Backpacker Car Club (BCC)

If you are buying a car with Victorian registration, here is a short guide

The best place to buy and sell a car with Victorian number plates is Victoria ... sounds silly? Read on!

If you buy a car that is registered in Victoria, you can buy it or sell it in any state, but the car must come with a Victorian roadworthy certificate (RWC) of less than 30 days old.
If you have a RWC of less than 30 days, you can complete your registration papers by post.

Yes ... the Victorian rules are different.
The registration authority insists that the seller gets a roadworthy certificate before they can legally sell the car. This is good if you are buying a backpacker car in Victoria, as you know the car has been checked in the last 30 days. It is not so good if you are planning on selling your VIC registered car in Darwin, Perth or Cairns!

An option for you is to re-register the car in the state that you buy it or plan to sell it.
In most cases this is a matter of getting a local safety inpection (in NSW it is called a blue slip), then going to the Roads and Traffic Authority (NSW (the RTA)) and getting a new set of number plates, a new windscreen sticker and new papers.
It is not that hard if the car is in good condition.

You should be able to get a refund for the remainder of the VIC roads registration, so this may help with the costs.

Do not buy a car outside of Victoria without a RWC (roadworthy certificate) of less than 30 days ... also, be strategic about where you sell it, i.e. sell it in Victoria, or re-register it in another state before you legally sell it.

The easiest rego to transfer is WA ... so if you are there, perhaps consider re-registering your car in Perth, or NSW is also flexible with backpackers.

Any questions? Login and click 'post and update'

Here is the link to the VIC roads guide on this topic :
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Registration/BuyingSelling/

Hi Ivan,

I'm going to buy a car in Swan Hill. Its rego expired in June'09. Can I just renew the rego and change the ownership or do I have to register it as a new car? From what I understood is, I just take the car to the nearest office and get it registered for around 300 dollar per 6 month.. right? Thank man...

PS: my falcon from the last time (the immobilizer story) is dead .. head gasket...

Hi,

If the car was registered in Victoria before the registration expired, you will need to get a new Roadworthy certificate (in Victoria, the seller should really do this for you) ... then you take the roadworthy certificate, (often called the RWC), the registration document, the receipt and the insurance papers to the Vic roads office, and the car is legally yours!

(Also, check to make sure there is no finance owing on the car, you can do this on the web free via the revs check website.)

The cost is in the RWC ... some cars pass, some cars need a lot of work to pass ... get the RWC test done before buying the car ... the test is not expensive and you will then know what condition the car is in.
Also, ask for a mechanical inpsection ... the RWC covers breaks, lights, seat belts etc, not the engine and gearbox.

Hope this helps,

Cheers

Ivan