Selling an old, damaged or unwanted car in Perth is usually the easy part. The step people forget is the paperwork that comes after: telling the WA Department of Transport (DoT) that you’re no longer the owner. Skip it, and you can end up fielding fines for a car that’s already been crushed. Here’s exactly how to lodge it.
Why This Step Matters
In Western Australia, you remain the legally recorded owner of a vehicle – and responsible for it – until DoT is told otherwise. That’s true even after you’ve handed the car over and watched it get towed away. Speeding cameras, parking fines and toll notices can still land in your name until the change is recorded. Lodging the notification is what draws a clean line under your ownership.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
- The vehicle’s plate number
- The date of sale or disposal
- The sale price
- The buyer’s name and address – if you’re selling to a wrecking business, this is the company’s registered name and address, not an individual
- A DoTDirect account, if you’re lodging online
Step-by-Step: Lodging Online via DoTDirect
- Log in or register for a DoTDirect account through the Transport WA website.
- Select the vehicle transfer option and enter the plate number.
- Enter the sale details – date of sale, selling price and dutiable value.
- Enter the buyer’s details, including their name and address.
- Submit within 7 days of the sale. You’ll get confirmation once it’s processed.
Most straightforward private sales and disposals can be lodged this way. It’s the fastest option if your circumstances are simple.
Step-by-Step: Lodging by Paper Form (MR9)
Some transfers can’t be done online – for example, deceased estates, jointly owned vehicles, transfers between spouses, heavy vehicles, optional plates, or records that don’t match what DoT has on file. In these cases you’ll need the paper Notification of Change of Ownership – Vehicle Licence Transfer form (MR9), still commonly called a Notice of Disposal.
- Get the form from a Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) centre, a regional DoT agent, or download it from the Transport WA website.
- Complete the seller’s copy (blue) with your details, the buyer’s details, and the sale information.
- Hand the buyer’s copy (red), along with the current vehicle licence paperwork, to the buyer or wrecking yard.
- Submit your blue copy within 7 days, either in person at a DVS centre or regional agent, or by post to Driver and Vehicle Services, GPO Box R1290, Perth WA 6844.
What Happens to Your Number Plates
In WA, standard number plates belong to the plate holder, not the vehicle, so they don’t transfer with a sale. When you dispose of a car, you keep the plates – you can move them to another vehicle you own, or return them to a DVS centre for a possible refund on any unused registration. A licensed wrecker has no need for them, so don’t leave them on the car when it’s picked up.
If You Miss the 7-Day Window
Late lodgement can attract a penalty, on top of the liability risk described above. If you’ve lost track of the exact sale date, lodge as soon as you realise rather than leaving it – late is far better than never.
What Affects What You’re Offered for an Old or Damaged Car
Wrecking yards price vehicles differently to private buyers, since the car is being assessed for parts and scrap value rather than roadworthiness. A few things that genuinely move the number:
- Completeness – a car missing its engine, gearbox or catalytic converter is worth less than one that’s intact, even if neither runs.
- Make and model – some vehicles have stronger demand for used parts than others.
- Extent of damage – accident, flood or fire damage affects how much can be salvaged versus recycled as scrap metal.
- Weight and metal content – heavier vehicles generally yield more scrap value, which moves with the current scrap metal market.
- Whether it has a chassis – a body shell without a chassis generally can’t be legally purchased or processed by a licensed wrecker.
Selling to a Licensed Perth Wrecker
If you’d rather skip the private sale process altogether, Cash For Cars Perth buys cars, utes, trucks, vans and 4WDs across the Perth metro area, in any condition – running, non-running, accident-damaged, flood or fire-damaged, deregistered or written-off. We don’t take stolen vehicles, cars under finance, or bodies without a chassis. Payment of up to $9,999 is made in cash or instant OSKO transfer before the car leaves your property, and if you call before midday, same-day towing is often arranged within 2–3 hours. You’ll need valid photo ID to sell, though it doesn’t have to be in the registered owner’s name. We’re a licensed wrecking yard at 5 Hantke Place, Welshpool, open Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM–6:00 PM, so our business details are ready to go straight onto your Notification of Disposal. We cover Perth metro only, not Bunbury or further south.
Ready to sort out the car and the paperwork in one go? Call 0420 262 651 or get a free quote from Cash For Cars Perth today.