Before you hand over money for a used caravan, run a PPSR check on it. It only takes a couple of minutes, costs $2 through the official government site, and it can save you from buying someone else's debt along with the van.
I've never been caught out but it can happen to the best of us.
It's not the same as a VIN or rego check
A VIN check and a registration check look at different things — neither of them tells you whether there's money owing against the van. The only way to find that out is a PPSR search.
What you actually need
You need the caravan's VIN or chassis number (not the rego plate) and a card to pay the $2 fee. Go straight to ppsr.gov.au — don't use a third-party site that charges more for the same official result, and don't trust a certificate the seller hands you; run your own, fresh, right before you pay.
What it can tell you
- Whether there's a registered security interest (money owing) against that exact caravan.
- Basic details like make, model and colour where available.
- Whether it's recorded as written off.
- Whether it's recorded as stolen.
Get the number right
Ask the seller for a clear photo of the actual VIN plate on the van — not just a number typed in a message. Double-check it against the rego papers and service records. If a digit looks altered or doesn't match up, stop and ask the state road authority before you go any further.
Run it right before you pay
- Go to the official PPSR search page.
- Enter the VIN carefully — check it twice, because the fee isn't refundable.
- Pay and download the certificate.
- Keep it with your other paperwork — the date and time matter.
Reading the result
- Nothing recorded — good sign, keep the certificate and carry on with your other checks.
- Security interest shown — don't pay until the seller sorts out a proper, documented payout and you've re-run the search to confirm it's clear.
- Written off — stop and find out exactly what that means for registration in your state before going further.
- Stolen — don't proceed, and contact the police.
- Details don't match — stop, recheck the VIN, and don't guess.
A clean PPSR result doesn't tell you anything about the van's actual condition — it's one part of your checks, not the whole thing.
General information only, not legal advice. PPSR fees and processes can change — check ppsr.gov.au for the current details.