A Vehicle Registration Transfer Application form QF3520 is required when a Queensland registered vehicle is being transferred from one name to another.

The forms required for transferring a vehicle in Queensland can be confusing.

Here are some guidelines on how fill out the correct paperwork to ensure a smooth and complete transaction.

Filling in the Vehicle Transfer Application Form

Section 1:

This section is all about the current registration details.

One of the more complicated parts of this section is if the vehicle has personalised plates.

If you are purchasing a vehicle that has personalised plates and the current owner wishes to keep the plates, they will need to attend one of the Queensland Transport and Main Roads customer service centres to change the plates from personalised to standard plates before selling you the vehicle

If you are purchasing the vehicle and keeping the personalised plates on the vehicle you will need to fill out a form F2964 prior to transferring the registration. This can be downloaded from www.tmr.qld.gov.au.

Section 2:

Vehicle details.

This section is straightforward and the details for the vehicle can be found on your current Safety Certificate. (Refer: Section 14)

Section 3:

These are the seller’s details.

A CRN is a Customer Reference Number. This is your Queensland Driver’s License or Proof of Age Card issued by Queensland Transport.

Section 4:

These are the buyer’s details.

You will need to provide Evidence of Identity to transfer the vehicle into your name.

 Evidence of Identity (EOI) is required at the time of making this application. Personal identification for example, original Queensland (QLD) Driver Licence or Business/company/ Organisation identification. Refer to the separate Evidence of Identity Information Sheet (F4362) or www.tmr.qld.gov.au for requirements. Note: If the vehicle is to be registered in joint names both parties must provide suitable personal identification.Proof of Qld garage address (to confirm that the address exists- Qld driver licence, property rates  notice, gas, phone or electricity account). Non- permanent residents please enquire at the department.

• The original (blue) Qld Safety Certificate or the original Qld Certificate of Inspection (COI) unless exempt. Important: it is an offence for a Disposer to fail to provide a Qld Safety or Qld Inspection Certificate on transfer of registration.
• Gas certificate (if applicable). Please refer Gas Certificate Exemptions on this form.
• A transfer fee will apply. Note: A transfer fee does not apply to a motorised wheelchair.
• Pro rata registration fee may be payable if the Disposer claimed a concession on the vehicle’s registration.
• Duty (if applicable) is payable. For more information about Vehicle Registration Duty Exemptions and the calculation of Duty, please refer to Vehicle Registration Duty on this form.

Section 5:

You have the option to have the vehicle registered in two names

Section 6:

Nominate the second registered persons details including CRN (Customer Reference Number) – License/proof of age card.

Section 7:

All Queensland registered vehicles MUST have be garaged in Queensland. There is no option to have a car registered in one state but physically be located in another.

Section 8:

Date of disposal – this is the date that the transaction has taken place and the new owner has taken possession of the vehicle.

Section 9:

Vehicles can be registered for different uses. The most common is for personal and domestic activities, running second to that is commercial uses. Keeping in mind you may have the contact your accountant to check which use is the most appropriate for you. Also, your tolls, speeding fines and registration costs will differ depending on the type of use that it is registered for.

Section 10:

Vehicle Registration Duty

Vehicle registration duty is collected by the Department of Transport and Main Roads as per the Duties Act 2001, which is administered by the Commissioner of State Revenue. Vehicles registration duty is payable upon application to transfer a vehicle unless an exemption applies.

Dutiable value

For a vehicle previously registered, the dutiable value is the greater of either the market valve or the total consideration payable for the vehicle (including GST if applicable).

For more information about how to determine the dutiable value, go to www.osr.qld.gov.au

Vehicle registration duty rates (calculated for each $100 and each part of $100, of the vehicles dutiable value):

·      All Electric/hybrid vehicles- $2.00 per $100

·      Up to 4 cylinders/2 rotors (including steam)- $3.00 per $100

·      5 or 6 cylinders or 3 rotors -$3.50 per $100

·      7 or more cylinders – $4.00 per $100

Example of variable duty rate:

A 4-cylinder petrol car may have a market value of $15,010. To calculate the dutiable valve it would be rounded up to the nearest $100 being $15,100. Using the duty calculation rule of 3,000 per $100 on $15,100. Duty payable would be $453.

