Whether you’re selling your old car, gifting a slick set of wheels to your spouse or passing on your trusty hatchback to your teen P-plater, handing over the keys is only half the job.
In Australia, when it comes to transferring car ownership, it’s important to get it right – or you could find yourself on the hook for someone else’s tolls, parking fines or speeding tickets.1
On the flip side, a buyer who fails to complete their part of the transfer process might incur a late transfer penalty2 or see the vehicle’s registration suspended or cancelled,3 leaving themselves without valid Compulsory Third Party (CTP) cover.4
But how do you actually transfer ownership as a vehicle seller or when giving a car as a gift? How does the process differ across Australia? And what does transferring a vehicle mean for your car insurance?
To help you discover the answers to these questions and more, we’ve put together this guide on how to transfer car ownership in Australia.
Car ownership vs registration
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, there’s an important distinction to understand.
Ownership is all about legal possession,5 while vehicle registration identifies the “registered operator”. A car can be registered to someone who isn’t the legal owner,6 but the person listed on the registration is considered legally responsible for the vehicle, and liable for penalties or fines – even if they aren’t the driver.7
When you sell a car in Australia, you need to transfer the registration. Confusingly, this is called “transferring car ownership” in some states and territories, but it’s really about changing the registered operator.8
How to transfer car ownership in Australia
So, your buyer has done their car history check and is ready to buy your wheels, or you’ve surprised your loved one with the gift of a lifetime. What’s next?
While the exact transfer process and timeframes differ by state and territory, the seller’s ownership transfer journey will probably look something like this:
- Gather your documents – Exactly what you need will depend on where you live, but could include registration papers, proof of your identity and vehicle ownership, and a transfer of ownership form.9
- Complete the sale – If you’re selling your car, you’ll need to complete the sale before transferring car ownership.
- Prepare for the vehicle transfer – Information you might need typically includes:
- Your name and licence number1
- Buyer name and licence number1
- Date of sale1
- Sale price or market value, whichever is higher1
- Vehicle registration number10
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)10
- Transfer car ownership – You can change car ownership online or in person at the relevant authority for your state or territory. This is called a notice of disposal, and it lets the government know that you’re no longer the registered operator of the vehicle.1 Depending on where you live, you may also need the new owner’s signature on your notice of disposal, so it could help to bring it along when you make the sale.11 As a seller, you don’t have to worry about paying a transfer fee or stamp duty, as these taxes are paid by the person buying your used car.12
- Update your insurance – Don’t forget to let your insurer know that you’ve sold the vehicle and advise them of any new purchase if you wish to stay covered.13
Selling a car vs gifting a car
Giving someone a car? How generous! Here are some things to keep in mind.
Transferring ownership of a gifted car
Even if it's a gift, the recipient will still need to transfer the vehicle registration to their name.14
Transfer fee and stamp duty
As we mentioned, buyers usually pay the costs, including transfer fees and stamp duty.12 When you’re giving a car as a gift, you may want to decide whether you’ll cover these costs or leave it up to your recipient.
However, you may be able to get an exemption on stamp duty for gifted cars, depending on where you live.15 For example, in Queensland, you may not have to pay stamp duty on a vehicle gifted to family members,16 so it could be a good idea to check with the relevant state authority before you part with any money.
Vehicle transfer guide
Here’s how to go about transferring car ownership in your part of Australia. The following information relates to vehicles transferred within a state or territory. We’ll cover the interstate transfer process further down.
