Your guide to car registration in Queensland

You'll need to apply for a new car registration in Queensland when you buy a new vehicle or a used one that's not registered, when you move your car from another state or territory, or if your registration has expired over three months ago.  

Collect the following documents before you visit a customer service centre: 

•  ID for all the registered operators of the car and the address where it will be kept in Queensland. If you don't have a Queensland driver’s licence or another card issued by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, then carry another ID, such as an Australian passport, birth certificate, credit card or Medicare card.
  
  
•  Contact a compulsory third party insurance provider and get a CTP insurance certificate before applying for registration. This certificate needs to be in  the car when you drive to get your inspections and certificates and go for registration. If you need to drive the car for repairs before it can be  registered, you will need to buy an unregistered vehicle permit.
  
  
•  A Queensland safety certificate from an approved inspection station (AIS). This inspection checks that the tyres, brakes, steering, suspension, body rust or damage, windscreen, and lights meet the basic vehicle safety standards.  

Once these documents are ready, you can visit a Queensland government customer service centre and apply for your vehicle registration. If you want more information about the process you can use the registration help tool or call 13 23 80. 

In most cases, your car dealer will arrange for the registration but if you need to take care of it yourself, you can find a QLD transport and motoring service centre close to you.  

You will need to take the vehicle for a pre-registration inspection. At this time the CTP insurance certificate should be in your car and licence plates should be removed. 

You’ll also need to pay the vehicle registration fee.

If you buy a second-hand car, you must get the registration transferred to your name within 14 days. The seller needs to lodge an application to transfer the registration online or in person, and buyers can complete the transfer of registration into their name online. These services are only available for Queensland registered vehicles and cannot be used to transfer the registration to another state or territory. The buyer must have a Queensland driver’s licence or customer reference number of the QLD Department of Transport and Main Roads.  

Sellers will need to enter details such as the buyer’s driver’s licence number, name and email address, the date of sale, dutiable value and odometer reading. 

The seller must provide the buyer with a current Queensland safety certificate. If the vehicle is fitted with gas systems, the seller needs to provide a gas inspection certificate not more than three months old.  

On the day of the sale, the seller must complete part B of the vehicle registration transfer application (F3520). The buyer also needs to sign this form. A registration fee will also need to be paid.  

It’s a good idea for sellers to retain the completed transfer application form as proof that they are no longer the owner of the vehicle until the registration transfer is completed.