Tractor based mobile machinery- vehicle registration duty is set at a fix amount of $25.00

To calculate the duty payable on your vehicle, go to the duty calculator at www.osr.qld.gov.au

Duty Exemptions

Below examples are just some of the vehicle registration duty exemptions available. For other duty exemptions and eligibility requirements, go to www.ors.qld.gov.au

1.     Transfer of a whole or part interest in a vehicle by way of a gift to a relative of the registered operator.

2.     Vehicle is a trailer/caravan or motorised wheelchair.

3.     Vehicle is being transferred to beneficiary of a deceased estate.

4.     Vehicle is being transferred to a prescribed service person (ex-service person) whose concession is being     applied to that vehicle.

5.     Vehicle is being transferred to a person who has lost the use one or both legs and uses the vehicle for transport to and from their place of employment or education because they are unable to use public transport due to their disability.

6.     The vehicle will be used by a vehicle dealer as trading stock.

7.     Vehicle duty is paid through a dutiable transaction (e.g. contract of sale of a business or farm). Verification from Office of State revenue must be provided.

8.     The vehicle is being transferred to an owner who has repossessed the vehicle under a hire purchase agreement or on termination of a hiring agreement.

9.     The vehicle is being transferred to a Primary Producer. The vehicle must be more than 6 tonne GVM and is intended for use solely in connection with their business as a primary for five years.

10. Where the applicant is the sole owner/s of the business owned solely by the same owner/s, as the previous registration.

11. The vehicle is being transferred to a local Government.

12. The vehicle is being transferred to Government Entity.

13. The vehicle is being transferred to a Consul or an officer of the Consulate and is a national of the country represented.

Section 11:

Current Odometer (Speedo) reading – note these from the kms showing on the vehicle’s dashboard.

Section 12:

Registration periods – the Transport Department allows you to choose the length of time that you wish to register the vehicle for. Not all states offer the option of different registration periods.

Section 13:

Compulsory Third Party Insurance – CTP – this is different from Third Party Insurance that you can buy from your insurance company. Compulsory Third Party Insurance covers you for personal injury that you cause to others in the unfortunate event of an accident. This does not cover the personal property such as the other person’s car.

This is included in your registration costs when registering a vehicle in Queensland.

Section 14:

Qld Safety or Qld inspection Certificate/Gas Certificate Requirements and Exemptions.

Authorised Inspection Station (AIS)

COI: For vehicles over 4.5 tonne, trailers over 3.5 tonne or public passenger vehicles a COI issued in Qld is required. The certificate must be current at the date of disposal.

Safety Certificate: If a Safety Certificate is required it must be issued in Qld and be current at the date of disposal. A Qld Safety Certificate may be used for one new registration and one transfer of registration provided they are within the two-months/2,000km limit, whichever happens first. It cannot be used for two transfers. Further evidence may be required to verify the exemption claimed.

Gas Certificate Exemptions- Gas Fuel Systems ONLY- You must present the relevant Gas Certificate, Form PGR101/102 (fuel system) or Form PGA734 (cooking facilities), unless exempt. The issue date of the certificate must not be more than three months before date of transfer.

Exemptions (Items 1,4 and 11 do not apply to gas certificate exemptions)

1.     The vehicle is tractor-based mobile crane or trailer/caravan with an ATM of 740kg or less.

2.     The vehicle is garaged prior to and at the time of sale is one of the local government areas of Aurukun, Barcoo, Boulia, Bullo, Burke, Carpentaria, Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Doomadgee, Etheridge, Hope Vale, Injinoo, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Mapoon, Mornington, Napranum, New Mapoon, Pormpuraaw, Quilppie, Torres, Umagico, Warroo or Wujal Wujal or the vehicle is garaged prior to and at the time of sale in a remote area (contact TMR for localities).

