# What Documents to Check When Buying a Used Car

Last updated: 1 October 2026. Web page: https://shufti.com.au/guides/what-documents-to-check-when-buying-a-used-car.

Before you pay for a used car, check the registration papers, the seller's photo ID, the service history and a PPSR certificate, and make sure the VIN on each matches the car. Get a written receipt, and in Victoria or Queensland, the seller's roadworthy or safety certificate.

## The Documents to Check

| Document | What to check | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Registration papers | The owner's name and address match the seller's ID, and the VIN, engine number and number plate match the car. | A mismatch can mean the seller doesn't own the car, or that it isn't the car on the papers. |
| Seller's photo ID | The name and address match the registration papers, and you're meeting at that address. | It's your best protection against buying a car the seller has no right to sell. |
| PPSR certificate | No money owing, and not reported stolen or written off. Run your own search on the day you pay. | Finance stays with the car, not the seller, and a lender may be able to repossess it. |
| Service history | A stamped logbook or receipts at regular intervals, with odometer readings that climb steadily. | Gaps point to missed servicing; readings that jump back point to a wound-back odometer. |
| Roadworthy or safety certificate | Current and issued for this car's VIN. The seller must supply one in Victoria and Queensland; it isn't needed for a car already registered in NSW, WA or SA. | You need it to transfer the registration where it's required. |
| Receipt | The date, price, VIN, number plate, both names and addresses, and both signatures. | It's your proof of purchase, and the price you declare when you pay duty. |

## Check the VIN Matches Everywhere

The vehicle identification number (VIN) is the car's fingerprint. Find it on the car, usually on a plate in the engine bay or door frame and at the base of the windscreen, and check it's the same on the registration papers, your PPSR certificate and the service history. Any difference is a reason to walk away.

## Red Flags in the Paperwork

Walk away, or at least slow down, if the seller can't produce the registration papers, their name or address doesn't match them, they want to meet somewhere other than the address on the papers, the service book is missing or has blank stamps, or they press you to pay before you've checked the car and the documents.

## Transferring the Registration

The transfer paperwork, deadlines and duty differ by state. See buying a used car in [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), [Western Australia](https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-in-wa) or [South Australia](https://shufti.com.au/guides/buying-a-used-car-in-sa). Check the recall history too, on the government's [vehicle recalls site](https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/).

## Checking the Documents in Shufti

Shufti, the used car inspection app, runs the PPSR and recall checks from the listing link and walks you through the rest. Or start with the free [used car inspection checklist](https://shufti.com.au/checklists/australian-used-car-inspection-checklist), which includes the documents to check.

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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).