Run a write-off check using the registration plate or VIN. Covers statutory and repairable write-offs across all Australian states. Free PPSR option or full $34 report with market data.
Check Written-Off Status for $34 →In Australia, "written off" doesn't always mean the same thing. There are two distinct categories, and they have very different implications for buyers.
A statutory write-off (also called a total loss) is a vehicle so severely damaged — usually from a crash, flood or fire — that it is deemed unfit for road use permanently. By law, it cannot be re-registered in Australia.
A repairable write-off means the insurer deemed repair costs uneconomic relative to the car's value — but the vehicle is structurally capable of being repaired. It can be re-registered after inspection, but with important caveats.
The key point: a statutory write-off is a hard stop. A repairable write-off requires deeper investigation — the quality of repairs matters enormously, and you should always get a pre-purchase inspection from a qualified mechanic before proceeding.
Written-off vehicle records in Australia are held in a national Austroads database that aggregates data from all state and territory road authorities. Here's how to access it:
You need either the vehicle's registration plate or the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), found on the dashboard or driver's side door frame.
You can check via the government PPSR at ppsr.gov.au or via a full car history report ($34) which includes the written-off check plus market data and more.
The result will show "No record found" (clear), "Repairable write-off" or "Statutory write-off" along with the state and approximate date of the write-off event.
Clear = proceed (but check everything else too). Repairable = get a pre-purchase inspection. Statutory = walk away, it cannot legally be re-registered.
There are two ways to run a write-off check in Australia. Both access the same national vehicle database. The difference is what else you get alongside the write-off result.
| What you get | Free PPSR ppsr.gov.au |
Full Report $34 via BeyondPPSR |
|---|---|---|
| Written-off status (all states) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Finance / encumbrance check | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stolen vehicle check | ✓ | ✓ |
| Safety recall check | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dealer vs retail price range | ✗ | ✓ |
| Actual sold prices of similar cars | ✗ | ✓ |
| Odometer vs market average | ✗ | ✓ |
| Known issues for this model | ✗ | ✓ |
If you only need to confirm write-off status quickly, the free PPSR is fine. If you're seriously considering buying the car and want market data to negotiate the price, the full report gives you everything in one place.
Do not proceed under any circumstances. A statutory write-off cannot be legally re-registered in Australia. If a seller is offering you a statutory write-off as a driveable car, this is either fraud or a serious misrepresentation. Walk away and do not hand over any money.
If the car shows as a repairable write-off, you have a decision to make. It's not automatically a deal-breaker — but you need more information:
Most cars you check will come back with no write-off record. That's a good sign — but it's not the full story. A car can be completely clean on paper and still be overpriced, have a suspicious odometer, have unresolved safety recalls, or have known mechanical faults that an informed buyer would negotiate around.
You need the car's registration plate or VIN (17-character number on the dashboard or door frame). Run a check via the government PPSR at ppsr.gov.au (free) or via a full car history report ($34) which includes the write-off check plus market data, recall checks and more. Results are instant.
Yes. The government PPSR check at ppsr.gov.au is free and returns written-off status, stolen records and finance owing. It does not include safety recalls, market pricing, odometer benchmarking or model-specific issues. A full car history report ($34) adds all of that on top.
You need either the registration plate number or the VIN. The VIN is a 17-character code found on the dashboard near the windscreen (visible from outside), on the driver's side door frame, or in the owner's manual. Either will return write-off status from the national database.
Yes. Written-off vehicle records are held in a national Austroads database that aggregates data from all states and territories — NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT. One check covers the vehicle's full national history regardless of which state it was originally registered in.
Results are instant — usually a few seconds after entering the plate or VIN. There is no waiting period for either the free PPSR or a full car history report.
A statutory write-off is a vehicle so severely damaged it can never be registered or driven on Australian roads again — it can only be used for parts. A repairable write-off means the insurer declared repairs uneconomic, but the car can be repaired and re-registered after passing a structural inspection. The write-off flag remains on the record permanently in both cases.
Yes, repairable write-offs can be bought and re-registered in most Australian states after passing a structural inspection. Always get a pre-purchase inspection to verify repair quality, check re-registration records, and factor in the permanently reduced resale value when negotiating the price.
Trust the check. The national vehicle database is the authoritative source. If the check returns a write-off flag and the seller denies it, that's a serious red flag. Do not proceed without independent verification and a full mechanical inspection.
In most Australian states, sellers are legally required to disclose if a vehicle has been written off. However, not all sellers comply, and private sales are harder to police than dealer sales. Running an independent check before any purchase means you don't have to rely on the seller's word.
Yes. The full $34 report includes the written-off check, the official PPSR certificate, stolen check, registration check, recall check, and market intelligence data including actual sold prices and dealer vs retail pricing. Everything in one instant report.
Written-off check, PPSR certificate, recall check, market value and known model issues. One report, $34.
Get My Full Car Report for $34 →