3.     Sale or disposal to a licenced motor dealer.

4.     The vehicle is a motorised wheelchair.

5.     Transfer between spouses.

6.     Transfer to surviving spouse.

7.     Transfer to beneficiary of a deceased estate.

8.     Transfer to/from joint names provided one registered operator remains the same.

9.     Transferring from registered operator to Repossessor/ Redeemer.

10. A vehicle under 4.5 tonne is garaged on a Qld island where there is no AIS to issue a Qld Safety Certificate OR any vehicle garaged on a Qld island where there is no authorised Gas Examiner or Installer.

11. Motorbikes, trailers and caravans (.75 tonne up to and including 3.5 tonne ATM) with a garage address in an area 50km or more from the nearest AIS authorised to inspect that type of vehicle.

12. The person has an exemption notice advising there is no one authorised to issue a Gas Inspection Certificate within a reasonable distance.

Section 15:

Gas Certificates – There two different types of Gas Certificates and you may need one of these or in some vehicles both.

LPG – Duel fuel vehicles

Gas Appliances – These are fridges and gas cook tops within the vehicle.

These are two different qualifications and you may have to engage two different examiners to complete these inspections.

Section 16:

Check with the current owner if the vehicle is under a concession for the registration of the vehicle. You can see this on the registration certificate to double check.

Section 17:

If you are applying for a concession you will need to fill out an Application for Concession form F3937 with proof of entitlement of concession.

Section 18:

With our busy work and life, you may not have time to go into the Transport Department’s Customer Service Centres to lodge the transfer personally. The Queensland Transport and Main Roads understand this and allow you to nominate another person to lodge the paperwork on your behalf. They will need to take photo ID with them for themselves and for you.

Section 19:

Declaration – This section MUST be signed and dated by the current owner/s (Disposer/s) and the buyer/s (Acquirer/s).

Seller’s copy of the Vehicle Registration Transfer Application.

As the seller of the vehicle you MUST keep this copy in a safe place with the copy of your invoice and Safety Certificate.

As a seller you must provide the buyer with a current Safety Certificate. There are 3 duplicates of the certificate.

Blue – This is the original copy with the original ink on it. This is the only copy that the Transport Department are going to accept to transfer the ownership of the vehicle. It is given to the new owner with the green page of the Vehicle Registration Transfer Application Form to lodge within 14 days of purchasing the vehicle.

Yellow – This copy is for the buyer to keep for their records

Green – This copy if kept by the seller for their records. This sheet is also the copy that is issued if the vehicle has defects on the first inspection to repair within 14 days.

Helpful Hints:

When writing the invoice for the sale of the vehicle, make sure that you list not only the date when the new owner takes possession of the vehicle but also the time of the day. If on that day the new owners travel through tolls or a speeding fine is issued you can prove to the authorities that you were not in possession of the vehicle.

Even though it is law to have a Safety Certificate BEFORE you advertise the vehicle for sale, a lot of sellers don’t. There are several situations that can cost the seller money by doing this.

1 – The vehicle may have repairs that you weren’t aware of and if you have already agreed on a price with the buyer this money is going to come out of your pocket/profit

2 – The sale may be dependant on the person picking it up that day. If you are unable to provide the valid Safety Certificate then you are potentially losing a sale by not being organised.

3 – The Transport Department and Police can issue fines of approx. $550 if you are advertising a registered vehicle for sale without a valid Safety Certificate.

If the buyer does not transfer the vehicle registration into their name within 14 days you can take your green copy of the Safety Certificate and Seller’s Copy of the Vehicle Registration Transfer Application form into your nearest Queensland Transport and Main Roads Customer Service Centre to have the transfer completed.