Can you sell an unregistered car in SA?

If you are about to buy, acquire or transfer a new or used vehicle you need to pay stamp duty when you:

• register a brand new vehicle in your name; or
• transfer the registration of a second hand vehicle into your name.

The amount of stamp duty you need to pay varies depending on:

• the value or the purchase price or value of the vehicle; and
• if the vehicle is classified commercial or non-commercial.

A commercial vehicle includes vehicles such as utes, panel vans, vans and heavy vehicles. All other vehicles are classified as non-commercial.

How much stamp duty will I pay?

Stamp duty is payable on the purchase price or the market value of the vehicle, whichever is higher. You can use our calculators to find out how much stamp duty you will need to pay.

Alternatively stamp duty rates can be found on our rates page.

If you are purchasing a replacement motor vehicle for one that was destroyed by bushfire, relief may be available. For more information see our Bushfire Relief page.

When and how do I pay stamp duty?

You will pay stamp duty when the registration is transferred into your name. This must be done within 14 days from the date you bought the vehicle.

Stamp duty on vehicles is paid to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, you can make payment at a Service SA Customer Centre or you may be able to make the payment online if you have a mySA GOV account. For information on if you are eligible to make payment online refer to sa.gov.au.

Will anyone know if I don’t pay stamp duty?

If you do not to transfer the vehicle registration into your name or you declare a lower amount as the purchase price/market value, you will get caught.

RevenueSA’s Compliance Services Branch regularly audits motor vehicle dealers and private transactions to investigate where there are non-transfers of vehicles or where the value declared when transferring the vehicle registration is lower than the actual purchase price or market value.

If you are identified by our Compliance Services Branch for not paying or underpaying stamp duty, you will be issued an assessment for the stamp duty liability that you need to pay. Under these circumstances payment cannot be made at a Service SA Customer Centre and must be paid direct to RevenueSA using the payment details supplied on the assessment notice.

My vehicle is from interstate, do I need to pay stamp duty?

If you have purchased a vehicle interstate and transfer directly from the previous owner to your name in South Australia, stamp duty is payable.

If you owned a vehicle that was registered in your name interstate, and transfer the vehicle’s registration to South Australia, stamp duty will not apply if it is being transferred into the same name(s).

This exemption can be applied at Service SA. A transfer fee will still apply. Documentary evidence will be required.

Find out more about stamp duty exemptions on vehicles on our Stamp Duty Motor Vehicle Exemptions and Relief page.

Do I have to pay stamp duty if transferring between spouses or domestic partners?

If you are transferring the vehicle between spouses/domestic partners or former spouses/domestic partners you may not need to pay stamp duty where the transfer is from:

• one name to the other;
• one name to both names; or
• both names to one name.

This exemption can be applied at Service SA and a transfer fee will still apply. Documentary evidence will be required.

Find out more about stamp duty exemptions on vehicles on our Stamp Duty Motor Vehicle Exemptions and Relief page.

Do I have to pay stamp duty if transferring to a family member?

Yes, stamp duty is payable when a vehicle is transferred to a family member who is not a spouse or domestic partner.

Do I have to pay stamp duty if I inherit a vehicle?

If you acquire a vehicle under the provisions of a Will, or under the Rules of Intestacy, stamp duty will not apply.

This exemption can be applied at Service SA and a transfer fee will still apply. Documentary evidence will be required.

Find out more about stamp duty exemptions on vehicles on our Stamp Duty Motor Vehicle Exemptions and Relief page.

Are there any other exemptions from stamp duty?

There are a number of exemptions from stamp duty that could apply if you are registering or transferring the registration of a vehicle. For example, exemptions include provisions for people who are incapacitated, or parents of children who are incapacitated.

Find out more about stamp duty exemptions on vehicles on our Stamp Duty Motor Vehicle Exemptions and Relief page.

To claim the majority of exemptions, you need to provide the necessary documentary evidence to the Service SA Customer Service Centre when registering your vehicle.

Just a quick question as the sa gov site is confusing the hell out of me. Search also gave me no answers.

We're selling a car that hasn't been registered in 5+ years.

Do we, as the seller, have to lodge any forms to transport sa or with the buyer before the sale?

Do we have to lodge a disposal notice within 14 days of the sale if the car is unregistered?

Is it 100% the buyers responsibility to register it with new plates as soon as it's road worthy?

How do I transfer ownership of an unregistered vehicle in SA?

How long can a car stay unregistered in South Australia?

Can you sell an unregistered car in Australia?

What papers do I need to sell my car in SA?