Should I Buy a NSW or VIC Vehicle (Plates) ?

Windows7forever on 11/06/2025 - 07:42
Last edited 11/06/2025 - 10:10 by 1 other user

Hi, I'm currently living in NSW but planning to relocate to Victoria.

I do not currently own a vehicle but looking to purchase one in the near future. I will also need to use this vehicle to transport my possessions interstate.

Should I buy a vehicle in Victoria and drive it back to NSW? It's my understanding I only have 14 days time limit to stay in NSW before the vehicle is deemed "unregistered". Alternatively, I can purchase a vehicle in NSW (where I currently reside) but then I will have to go through the hoopla of changing rego plates and paying fees once I have moved interstate.

Appreciate the advice.

Automotive

Comments

  • pegaxs on 11/06/2025 - 07:56
    +5

    If you don’t have a Vic address and/or Vic license, you’re going to find it hard to buy a vehicle and have it registered to you in NSW.

    As for time, if you buy a vehicle, it’s 14 days for the transfer of registration, or 90 days before you have to swap registration from Vic to NSW rego. The problem here is that 14 day window to transfer into your name. If you don’t have a Vic license and/or Vic address, they are not going to transfer the car’s rego over to you.

    Your options are, you can either wait till you have your address sorted in Vic and then buy a car with Vic rego or buy a car in NSW and just cancel the rego when you move and get a refund on the unused portion and get fresh rego when you move to Vic (it really isnt that hard).

    • Windows7forever on 11/06/2025 - 15:42

      Thanks for your explanation. I will be using my partner's address who lives in Vic. If i start sending all my postal mail to Victorian address will that be sufficient? I don't think I will need a Victorian licence as I have a 10 yr NSW licence.

  • MS Paint on 11/06/2025 - 08:37
    +2

    fresh rego when you move to Vic (it really isnt that hard).

    Unless said car is a shit box and the VIC RWC is expensive.

  • oscargamer on 11/06/2025 - 08:49

    Buy the car you want, when you want and deal with the paperwork at that time and whatever follows from there

  • Some Guy on 11/06/2025 - 09:42

    It's my understanding I only have 14 days time limit to stay in NSW before the vehicle is deemed "unregistered".

    You're understanding is not right. Nobody unregisters your car - think of the CTP nightmare that would create. You are supposed to change the rego over when relocating (the grace period varies) but in practice it's almost impossible to enforce. My wife has been living in one state for 10 years with a car and licence registered in another state (VIC). Interestingly, she copped a mobile phone fine once which was sent to where she lives not where the car is registered. So there is some level of 'awareness' of living/registration in different states.

    You may have an issue when it comes to ongoing registration. In the past, her rego notices were sent to our VIC address but that's all online now so you may not even need to maintain an address.

    • DingoBilly on 11/06/2025 - 09:51

      Exactly this.

      I've a mate who has lived in Sydney for 8 years or so now. Been using a QLD registered car all that time as it's cheaper, and even has license still registered up there.

      If he ever gets pulled up on it he just says he's visiting friends/family. Noone cares.

      • Windows7forever on 11/06/2025 - 15:39

        That's good to know. I see the law and road rules as very black and white. Good to know flexibility exists.

        Just out of curiosity, does your mate need to travel up to Old every 12 months to do mandatory annual vehicle inspection checks?

        • sam-1966 on 11/06/2025 - 16:10

          Qld doesn't have annual inspections. Only when changing the rego.

          • ATTS on 14/06/2025 - 15:34
            +1

            @sam-1966: Damn wish that was herre in syd aswell

  • [Deactivated] on 11/06/2025 - 10:35

    If you are going to move to Vic then get Vic rego.
    This is a federal state people move and live all over in it. NSW rego is the ugliest one.
    Btw, I agree with you about Windows 7.

  • bazingaa on 11/06/2025 - 11:34

    I only have 14 days time limit to stay in NSW

    Is this true? What happens if we go on a 3-week road trip to NSW from VIC?

    • Windows7forever on 11/06/2025 - 15:33
      +1

      Holiday makers are obviously exempt

  • Muppet Detector on 11/06/2025 - 13:18

    Could always wait until you move to Victoria to buy your Victorian registered car and move your stuff interstate as a back load on a moving van.

    For me, least amount of hassle seems to be to buy a car that is registered in Victoria then use it to pick your stuff up from NSW and drive it back.

    Life is already hard. When there are ways to make it easier, take those ways.

