Help & FAQs

Read the answers to frequently asked questions about the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) and how to run a PPSR check.

  • Where can I find a vehicle's VIN?

    The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) can be found on the vehicle itself, either on the dashboard, or on one of the door posts (where the door latches when it is closed). The vehicle’s VIN is also displayed on the registration certificate and insurance policy documentation.

  • What information do I need to run a PPSR check?

    All you need to provide is the correct VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) of the vehicle as well as a valid credit card for payment. The system uses a vehicles VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) as the unique identifier. The VIN is required when ordering reports. It is recommended that as many fields are entered as possible to improve accuracy, however they are not mandatory.

  • Can I get a PPSR check on an older vehicle?

    Prior to 1989, VINs varied in length from 11 to 17 characters. PPSRCheck.com.au can only report on vehicles that use a 17 character VIN. Therefore, information on vehicles manufactured before 1989 is limited.

  • What is personal property?
    Personal property is any property other than land. It includes tangibles such as goods, crops and livestock, intangibles such as licenses, investment instruments, negotiable instruments and accounts.
  • What are personal property securities?

    A personal property security is when a secured party takes an interest in personal property as security for a loan or other obligation, or enters into a transaction that involves the supply of secured finance.

    An example is when a person borrows money from a bank and offers it as security for the loan. The bank’s interest over the collateral is a personal property security.
  • Why was Personal Property Securities reformed?

    Prior to 2012 there were more than 70 Commonwealth, State and Territory Acts regulating personal property securities. As a result, the law and practice concerning a particular personal property security varied. This uncertainty unnecessarily increased the cost transactions involving personal property securities.

    Introducing a national Personal Property Securities Register brought all of this information together into one national system. The aim of the PPS Reform was to improve the ability of individuals and businesses, to use all their property in raising capital. Personal property securities reform has also been successful in the United States, Canada and New Zealand.

  • When did the PPSR start?

    The PPS Act and PPS Register commenced in January 2012.

  • What is the PPS Register?

    The PPS Register is a single, national online register. Secured parties and potential secured parties are able to use it to search for and register security interests in personal property. The Register is web based, available in real time and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

    The Register replaced numerous State, Territory and Commonwealth electronic and paper registers. Existing information on these registers was migrated to the PPS register.

    The PPS Register allows lenders and businesses to register their security interests. Secured parties, buyers and other interested parties can search the PPS Register to find out if a security interest is registered over the personal property.

  • What happened to existing security interest registers?

    As a result of PPS Reform a number of existing Commonwealth, State and Territory personal property security registers were closed. Interests registered on existing security interest registers were migrated to the national PPS Register. The registers affected were as follows.

    Commonwealth

    • Australian Register of Ships
    • ASIC - Register of Company Charges (including provisional charges)
    • Fisheries Register

    New South Wales

    • Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS NSW)
    • Security Interest of Goods Register
    • Registers of charges for co-operatives and co-operative housing societies

    Queensland

    • Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS Qld)
    • Register of Security Interests and Liens
    • Register of Co-operative Charges

    South Australia

    • Vehicle Securities Register
    • Bills of Sale Register, Stock Mortgages and Wool Liens Register and the Liens on Fruit Register
    • Register of Co-operative Charges

    Tasmania

    • Register of Bills of Sale, Stock, Wool and Crop Mortgages and Co-operative Charges
    • Register of Vehicle Security Interests

    Victoria

    • Vehicle Securities Register
    • Register of Liens on Crops and Liens on Wool and Stock Mortgages
    • Register of Co-operative Charges

    Western Australia

    • Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS WA)
    • Bills of Sale Register

    Australian Capital Territory

    • Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS ACT)
    • General Register of Deeds and Instruments
    • Register of Co-operative Charges

    Northern Territory

    • Register of Interests in Motor Vehicles and Other Goods
    • Bill of Sale, Stock Mortgages and General Register
    • Register of Co-operative Charges
     
  • Will the PPS Register protect my privacy? Do I have a responsibility to protect others privacy?

    The PPS Register contains very little personal information. A person is able to search the PPS Register to determine whether personal property is subject to an actual or prospective security interest. Searching the PPS Register for any other reason is deemed unlawful. The Act deems unlawful searches to be a breach of the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) which can be investigated by the federal Privacy Commissioner.

  • How can I make entries on the Register?

    Anyone is able to register personal property on the PPS Register. Generally, the person who makes a ‘registration’ will be the secured party or its agent.

    It is possible to make entries on the PPS Register over the internet using a web browser. Business users are able to submit registrations via a B2G (business to government) channel employing XML. Business users can engage third parties like Equifax to assist in migration to the new register.

    Registrants provide information about the secured party, the person who is or has granted the security interest and the collateral that is or would be the subject of the security interest. The registration will need to describe the property so that it can be readily identified by any other person who searches the PPS Register.

    Upon registration, a verification statement will be sent to the registrant showing details of the registration.

  • How can I search the PPS Register?
    Users are able to search the Register by entering their search criteria in the search boxes on this website.