To transfer car ownership in the ACT
In the nation’s capital, the seller must complete an application to transfer vehicle registration and give it to the buyer, who will use it to complete their side of the transfer.11 Next, sellers are required to fill in a notice of disposal form and submit it to Access Canberra in person, by mail or online.11
Time frame: Sellers should generally act promptly, as buyers have only 14 days after purchase to complete the transfer, or risk incurring a late fee.11
To transfer car ownership in NSW
Sellers only need to submit a notice of disposal form.17 You can do this online, in person at a Service NSW centre, or by post.1
Time frame: Both the seller and the buyer should act promptly to complete their transfer admin, as the buyer must complete the transfer within 14 days of acquiring the vehicle.2
If the vehicle is currently registered in New South Wales, you won’t need to get a new Pink Slip (safety inspection report) to keep the CTP and registration active when you transfer ownership.2
To transfer car ownership in the NT
Up north, both seller and buyer or recipient must sign the notice of disposal form.18 Then, the seller submits it by mail, email, or in person at a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) office.18
Time frame: The seller has 14 days after the sale to submit the notice of disposal.18 The buyer must also complete their transfer of ownership within 14 days of the sale.19
The seller will also have to supply the new owner with proof of ownership,18 such as a signed registration certificate, a bill of sale or a receipt that clearly identifies seller, buyer and vehicle and shows both the seller's and buyer's signatures.20
To transfer car ownership in Qld
You can easily transfer ownership online via the online portal.21 Alternatively, you and the buyer or recipient can complete the vehicle registration transfer application form. The buyer submits part A, and you hang onto part B until the transfer is finalised.22
Time frame: Queensland buyers and sellers must both complete the full transfer process within 14 days of the sale.21
To transfer car ownership in SA
Submit a notice of disposal online using your mySAGOV account. Sellers can also lodge a paper notice of disposal by post, or in person at any Service SA centre.23
After the seller has done their part, the buyer can complete the transfer. The whole process must be finalised within 14 days of the date of purchase.23
To transfer vehicle ownership in Tas
Fill in the relevant details using the online disposal portal. Alternatively, you can download a paper notice of disposal form and submit it by mail, email or at any Service Tasmania centre.10
Time frame: Sellers must submit their notice of disposal within seven days, while buyers have 14 days from the date of sale to finalise the ownership transfer.24
To transfer car ownership in Vic
The first step is for the seller to complete the notice of disposal. You can do this online via myVicRoads or in person at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre.25
The seller also has to start the transfer process in Victoria. You can do this via your myVicRoads account. You and the buyer may want to fill in an application for transfer of registration when you finalise the sale, so you have all the relevant details on hand. Once you have completed your part of the online transfer, the buyer will receive an alert and be able to finalise the transfer of ownership.26
Time frame: The transfer process must be completed by buyer and seller within 14 days.25,26
How to transfer car ownership in WA
As a seller, you can lodge this online via your DoTDirect account. Or, to do it in person or by mail, you and the buyer must fill out the Notification of change of ownership vehicle licence transfer form. Then, you submit the blue section by post, or in person at a Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) service centre or regional agent.27 The buyer completes the transfer online or can submit the red section of the form in person or by mail.28
Time frame: The seller must notify DTMI within seven days of selling or gifting a car.27 The buyer must finalise the transfer within 14 days.28
Interstate car transfer: What you need to know
In Australia, your car must be registered in the state or territory where you live and are licensed. For example, you can’t drive a car with a Queensland registration if your address is in NSW.29
The process to transfer car ownership interstate varies, but you or the buyer may have to arrange for the current registration to be cancelled or transferred in the state of origin and registered again in the buyer’s state.29
You may also have to surrender the plates. There might be other requirements too, for example, in NSW, you’ll need a Blue Slip to register a car bought interstate.29
You can learn more about interstate car transfer rules for your state or territory via the relevant authority:
- ACT: Access Canberra
- NSW: Service NSW
- NT: Northern Territory Government
- Qld: Queensland Government
- SA: Government of South Australia
- Tas: Service Tasmania
- Vic: VicRoads
- WA: Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
Can I keep a car in my name while someone else drives it?
As we mentioned, registration and ownership are different things. So, if you want to retain ownership of a vehicle, it can still be registered to someone else.6
Of course, you may want to – or be required to – keep a car registered in your name. For example, underaged drivers in Victoria cannot register a car in their own name.30
But remember, being the registered operator means you’re liable for fines and penalties, even if you’re not driving.7 So, you may want to consider this responsibility carefully before you choose this path.
Can I be the registered owner if my partner paid for the car?
Yes, you can. Because the registered operator of a car doesn’t have to be the owner, you can put the registration in your name, regardless of who paid for or owns the vehicle.7
Does my car insurance automatically transfer to the new owner?
