If you’ve searched “sell unregistered car QLD” or wondered “what paperwork do I need to sell a car in QLD?”, you’ve probably run into a bunch of mixed messages.
Some say you need a roadworthy. Others say it’s not even legal to sell an unregistered vehicle. And then there’s the paperwork — what's actually required?
Let’s clear it up. Here are the most common myths about selling unregistered cars in Queensland and the truth behind them.
FALSE.
You absolutely can — there’s nothing illegal about selling an unregistered vehicle in Queensland.
The key is disclosure. As long as the buyer knows the car is unregistered, and it’s sold “as-is,” you’re in the clear. Private buyers, however, might be hesitant since they’ll need to organise transport and registration themselves.
With We Buy Cars, you don’t need to stress about that. We purchase unregistered vehicles every week — no rego, no roadworthy, no problem.
FALSE.
It depends who you sell to.
In QLD, you only need a current safety certificate (roadworthy) if you’re selling a registered car privately. For unregistered vehicles or when selling to a licensed motor dealer (like We Buy Cars), you don’t need to provide one. While a roadworthy certificate will always put you in a better position when it comes to getting a good price for your vehicle, we understand that for some sellers, they don’t have the capacity or funds to organise one.
So if this is the situation you find yourself in, we can handle all roadworthy requirements ourselves after purchase, which gives you one less thing to worry about.
TRUTH: A logbook is GREAT - but it’s not required.
Logbooks are handy for demonstrating service history — especially if you’ve kept the car in great condition. It does make it easier to sell, and it does increase the value of your car, but not having a complete one doesn’t make it illegal to sell.
FALSE.
An unregistered car can still hold plenty of value — especially if it’s in good condition and in demand.
Registration status has less impact than people think. What matters more is:
That’s why we always recommend getting a proper vehicle valuation before deciding what to do next.
DEPENDS.
If you're selling privately, then yes, you and the buyer must complete the QLD Government’s transfer form and lodge them within 14 days. But if you’re selling to We Buy Cars, we’ll handle the legal side for you.
We lodge all necessary paperwork and submit your transfer online within the deadline. No long waits at a service centre. No admin headaches.
DEPENDS.
If you are selling it privately, you will need to pay out your loan before selling. But that’s not the case with We Buy Cars. Simply request a payout letter from your lender, and our team will manage the loan settlement as part of the sale. Learn more in our full guide to selling your car under finance
If you’re selling privately, you’ll generally need:
If you’re selling to We Buy Cars, we’ll guide you through what’s needed, and handle most of the paperwork on your behalf.
You don’t need to be an expert in QLD registration forms or car finance to make a smart sale, especially when you sell to a buyer like We Buy Cars. Whether you’re offloading a car without a roadworthy, dealing with missing paperwork, or simply want a smoother process, we make it easy.
From Marsden to Morayfield and beyond, we make it easy to sell your car. Selling a car under finance? We handle the payout directly, so there’s less for you to worry about. Want to know how to get more bang for your buck? You can check out our handy tips.
Get your free car valuation now and discover how stress-free selling your car in Queensland can be.
