Selling Unregistered Car

• 

  pegaxs on 26/05/2020 - 19:42

  +12

  wanted to ask if we are allowed sell an unregistered car

  Yes. But you will have to remove the plates yourself and hand them into VicRoads. (Do not sell an unregistered vehicle with unregistered plates on it. Plenty of other posts here about traffic fines and petrol drive offs…)

  any tips/advice for safely selling the car.

  Yes. Sell it "as is". The issue you will face is that people will want a car with some rego on it and hence a RWC is required to register it. So, be prepared for the onslaught of "Is it rego'd??" or trying to make a deal to have the vehicle with 3/6/12months rego thrown in. They just want you to foot the bill for any possible RWC items and for the rego costs.

  Price it accordingly. Don't be asking what a dealer would be asking if your car is neither registered nor road worthy. Find out what its wholesale value is and aim a little above that for private. (Wholesale value on a '03 Accord auto would be about $500 to $2000 depending if it's a V6 or 4 and history/condition)

  Get payment in CASH for a car this cheap. No PayPal or "credit card".

  Issue a receipt saying that the car is sold as is, where is and note the time and date it was taken. 2 copies, both signed by both parties. No dispute over payment or condition.

  Turn your phone/email to block once the sale has been completed. You dont need an idiot calling you complaining that it needed something for a RWC (or recalls).

  • 

    Jam92 on 26/05/2020 - 20:14

    +1

    Thanks for your reply and guidance

• 

  newak on 26/05/2020 - 19:53

  +1

  Yes, you can sell an unregistered vehicle in Vic. I sold mine on gumtree.
  You will have to sell it without plates and ask the buyer to get a temporary permit from Vicroads if they want to drive it on the road otherwise they will need to tow it away.

• 

  mskeggs on 26/05/2020 - 20:47

  +3

  Consider a car with 12 months rego will sell for considerably more than the extra cost of the paperwork.
  I would always assume a car out of rego is unable to be registered without considerable work (whatever the seller says)
  If it can be registered, I would definitely do so.

  • 

    pegaxs on 27/05/2020 - 10:29

    +3

    The problem with this is that you could spend far in excess of the vehicles worth just getting it up to RWC standards for no net gain and possibly a loss.

    If OP's car has an approximate private sale value of about $2,500 and requires $1,200 worth of items for RWC and rego (tyres/windscreen/oil leaks/brakes/tail light), it makes the net worth of the vehicle $1,300. Then you have to balance up is your time and hassle worth it to get exactly the same money if you just sold it for $1,300.

    Or, what if, OP does all this work and only gets offers of $2,000? If they took the $1,300 for it unregistered, that would actually be a gain in this situation. Hell, anything over $800 in this situation would be a gain.

    When I sell unregistered vehicles, I always say that I can get it registered for the buyer, but that rego/RWC is extra on top of the sale price. If they want it registered, I take a deposit on the value of the RWC, Rego and CTP (if applicable in that state) and issue a notice that this is non-refundable for change of mind as this is a cost they incurred on the transaction.

    If it was a $10,000 car, maybe get it registered. If it is a $20,000 car, definitely get it registered, as the possibly of broken items on a newer, more expensive car is less and the RWC and rego costs make up a tiny percentage of the vehicle's value.

    On a $1,000 busted arse near vintage Honda, it's just not worth it.

    • 

      mskeggs on 27/05/2020 - 13:16

      Good approach to offer it for $x unregistered with the option for the buyer to pay for rego.

    • 

      Jam92 on 04/06/2020 - 20:53

      Thanks for your reply. Yes, that was what we were thinking if we get the car registered and then get RWC it will take a lot of time and effort

    • 

      Jam92 on 05/06/2020 - 09:06

      We have found a buyer who wants to purchase and has paid deposit for us to get the 3 months rego but wants to get his own RWC, which he is saying will get it in 14 days. Can you advice on if we can transfer the car which is now registered (as he paid for the rego)but without RWC?
      If not, then can we sell it cash with the receipt stating things such as any fines, infringements , offenses to be the responsibility of the buyer after sale date/time? Do you guys think it will be an issue?

      • 

        pegaxs on 05/06/2020 - 09:28

        +1

        That is the part where you are best to ring VicRoads and ask them. They will probably just tell you that by the book, you will have to supply a RWC upon sale, but as others have noted and from my experience, you can sell it, but the RWC is a condition of transfer rego into their name.

        I am not sure if you can still submit a notice of disposal (usually on the back of the registration papers.) without the RWC being available on the system, so to get a much more accurate answer, you are best to call and find out what your options are (ie: not rely on anecdotal evidence from forum guessers.)

        Just make sure you fill out the transfer application and have them sign it and keep a photocopy. Take their details for the sale and get them to sign a receipt saying it was taken as is, without roadworthy that the buyer will supply the RWC themselves. Make sure you note the time and date the vehicle was taken and make sure you have their license details should any "fines" arrise in that 14 days.

        From the VicRoads website:

        The buyer must submit the transfer paperwork and payment within 14 days. If the buyer fails to submit the transfer, you may be liable for any traffic offences that the buyer may incur.

        And I cannot stress this enough. GET THE BUYERS LICENSE DETAILS. You need their name, address AND license number if you are going to give it to them registered. If they dont provide this, you may as well give the car to any random person to drive. If you DON'T have their details you CAN NOT nominate them as a driver if they incur any fines or commit any offences or crimes. No ID, NO SALE. (Or just say, no ID, no registration.)