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance, known as Green Slip insurance in NSW, is mandatory in all states and territories, but it’s managed alongside your car’s registration. So, as long as a car is registered, it should have CTP, but it’s always a good idea to double-check.31
However, other types of car insurance generally don’t transfer when ownership of a vehicle changes. If you sell or give your car to someone else, they’ll usually need to arrange their own insurance cover.
If a car changes hands within a family, such as when it's gifted to a spouse or child, it's important to let your insurer know. Depending on your insurer and policy, the new owner may continue to be covered if they're listed on the policy. However, if the person who regularly drives the car changes, you'll also need to update your policy details to make sure your cover remains accurate.
“This might apply if you gift your car to a family member or share it with other drivers in your household,” explains Marni Jackson, Youi’s Head of Product – Vehicle and Lifestyle.
“At Youi, other listed drivers on your policy have the same level of cover as the regular driver in an insured event, although a young driver excess may apply to drivers under 25. If the person who usually drives the car changes, it’s important to let us know and update your policy.”32
If you are selling your car to someone outside of your family, it could be a good idea to contact your insurer as soon as the sale is complete, to cancel or update your policy.12
Trading in your old car for a new set of wheels? At Youi, if you sell or give away your insured car and replace it with a new one, we’ll provide up to 14 days of temporary replacement cover at your existing level of insurance, starting the day your old car is sold.32
Now that you know how to transfer car ownership, wherever you are in Australia, it might be a good time to check that your car insurance is still meeting your needs. To find out if Youi’s cover is a good fit for you, consider checking out our car insurance options online or starting a quote now.
1 Source: Service NSW – Submit a notice of disposal for a vehicle, March 2026
2 Source: Service NSW – Transfer a vehicle registration, March 2026
3 Source: VicRoads – Registration status, n.d.
4 Source: Drive – Why Australians are still driving around without insurance, July 2025
5 Source: Monash University – Ownership, n.d.
6 Source: Transport Services Tasmania – Vehicle registration - general information, October 2024
7 Source: Transport WA – Vehicle owner responsibilities, June 2025
8 Source: carsales – What documents do you need to sell your car?, January 2026
9 Source: CarExpert – How to transfer car ownership in Australia, May 2024
10 Source: Transport Services Tasmania – Selling your vehicle, November 2025
11 Source: Access Canberra – Selling an ACT registered vehicle, n.d.
12 Source: Cars24 – Understanding RC Transfer!, April 2024
13 Source: carsales – I’ve sold my car. What do I do next?, n.d.
14 Source: Service NSW – Transfer ownership of a NSW-registered vehicle, December 2025
15 Source: carsales – What is Stamp Duty on a car and how much is it?, July 2020
16 Source: Qld Government – Exemptions for vehicle registration duty, April 2026
17 Source: NSW Government – Transferring registration when selling a vehicle, n.d.
18 Source: NT Government – Former owner responsibilities: seller, n.d.
19 Source: NT Government – New owner responsibilities: buyer, n.d.
20 Source: NT Government – Evidence of vehicle ownership, n.d.
21 Source: Qld Government – How to transfer a Queensland registered vehicle, trailer, caravan or boat online, May 2025
22 Source: Qld Government – How to transfer a Queensland registered vehicle, trailer, caravan or boat in person, May 2025
23 Source: SA Government – Notify Service SA you’ve sold a vehicle, March 2026
24 Source: Transport Services Tas – Notice of Disposal – Previous Registered Operator/s to Complete, n.d.
25 Source: VicRoads – Selling a vehicle, n.d.
26 Source: VicRoads – Buying a vehicle, n.d.
27 Source: WA Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure – Sell a vehicle and transfer a vehicle licence, October 2025
28 Source: WA Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure – Buy a vehicle and transfer a vehicle licence, October 2025
29 Source: Drive – How to transfer registration from another state, July 2024
30 Source: VicRoads – Underage purchase, n.d.
31 Source: Canstar – Compulsory third party (CTP) insurance: What you need to know, May 2026
32 Limits, fees and exclusions may apply. For full details, see the PDS.
