Queensland front-loads its private sale rules: the safety certificate has to exist before the car is even advertised. Here's the checklist for both sides.
Buyer checklist: before you inspect
- Run a free rego check on the TMR website for status and expiry (Queensland rego includes CTP).
- Run a PPSR check for finance owing, stolen status and write-off history.
- Confirm the ad shows a current safety certificate — a registered vehicle offered for sale without one is a red flag about how the seller handles obligations generally.
At the inspection
- Inspect in daylight at the address on the registration papers.
- Match the VIN on the vehicle to the papers, and the seller's ID to the registered operator.
- In Queensland, add two local checks: hail damage history and flood exposure — both common, both expensive, both sometimes disguised. Check carpets, seatbelt anchors and under the spare wheel for water staining.
- Test drive, then book an independent pre-purchase inspection — remember the safety certificate is a minimum standard, not a mechanical report.
Doing the deal (buyer)
- Pay by bank transfer or PayID; get a signed receipt with names, addresses, rego, VIN, price and date.
- Insure it from the moment you drive away.
- Transfer the registration within 14 days (online through TMR's services or in person) and pay the vehicle registration duty.
Seller checklist: getting ready
- Get the safety certificate before advertising — Queensland requires it to be displayed from the moment a registered vehicle is offered for sale, and fines apply. For private sellers it's valid for a limited window (currently two months or 2,000 km — check TMR), so time it with your sale.
- If the car runs on LPG, you'll also need a gas certificate.
- Gather rego papers, service books and receipts; get a payout letter if finance is owing.
- Clean it, photograph it well, write an honest ad.
Meeting buyers and getting paid
- Meet somewhere sensible with someone around; sight the buyer's licence before any test drive and go along.
- Release the car only on cleared funds — not a transfer screenshot.
- Receipt in duplicate, signed by both parties.
After the sale (seller)
- Lodge the disposal/transfer notification with TMR promptly — this is what shields you from the new owner's fines and tolls.
- Remove your toll tag and any linked accounts; wipe paired phones, addresses and garage remotes from the car.
- Cancel or transfer your insurance.
The Queensland order of operations: safety certificate first, ad second. Get that sequence right and the rest is routine.