NSW Rego Refund

abcd12345 on 29/04/2026 - 19:23
Last edited 30/04/2026 - 09:51 by 1 other user

Hi, I recently sold a car to an interstate buyer, and they just registered it in their home state and got a plate surrender receipt.

Does NSW issue a refund to me (the seller) or to the buyer? I was filling out the refund request form and noticed that it asked if I moved interstate and registered my car there, or if I bought an NSW registered vehicle and registered it interstate.

If the seller can request a refund, I think this form will have a box asking if I sold an NSW registered vehicle to an interstate buyer.

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  Wiadro on 29/04/2026 - 19:46

  13 77 88

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    boomramada on 29/04/2026 - 22:39

    ^ OP need to do this, return the plates etc.

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      abcd12345 on 30/04/2026 - 11:31

      I did but got different answers by 3 different agents. I don’t think this is a complicated question at all, but they just sounded completely clueless.

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        Nillionaire on 30/04/2026 - 12:00

        government call centre was clueless? no wayyy

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  GordonD on 29/04/2026 - 20:09

  I've got a similar question.

  My car went to be assessed to see whether it was repairable, and the insurance company has decided the new replacement parts just aren't available to repair it. That its accordingly a total loss, and they've taken possession of it and sent it to their holding yard. I see that they can advise the registration authorities that it is a repairable write off, which will cancel the registration. I would have liked to have the opportunity to do that myself and get the refund. But I don't have the registration plates or access to the car that would allow me to.

  I have the second key, and the registration papers. They have the car. And the weeks are ticking by reducing any refund that I might be entitled to with them not telling me much beyond that they are working their way through the total loss process, and they'll get back to me when it is finalised.

  What happens with the remaining registration when a car is written off?

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    boomramada on 30/04/2026 - 07:21

    What happens with the remaining registration when a car is written off?

    https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/about-sa/directories/customer-s…

    Or if you asked google nicely

    What happens with the remaining registration when a car is written off in SA

    When a car is written off in South Australia (SA), you can claim a pro-rata refund for the unused portion of your registration and compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance from Service SA. Registration for statutory write-offs is cancelled permanently, while repairable write-offs must have their registration cancelled or suspended.

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    MS Paint on 30/04/2026 - 07:47

    What does their PDS say?

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    Euphemistic on 30/04/2026 - 08:23

    If a car is written off, typically the insurer 'buys' the car from you as is and pays out the policy. You dont get the rego back because its no longer your car They own it, they try to get money back on the wreck by cancelling the rego and selling for scrap or parts.

    In some cases you can negotiate to buy the vehicle back from them, in which case you would own it and have the ability to get a rego refund but also ha e a wrecked car in your possession.

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    kerfuffle on 29/04/2026 - 20:17

    -1

    Might be the same as NSW, but once you get a letter from your insurance company saying it's a write-off, you present that letter with an application for rego refund. If it's also like NSW, you also have to pay a rego cancellation fee

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  51ngh on 29/04/2026 - 19:46

  -1

  whoever paid for the rego will get the refund

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    JDMcarfan on 30/04/2026 - 09:54

    -2

    so wrong