How to Sell a Car Without a Roadworthy Certificate in Victoria

Selling a car without a roadworthy certificate (RWC) in Victoria is legal — but how you do it depends on the car's registration status. Get it wrong and you could stay liable for fines, tolls, and accidents after the car has left your hands.

Here's the straight version.

The Two Legal Paths

Option 1: Sell the Car Without Plates (Unregistered)

If you remove the number plates and return them to VicRoads before the sale, you can sell the car without a roadworthy. This effectively cancels the registration. The car becomes the buyer's problem to register — they'll need to get an RWC themselves and re-register it.

Steps: - Remove the plates - Return them to a VicRoads office (or cancel registration via myVicRoads) - Complete the vehicle transfer form with the buyer's details - Notify VicRoads that the car has been sold

You may get a partial registration refund for the unused period. Worth doing if there's several months left.

Option 2: Transfer Registration — Buyer Gets RWC Within 28 Days

If the car still has active registration, you can technically sell it with the plates on — but only if you and the buyer both have myVicRoads accounts and the transfer is done through the online system. The buyer then has 28 days to get an RWC before VicRoads suspends the registration.

This path works, but it's messier. Not every buyer wants that 28-day clock ticking, and if something goes wrong you want to make sure the transfer was actually processed. Always complete the transfer in myVicRoads — don't just hand over the keys and hope for the best.

What You Cannot Do

You cannot legally sell a registered car with the plates still on without either: - A valid roadworthy certificate, OR - Processing the transfer through myVicRoads (which gives the buyer that 28-day grace period)

Dealers are not allowed to sell cars without a roadworthy at all. This path is for private sellers only.

The Transfer Form Is Not Optional

Even if you remove the plates and sell the car as unregistered, you still need to complete a vehicle transfer form. This protects you. Without it, the car is still tied to your name in VicRoads' system and you can cop fines, camera infringements, and other issues for a vehicle you no longer own.

Fill out the form, keep a copy, and enter the details in myVicRoads.

What About Selling to a Wrecker or Cash-for-Cars Buyer?

This is the easiest path if you just want the car gone. Wreckers and licensed car buyers like InstantCashCar don't require a roadworthy. They're buying the car for parts or scrap, not to put back on the road — or they handle the roadworthy themselves.

You still complete the transfer paperwork, but that's about it. No inspection, no waiting, no cost to you.

What the RWC Actually Costs — and Why It Might Not Be Worth It

A roadworthy inspection in Victoria typically costs $150–$200 just for the inspection. If the car fails — and older or high-mileage cars often do — you're then up for repairs before you can re-inspect. Common fail points include tyres, brakes, lights, wipers, and steering components.

On a car worth $3,000–$5,000, spending $800 on repairs to get an RWC is usually not worth it. The maths rarely works in your favour. Selling as-is to a cash-for-cars buyer and getting an immediate offer is often the smarter move.

Exemptions — Cars That Don't Need a Roadworthy at All

VicRoads lists several exemptions: - Vehicles sold to wreckers or dismantlers - Vehicles being transferred as part of a deceased estate (in some circumstances) - Vehicles transferred between family members (specific rules apply) - Vehicles sold to licensed motor vehicle traders

Check the VicRoads website for the full current list, as these rules can update.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not notifying VicRoads after the sale. This is the biggest one. If the buyer doesn't register the car and you haven't completed the transfer, every toll, fine, and accident that car is involved in comes back to you.

Leaving the plates on an unregistered vehicle. If you've cancelled the registration, the plates need to come off. Driving on cancelled rego is an offence for the buyer — but if you hand it over with plates still on, you're setting them up to fail.

Not getting the buyer's details. Even for a $500 wreck sold to a mate. Get the name, address, and licence number on the transfer form. It's five minutes of paperwork that protects you indefinitely.

The Simplest Option

If you want zero hassle — no roadworthy, no inspections, no advertising, no dealing with tyre-kickers — selling to a cash-for-cars buyer is the cleanest path. You get a price, they pick it up, they handle the transfer.