        • 

          Jam92 on 05/06/2020 - 11:29

          @pegaxs: Thank you once again for your reply and advice. WE rang VicRoads one person said you cannot sell it without RWC but we called again and this time the girl said that YES we can sell it registered without RWC and we can give them 14 days to get it registered in their name by providing the RWC and submitting the forms to Vicroads.If after the 14 days they have not changed the rego to their name we can just call vic roads and get the transfer done and they will put their name and ask them to get them to submit the RWC.
          For the fine from the time we sell it to that 14 days we keep a copy of the receipt and the transfer form and we can then nominate them as the person for any offenses.

          Because the buyer is from overseas and on a os license along with the receipt we will draft a terms of sale letter stating:

          Buyer acknowledges the car (HONDA accord Euro) VIN xxx is being sold without a Roadworthy and the buyer will supply the transfer form with RWC to vicroads within 14 days of the Date of sale.

          Buyer responsible for any fines ,Tolls, traffic infringements and any other offenses after the date and time of sale

          Car sold as is, Amount is non-refundable

          Does it sound ok to you ?

          Also because hes on os license , we can just get that license # details and his current address and also passport copy , should be ok ?

          Thank you so much , you've been a great help

          • 

            pegaxs on 05/06/2020 - 12:46

            +1

            @Jam92: No domestic license is a bit of an issue. There is no way to track them down in the event of any dispute in fines. They may have no intention of transferring the rego.

            The only offer I would be making to someone with no ID/license/overseas license is to remove the plates and put a "unregistered vehicle permit" on the vehicle. This will allow them to pick the vehicle up from you and drive it home, and to drive it from home to their chosen place for a RWC certificate.

            • 

              Jam92 on 05/06/2020 - 13:33

              @pegaxs: Thanks for your reply, we called Vic roads again they don`t seem to be bothered about it as long as we have the receipts and transfer paper copy. But , yes I get what youre trying to say. Bit stuck now cause hes paid for the car to be rego and coming in the evening to pay the balance…

              • 

                pegaxs on 05/06/2020 - 14:03

                +1

                @Jam92: Then I would keep copies of any ID paperwork he has and can supply. Drivers license, Passport, student/work ID card, a bill with his name and address on it. It's about protecting your own arse in the event (and in all probability) that they will get a traffic fine or get into an accident.

                • 

                  Jam92 on 05/06/2020 - 14:20

                  @pegaxs: Yes, definitely will get all these

                  • 

                    Euphemistic on 05/06/2020 - 19:37

                    @Jam92: Why can’t you get your own RWC. Sounds like a lot less risk, especially for someone from OS.

                • 

                  Jam92 on 06/06/2020 - 19:39

                  +1

                  @pegaxs: Sold the can yesterday, the guy got someone else who has a victorian client #. The customer service desk at vic roads could not transfer the vehicle but they put the new driver name on the list in case any fines come after yesterday. She said that if by 14 days the new buyer doesn't transfer the rego we can come in and get the rego transferred in their name and they will then send them the notice to provide RWC and get the car registered.
                  Keeping the copies of the transfer form , receipt and term of sale list safe with us now for at least next year.

                  Thank you very much for your guidance and helping us through this process.

                  • 

                    pegaxs on 06/06/2020 - 20:33

                    +1

                    @Jam92: All good. Glad it worked out for you. And yes, it's much easier to have someone else with an actual Vic drivers license.

• 

  bloom on 26/05/2020 - 21:45

  You can get short term regos
  Just do 3 months for $200 approx

• 

  crentist on 27/05/2020 - 00:38

  +2

  get rego or you will turn away buyers. youll get the money back

• 

  jimbobaus on 27/05/2020 - 08:00

  +1

  You could buy short term rego if you wanted
  just be aware it is "technically" illegal to sell a registered car in vic without supplying a RWC so you should factor that in to any selling price.

  Thankfully the system is still old school for now (written on paper) so you can always agree to get the buyer to get the RWC once they have purchased it but this would mean the car remains in your name until they do so (fines etc can be a massive drama)

  Once the new system is implemented (was meant to happen in June, but is delayed for obvious reason) RWC's in vic will be electronic and only the registered owner of the vehicle will be able to get one done.
  The system (where i worked was part of the trial) requires the mechanic to confirm via vic roads the registered owners licence matches the details held by Vic Roads and so on. This will end the "comes without a RWC" private vehicle sales etc as when you try and transfer a car to a new owner the current registered owner will have to have been the one who got the RWC as mechanics will have no way to issue one if the person presenting the car's details do not match those held by VicRoads

  It will also simplify the system so every mechanic follows the same guidelines … the amount of variance in mechanics who pass this and fail that has lead to a very fractured system in vic. The new electronic system requires uploaded photos before it issues the RWC and they are randomly selected to be checked by VicRoads before the RWC is issued (takes 3-5 hours for them to do the check)

• 

  SlavOz on 27/05/2020 - 17:47

  Details about the car: Honda Accord 2003, Auto Km`s :150k

  Why bother selling it? I have the same car, 2006 euro model with special edition cream interior. The most I got offered was $1200. A car that old without rego…you'll probably get $500 for it.

  Even though I don't need it, I decided to keep it as a throwaround car in case I go to the beach, drive in the bushes, or just to lend to friends/family.

• 

  timmypete on 27/05/2020 - 23:27

  It might be worth more if you strip key parts and then sell the balance for scrap.