    • Windows7forever on 11/06/2025 - 15:32

      Thanks man.
      I have considered back loading if I am going to move all my furniture as it's the cheapest way to move a whole house of stuff. But probably wont require as I am planning to move in with a partner who already has a fully furnished house so can transport stuff in my car bit by bit. I have "free" storage available with family in NSW.

      That's exactly what I was thinking was the best thing to do re car ownership.

  • Euphemistic on 11/06/2025 - 14:34

    How long before you move? Will you have an address in Vic before you move? Will you have family etc in NSW you can keep your address until the NSW rego runs out? Are you travelling to vic regulalry prior to moving? What sort of budget for the car you want? (I don't need answers to these but they affect the decision)

    I cant see going to victoria to find, test drive, get inspected, then drive it back to NSW being very time efficient. Maybe if you're buying new because you dont need to inspect the actual car. If you buy unseen the next thread is likely to be something like "bought a car and its not roadworthy" or "bought a 2016, but its really a 2015 and doesn't have carplay"

    If you buy in NSW you can save a lot of time before the move, but then deal with changing to vic rego with associated inspections and fees at a later date.

    • Windows7forever on 11/06/2025 - 15:37

      There isn't a strict timeline. Hopefully in the next 6 months. Yes, I will be using my partner's address who lives in Vic. I do travel back and forth regularly (about once per month via train). I'm considering a used car under 10k. I can easily seek out a used car when I'm down here and drive back. That's not a problem.

  • lgacb08 on 11/06/2025 - 20:16

    The smart way is buying a car with NSW rego now if you intend to keep it for a few years and the vehicle is relatively old (more than 5 years). You only need to pay stamp duty and transfer fee during the process.
    Getting a vehicle registered in vic involves a rwc and Vic road worthy is a pain in the butt and God knows who you will be slugged with extra when getting one so avoid it at all cost if you can. But if you bring your car over no road worthy needed if you are the registered operator.
    The plus thing with Vic rego is they pretty much renew automatically every year as long as you pay, no vehicle inspection ever required. NSW is the only state asking for annual inspection and whilst it is a 5 minute check its annoying.
    To give you perspective every single car I did rwc in vic incur cost of at least $700 so far. One failed because the back seat belt got white mould due to being unused for so long (a simple nappy wipe fixed that). Another bought interstate failed because of sandblasting that was only visible under uv light and a stone chip that was fixed professionally under insurance. It only passed after a $700 replacement windscreen. Both of these cars were later registered in NSW and passed the blue slip (NSW equivalent of rwc) on first pass 5 years later. The one with the new windscreen even managed to racked up 2 stone chips on driver side of the windscreen that I fixed them myself (but still easily spotted) and inspector wouldn't bat an eyelid.

    • Euphemistic on 11/06/2025 - 20:53

      Problem with having a NSW car and a vic residence is the nsw car needing an annual pink slip inspection. That means a trip to NSW at rego time.

      • Windows7forever on 12/06/2025 - 15:16

        That's true. Would need to drive 3 hours to Albury to get annual pink slip. Big inconvenience.

    • Windows7forever on 12/06/2025 - 15:14

      Thanks for the info. I will try to buy a Victorian car with RWC. The inspections sound annoying but fortunately you only have to do it once.

      • lgacb08 on 14/06/2025 - 22:49
        +1

        You're missing my point, if you have NSW licence now it's entirely possible to get it transferred and later on changed to Vic rego, which will be a lot simpler and less hassle to maintain, with minimal cost and don't have to deal with pink slip and rwc for that car, ever. Supposedly if you buy NSW car with 11 month rego now, you can get it transferred to your name now, which only involves stamp duty and transfer fee. You'll have 11 month to convert your licence and take your car along to vic and only have to pay for registration fee when it's time to renew rego for that vehicle, which will be roughly the same with NSW CTP and rego combined. No RWC required if interstate owner and vic owner are the same person.
        Doing it via your partner will incur RWC, which you should put aside at least $500-700, unless bloke doing it is your best mate. And if you ever decide to get it into your name later on you're essentially paying for RWC and stamp duty twice.
        Also you might have some sort of attachment to your NSW licence but if you're being rational a VIC licence offers much better benefits. NSW licence has nothing better to offer than just the visual look, RMS no longer give you discount on good driver whilst Vic now has 30% discount, cost to register other stuff like trailer and caravan is pretty much a cup of coffee and you don't ever have to deal with all sort of vehicle inspection or CTP.
        Licence expiry won't matter because when you bring over they will keep thee same expiry date, also it might not matter to you now but NSW only give 5 year licence expiry if you are over 45 or having heavy vehicle licence.

        • Windows7forever on 23/06/2025 - 17:03

          Great info. Thanks for the explanation :)

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