How to Cancel Your Car Registration in Victoria
Published 2026-01-17 • Legal & Finance
Cancelling your car registration in Victoria is something you'll need to do when selling an unregistered car, scrapping a vehicle, or simply taking a car permanently off the road. Here's exactly how it works.
When Should You Cancel Registration?
Common reasons to cancel: - Selling the car unregistered — you remove the plates, cancel rego, and sell without requiring a roadworthy - Scrapping or disposing of the car — once it's gone, you want to remove it from your name and stop paying insurance - Selling to an interstate buyer — VicRoads recommends cancelling and removing plates when selling interstate - Car is no longer being used — if a car is sitting non-operational on your property and you don't want to keep paying registration, you can cancel it
Note: if you're selling a registered car in Victoria with the plates staying on, you don't necessarily cancel the registration — you transfer it. That's a different process.
How to Cancel Registration in Victoria
Via myVicRoads (Preferred Method)
- Log in to your myVicRoads account at my.vicroads.vic.gov.au
- Go to the Vehicles and Registration section
- Find the vehicle you want to cancel
- Select Cancel Registration
- Complete the cancellation form
- Request a refund as part of the form if you want the unused rego money back
- Submit
VicRoads will process the cancellation within a few days. For a written-off vehicle, cancellation takes effect from the day after the write-off date.
In Person
If you don't have a myVicRoads account, you can cancel registration at any VicRoads customer service centre. Bring: - Your driver licence or proof of identity - The vehicle registration papers or plate number
What Happens to the Plates?
When you cancel registration, the plates are cancelled. You can: - Return them to a VicRoads service centre - Keep them (but they can't be used on another vehicle — a cancelled plate is a cancelled plate)
If you're planning to put personalised plates on a new car, that's a different process — check with VicRoads about transferring personalised plates.
Getting a Refund on Unused Registration
Yes, you can get a partial refund. Victoria's registration is paid in advance, so if you cancel mid-period you're entitled to the unused portion back.
What's refundable: - The base registration fee (pro-rata for the unused period)
What's NOT refundable: - The TAC (Transport Accident Commission) levy — this is non-refundable regardless of when you cancel - Number plate fees
The refund is calculated based on the date the cancellation takes effect. It's processed back to your bank account or as a credit, depending on how you originally paid.
To claim, make sure you request the refund as part of the cancellation form in myVicRoads. It's not automatic — you have to tick the box.
If the Car Has Been Written Off
If your insurer has written off the car, they will usually notify VicRoads as part of their process. The registration is cancelled from the write-off date. The insurer may also handle the plate return.
Check with your insurer about what they handle vs what you need to do yourself. And still log into myVicRoads to confirm the cancellation has gone through.
If the Car Has Been Stolen and Written Off
Similar process. If a stolen car is recovered as a wreck or damaged beyond repair, it's written off and registration cancelled. Check with VicRoads about the refund on the registration period from the theft date forward.
After Cancellation — What Happens in the System
Once cancelled, the car should show as "cancelled/deregistered" in VicRoads records. Anyone searching the number plate or VIN should see this status.
If you've sold the car and completed the transfer, the car comes off your name when the buyer processes their registration — separate from the cancellation process.
Common Questions
Can I cancel registration and then re-register later? Yes. If you cancel a registration, the VIN and plate history remains. Re-registering requires meeting current requirements — roadworthy, insurance verification, and the applicable fees.
Does cancelling registration affect my insurance? Your comprehensive insurance may be void once the car is deregistered (policies vary). If the car is sitting on your property, check whether your home and contents policy covers it as unregistered.
Can someone else cancel it for me? Only the registered owner can cancel the registration, or an authorised representative (such as a solicitor acting on behalf of a deceased estate).