Buying a Car in Australia: CTP Insurance, PPSR Checks and Registration Explained
New versus used, private sale versus dealer, and the one insurance every state requires but sells completely differently. What a $2 PPSR check reveals, and the mistakes that cost new arrivals the most. Figures as at September 2026.
Read the full guide, with official sources →
Watch
Chapters
- 0:00 CTP insurance is compulsory everywhere —
- 0:15 New vs used
- 0:26 Private sale vs dealer purchase
- 0:41 Run a PPSR check before you pay
- 0:55 CTP, by state
- 1:12 The fixed points
- 1:24 The costly mistakes
- 1:36 If it's not registered in your name,
- 1:47 Where to read more
Transcript
Buying a car in Australia? Compulsory Third Party insurance is required everywhere before you can register a vehicle — but how you buy it is completely different depending on which state you're in.
A new car comes with a manufacturer's warranty. A used car generally costs less upfront, but there's no warranty unless the dealer offers one, and it carries more maintenance risk.
A private sale is usually cheaper, but you handle the registration transfer yourself. A dealer sale costs more, but Australian Consumer Law requires the car to be of acceptable quality — safe, durable and free from defects.
Before you pay for any used car, search its registration number or VIN on the PPSR. The standard online search costs $2 and shows if there's money owing on the car, or if it's stolen or written off.
CTP insurance is compulsory before you can register a car — but in New South Wales and South Australia, you choose and buy it yourself from a list of insurers. In Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, it's bundled straight into your registration fee.
The buying process has a few fixed points. Inspect the car in person, run your PPSR check, pay by bank transfer rather than cash, then transfer the registration into your name.
The mistakes that cost new arrivals the most: skipping the PPSR check, driving without CTP insurance, and paying before the registration is actually transferred into their name.
If the registration isn't in your name, the car isn't legally yours yet — no matter what you've already paid. Get the transfer done before you hand over the money, not after.
The full guide, with the official sources, is on migratio.com.au. The link is in the description.
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