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How to transfer car registration after selling your car
Registration transfer after a private car sale involves two separate processes: what the seller must do and what the buyer must do. These are independent obligations with independent deadlines, and confusing them is how sellers end up receiving fines and infringement notices for a car they no longer own.
What the seller must do: lodge the Notice of Disposal
Once you've sold your car, your obligation is to lodge a Notice of Disposal (NoD) with your state's transport authority. In NSW, this is done through Service NSW.
The Notice of Disposal formally records that you have sold the vehicle and are no longer responsible for it. It captures the date of sale, the buyer's details, and the sale price. Without it, you remain listed as the vehicle operator in the transport authority's records, which means any fines, toll notices, or parking infringements generated by the vehicle after the sale can be directed to you.
In NSW, the Notice of Disposal must be lodged within 14 days of the sale. It can be completed online at service.nsw.gov.au in a few minutes, provided you have:
- Your NSW driver's licence or photo card
- The buyer's full name, address, and date of birth
- The buyer's driver's licence number or Service NSW customer number
- The date of sale and sale price
Lodging the NoD online is free. You can also lodge it in person at a Service NSW centre or by post.
What the buyer must do: transfer the registration
The buyer has a separate obligation to transfer the registration into their name. In NSW, this must be done within 14 days of acquiring the vehicle. The transfer fee is $39 if completed within 14 days. After that, a late transfer fee of $182 applies.
Transfer can be done online through MyServiceNSW, or in person at a Service NSW centre. For the online transfer, the seller's Notice of Disposal (if lodged online) simplifies the process. If the NoD wasn't lodged online, the buyer will need the signed certificate of registration from the seller.
When you hand over the car, sign the back of the registration certificate and give it to the buyer. This is a physical transfer of the registration document and is what the buyer needs to complete the transfer if they visit a service centre rather than transferring online.
