn't damaged badly enough to be a statutory write-off. It may be repaired and registered again if it meets the state's rules, which are strictest in NSW, and the record stays on the register. See selling a repairable write-off.
Repossession: When a lender takes and sells a car because repayments on a secured loan weren't met. Moneysmart warns the price may not cover the full debt, and a financial counsellor can talk you through your options. See behind on car repayments: sell before repossession.
Residual value: Also called residual; The amount left to pay at the end of a lease, set when the lease starts. On a novated lease the ATO requires it to be a reasonable estimate of the car's market value at the end of the lease, and not below its minimums. Many people sell the car to cover it.
Retail value: Also called retail price; What a car sells for to a private buyer or off a dealer's yard. It's higher than the wholesale price because it covers the seller's preparation, advertising and time, and for a dealer, its legal obligations to the buyer. Compare the two routes with the private sale vs dealer calculator.
Right to display: In the Northern Territory all number plates belong to the Motor Vehicle Registry, and what you hold is the right to display them. You can transfer that right with the car, keep the plates for another vehicle you own, or swap plates. Tasmania uses the same idea for TasPlates.
Roadworthy certificate (RWC): Also called RWC, roadworthy; A Victorian certificate, less than 30 days old, that a private seller of a registered car must give the buyer; it checks safety, not mechanical reliability. VicRoads' transfer table doesn't require one when a private seller sells to a dealer. We confirm what applies to your car on the call: see do you need a roadworthy to sell to a dealer.
Roadworthy inspection (ACT and NT): In the ACT, a buyer of an ACT-registered vehicle up to 4.5 tonnes that is more than 6 years old, or imported, needs a roadworthy inspection before transferring the rego. In the NT, a light vehicle 7 years old or older needs one when ownership is transferred. A car built in 2021 or later is under both age limits in 2026.

S

Safety certificate (QLD): Also called safety cert; The certificate a Queensland seller must give a private buyer, valid for 2 months or 2,000 km when issued for a private sale; not providing one can mean a fine of over $700. TMR doesn't require one for vehicles traded to licensed motor dealers, and we'll confirm how that applies to your car: see selling a car in Queensland.
Scamwatch: The Australian Government's scam information and reporting website at scamwatch.gov.au, run by the ACCC. Its warning signs for car sales include a buyer who won't see the car in person, an overpayment with a refund request, and payment split across several PayIDs. Report a scam there so others can be warned.
Security interest: Also called encumbrance, finance owing; A lender's legal claim over a car that secures a loan, recorded on the PPSR. It stays registered until the loan is paid out and the lender releases it, which is why finance has to be cleared at or before a sale. When you sell to us with finance owing, we pay the lender directly so it can be cleared: see selling a car under finance.
Settlement: The point where a sale is completed: the money is paid, any loan is paid out and the car changes hands. When you sell to us with finance owing, settlement usually takes 2 to 3 business days because we deal with your lender first. See how long it takes to sell a car.
Statutory write-off: A car so badly damaged it can never be registered or driven on public roads again. It can generally only be sold for parts or scrap, and the status shows on written-off vehicle registers and can show on a PPSR search.

T

TAC charge (Victoria): Also called TAC; The Transport Accident Commission charge, Victoria's compulsory third party injury cover, paid as part of your rego. It belongs to the registration, so it stays with the car when the rego transfers.
Trade-in: Selling your car to the dealer you're buying your next car from, with its value taken off the new car's price. It's convenient, but the trade-in figure and the new car's price are negotiated together, which makes it harder to see what you're really being paid. See why is my trade-in value so low.
Transfer fee: The fee to move the rego into the buyer's name, paid by the buyer. As at October 2026 it's $42 in NSW within 14 days ($193 after that), $33.65 in Queensland and $33 in SA. A Queensland seller pays no fee to start the transfer.

U

Unregistered car: Also called expired rego; A car whose registration has expired or been cancelled. You can still sell it, but it can't be driven on public roads, and the buyer may need an inspection to register it. In NSW, for example, that's a blue slip once the rego has been expired for more than 3 months: see selling an unregistered car.

V

Valuation: Also called appraisal; An assessment of what a car is worth to a particular buyer, based on its make, model, age, kilometres, condition, history and demand. Our free valuation is a phone call with a licensed dealer that ends in a genuine offer, with no obligation. See what happens on a car valuation call.
Vehicle licence (WA): Western Australia's term for registration. A WA licence can't be transferred to someone who isn't a WA resident, so a car sold to an interstate buyer is usually sold unlicensed. We'll explain the steps, including any refund, before pickup: see selling a car in WA.
Verify NSW: The NSW Government's free online licence lookup. Use its motor industry search to check that a dealer's licence is current, is a motor dealer licence and is held by the business you're dealing with. You can check ours, MD 077404, there.
VIN: Also called Vehicle Identification Number; The Vehicle Identification Number, a 17-character code that identifies one car. It's usually at the base of the windscreen, on a door post or in the footwell, and on your rego papers. You need it for a PPSR search and a recall check: see whether to show the VIN in your ad.

W

Wholesale value: Also called trade price; What a dealer pays for a car it plans to resell. It's lower than retail because the dealer carries the costs of preparing, holding and selling the car, its legal obligations to the next buyer, and the risk it takes longer to sell. See what decides a used car's value.
Written-off vehicle register (WOVR): Also called WOVR, write-off register; State registers of cars that insurers or assessors have declared written off, recorded as either statutory or repairable write-offs. The status can show on a PPSR search and stays on record after repairs, so tell buyers up front.

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