If you’ve just sold or wrecked a car in Perth, there’s one piece of paperwork that’s easy to forget once the tow truck has driven off: telling the WA Department of Transport (DoT) that you’re no longer the owner. Skip this step and you can end up fielding parking fines, toll notices or even speeding infringements for a car that’s already been crushed. Here’s exactly how the process works.
Why This Step Matters
Under Western Australian law, the registered owner stays legally linked to a vehicle until DoT is told otherwise — regardless of who’s actually driving it or whether it still exists as a whole car. That’s why notifying DoT promptly after a sale isn’t just good admin, it’s a safeguard for you. Once the notification is processed, any future infringements, tolls or liability tied to that vehicle sit with the new owner, not you.
A Quick Note on Terminology
Some states, like NSW, have a specific form called a “Notice of Disposal.” WA doesn’t use a separate form with that exact name — instead, the seller’s obligation to notify DoT is built into the standard vehicle ownership notification process. The end result is the same: you’re formally telling DoT you’ve disposed of the vehicle and providing the new owner’s (or wrecker’s) details, so the practical steps below still apply whether you call it a disposal notice or an ownership change.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
- Your driver’s licence or photo card details
- The vehicle’s registration/licence plate number
- The date the sale or disposal happened
- The name and address of the buyer — if you’ve sold to a licensed wrecker, this is the business name and address of the wrecking yard
Step-by-Step: Lodging Your Notification
Step 1: Choose Your Method
You have two options. The faster one is online through a DoTDirect account, which is free to set up at transport.wa.gov.au if you don’t already have one — you’ll need a valid email address and your WA driver’s licence. The alternative is the paper Notification of Change of Ownership – Vehicle Licence Transfer (Form MR9), available as a download or from any Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) centre.
Step 2: Complete the Details
Whether online or on paper, you’ll need to confirm your details as the seller and provide the buyer’s details. If you’ve sold to a licensed wrecker rather than a private buyer, you record the wrecking yard’s business details in place of a new registered owner — the car is being dismantled, not re-registered.
Step 3: Submit Within Seven Days
This is the part people most often miss. WA law requires sellers to notify DoT within seven days of the sale. Miss the window and you risk an infringement — DoT’s own paperwork lists this at $100 — on top of the hassle of proving the car wasn’t yours anymore if something goes wrong with it after you sold it.
Step 4: Keep Your Confirmation
If you lodge online, save or screenshot your confirmation. If you post or hand in a paper form, keep a copy for your own records. It’s worth holding onto this for at least a few months in case any correspondence about the vehicle turns up.
What Happens to Your Number Plates
Unlike some other states, WA number plates stay with the seller, not the vehicle. When you sell or dispose of a car, you keep the plates rather than handing them over to the buyer or wrecker. From there you can either apply to retain them for a future vehicle or return them to a DVS centre. This is worth sorting out before the tow truck arrives, since a reputable wrecker won’t need — or want — your plates as part of the deal.
If the Vehicle Is Already a Written-Off Vehicle
If your car has already been through an insurance write-off, it may already be recorded on the Written-Off Vehicle Register (WOVR) by the insurer or assessor. That’s a separate process to the ownership notification above — you still need to notify DoT that you’ve disposed of the vehicle even if it’s already flagged as a write-off.
Selling to a Licensed Wrecker Makes the Rest Easier
The notification itself is on you as the seller, but who you sell to affects how smooth everything else is. A licensed wrecking yard, like Cash For Cars Perth, deals in this kind of transaction daily and can talk you through exactly what to put in the buyer field before you lodge anything. We’re based at 5 Hantke Place, Welshpool, and buy running, non-running, accident-damaged and written-off vehicles across the Perth metro area, with free same-day towing often arranged within two to three hours if you call before midday.
Get It Done Properly, Then Get It Sorted
Lodging your notification within seven days is a small task that saves a real headache down the track. If you’re ready to sell an old, damaged or unwanted car in Perth, call Cash For Cars Perth on 0420 262 651 for a free quote. We pay cash or instant OSKO transfer before the car leaves your property, and we’re open Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM, to help you get it off your hands — and off your DoT record — without the runaround.