Written-off vehicles
The Department of Transport and Main Roads is working to reduce the number of stolen and written-off vehicles being fraudulently registered. We have set up three main safeguards to help consumers and businesses protect themselves against purchasing vehicles that have been written-off or stolen. These safeguards are:
- the written-off vehicle register, which captures information to ensure written-off vehicles are recorded
- Vcheck (vehicle information check), which offers those planning to buy a second-hand vehicle a quick and easy way to obtain important information before purchase. A Vcheck can be purchased for a car, truck, caravan, trailer, bus or motorcycle which was manufactured on, or after, 1 January 1989
- written-off vehicle inspections, which confirm the identity of repairable written-off vehicles before registration.
The Office of Fair Trading's Car Smart guide contains a checklist for buying a used car, which will help you avoid purchasing a written-off vehicle that can't be registered.
Last updated 27 October 2009
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