# Buying a Used Car in South Australia

Last updated: 1 October 2026. Web page: https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-in-sa.

When you buy a used car privately in South Australia, the seller lodges a notice of disposal and you transfer the registration into your name within 14 days, or pay a late fee. There's no roadworthy certificate to collect for an SA-registered car, and stamp duty is charged on the price or the market value, whichever is higher.

## South Australia at a Glance

| Topic | The rule |
| --- | --- |
| Certificate | None for an SA-registered car; some vehicles need an inspection to be registered |
| Transfer deadline | 14 days from the purchase, or a late fee |
| Who does what | The seller lodges a notice of disposal; you apply to transfer the registration |
| Stamp duty | On the price or market value, whichever is higher, paid with the transfer |
| Before you pay | Your own PPSR search, on the day |

## No Roadworthy Certificate

Unlike Victoria and Queensland, South Australia doesn't ask the seller for a roadworthy certificate when an SA-registered car changes hands. Some vehicles do need a roadworthy inspection before they can be registered in SA, such as some modified or imported vehicles, so check with Service SA if the car isn't currently SA-registered ([SA Government](https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/vehicles/vehicle-inspections/roadworthy-inspections)).

Without a certificate, nobody has checked the car for you. Inspect it yourself with a [used car inspection checklist](https://shufti.com.au/checklists/australian-used-car-inspection-checklist), and consider having a mechanic look at it.

## What the Seller Does

The seller must tell Service SA about the sale by lodging a notice of disposal within 14 days, with the date, the price and your driver's licence or client number, so have that ready when you buy ([SA Government](https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/registration/vehicle-registration/transfers/lodge-disposal-notice)).

## Transferring the Registration

You must apply to transfer the registration within 14 days of buying the car, or you may have to pay a late transfer fee ([SA Government](https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/registration/vehicle-registration/transfers/transfer-registration)).

## Stamp Duty

Stamp duty is payable when you apply to transfer the registration, by the person the car is being transferred to, on the purchase price or market value, whichever is higher ([RevenueSA](https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/stamp-duty-vehicles)).

## Before You Pay

Run your own [PPSR check](https://shufti.com.au/guides/what-is-a-ppsr-check) on the day you pay, and check [the documents](https://shufti.com.au/guides/what-documents-to-check-when-buying-a-used-car). A private sale doesn't come with a dealer's guarantees: see [buying from a private seller](https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-from-a-private-seller).

Buying in another state? See [Victoria](https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-in-victoria), [NSW](https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-in-nsw), [Queensland](https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-in-queensland) or [Western Australia](https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-in-wa).

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Shufti is an Australian used car inspection app for iPhone and Android that tailors the inspection to the exact car you're looking at. It is not affiliated with Shufti Pro, the identity verification (KYC) company.

From the listing link, it builds every check around that car's make, model and year, odometer reading and the seller's description. It runs PPSR and government recall checks, crosschecks a database of more than 3 million recalls and owner complaints, flags problems from your photos and audio, plans a test drive, produces a shareable report with repair cost estimates, and coaches you through the negotiation.

A check costs $24.99, or $49.99 for three, including PPSR and recall checks. A mechanic's pre-purchase inspection costs $250–350.

Made by Frontpoint Digital Pty Ltd (ABN 23 669 870 366), Melbourne, Australia. Contact: hello@shufti.com.au.

Download: [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6795718336), [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.shufti.shufti_app).