Stolen car check

Where the stolen data comes from

State and territory police record stolen vehicles, stolen engines and stolen number plates in NEVDIS, the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System. A PPSR search by VIN returns those records with the finance and written-off information, so a single A$2.99 check covers all three. Tasmanian stolen vehicle records are not currently supplied to NEVDIS, so a Tasmanian car needs a separate check with Tasmania Police.

What a stolen record means

If the result shows a stolen record, the vehicle or one of its components is on a police list. Do not buy it, do not hand over money, and do not confront the seller. Contact your state or territory police with the VIN and the details of the listing. The record can relate to the whole vehicle, the engine or the plates, and the result says which.

What a clean result does and does not prove

“Not recorded as stolen” means there was no matching police record in NEVDIS at the moment of the search. It does not prove the car is legitimate: a theft may not have been reported yet, and a rebirthed car carries the identity of a different, legitimately registered vehicle. If you buy a stolen car in good faith you can still lose both the car and the money you paid, so look for the warning signs below.

Signs of a rebirthed or stolen car

• The VIN on the compliance plate, the windscreen and the registration papers do not all match, or a plate looks tampered with, re-riveted or freshly painted.
• The engine number on the block does not match the engine number in the PPSR result.
• The seller’s name and address do not match the registration papers, or they will not show ID.
• The seller wants to meet in a car park, insists on cash, and is in a hurry.
• The price is well below the market for the year and kilometres.
• Keys are missing, locks are damaged, or the ignition has been replaced.

Other checks worth doing

• Your state road authority’s free registration check confirms the plates belong to that VIN and shows the registration expiry.
• Compare the make, model, colour and engine number in the PPSR result with the car. Vehicle details come from the road authority, so a mismatch is a red flag.
• An independent mechanical inspection can spot replaced identification plates and body repairs.

Run the PPSR check on the day you buy, keep the certificate, and make sure the transfer is lodged in your name straight away. Not sure where the VIN is?