What Is a PPSR VIN Check?

Where Can I Find the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)?

The vehicle identification number (VIN) is composed of 17 characters (digits and capital letters) that act as a unique identifier for the vehicle. A VIN displays the car's unique features, specifications and manufacturer.

The VIN can be found in a couple of places including on the car's registration label (1), on the compliance plate in the engine bay (2) or on the passenger side windshield (3), or on one of the door posts (where the door latches when it is closed) (4). See the image below:

Look for the VIN in these other locations:

  • Insurance card/Insurance policy
  • Vehicle title and registration certificate

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How to do a PPSR VIN Check? 

We’ve made conducting a PPSR VIN check easy.

Once you’ve got your VIN or the car rego and state information, enter it into the REVS check search bar located on our website to get your report.

Next, follow the prompts to nominate your preferred PPSR VIN check report type, your email address for delivery of the report. Afterwards, you can complete the relevant payment details. 

Then, sit back and take it easy! You’ll have an easily-accessible PDF file with all of the requested information in your inbox within no time at all. 


If you’re shopping for a used car, running a PPSR VIN check is a quick and easy way to make sure you’re getting exactly what you’re being told you’re paying for.

A PPSR vehicle check can also help prevent nasty surprises like unexpected mechanical or financial issues or the inability to register your newly purchased vehicle. 

But just what is a PPSR VIN check? PPSR stands for Personal Property Securities Register. It was previously known as REVS – or Register of Encumbered Vehicles – which were state-based registers.

The PPSR is a federal, government-managed online database that tracks significant items of personal property (such as motor vehicles) that have outstanding security interests against them. A security interest is a financial arrangement, such as a secured bank loan, which has been taken out against a piece of property (e.g., a car).

Running a PPSR check and learning whether your prospective car has a current security interest against it is an incredibly important part of assessing the risk associated with your purchase. This is because any car can be repossessed at any stage if a previous owner has not fulfilled their security interest against the vehicle – regardless of the fact the car now belongs to you.

There are no rights to claim compensation if this happens, as it is the buyer’s responsibility to search and do the homework before purchasing. 


To check finance on a car, you’ll need the VIN, or vehicle identification number. This is a 17-digit serial number unique to every car built after 1989. A VIN provides a quick way to easily identify manufacturer specifications such as car model, variant (e.g., sport or luxury), where it was built and in what year, engine and safety details, and more. You can find it on a car’s registration label, on the compliance plate in the engine bay, on the passenger-side windshield, or on one of the doorposts (where the door latches when it is closed). Alternatively, you can look for it in the insurance documentation.
 
A PPSR VIN check does more than just check for financial encumbrances. A basic car history check will also reveal information about whether a car has been stolen or written off and if it is subject to a manufacturer recall for an airbag or mechanical fault. It’ll also give you a clear understanding of the core vehicle specifications and check rego and insurance status or expiry. 
 
Suppose you’ve got reservations about a vehicle you’re interested in or simply want to have as much information as you can before you buy. In that case, our premium CarHistory report can give you the details and peace of mind you need to make an informed decision on your used car purchase. In addition to the details provided in the standard report, you’ll get access to information on:

  • When the car was first sold;
  • A current valuation and market comparison;
  • If an insurance company has written off the vehicle (i.e., deemed unroadworthy and not worth repairing);
  • If the odometer reading has been tampered with to appear as if the car has done less mileage than it really has (also known as a PPSR odometer check);
  • Flood, storm and water damage checks;
  • Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety and emissions ratings.

Is a PPSR VIN check reliable?

When you run a PPSR VIN check with us, you’ll receive a government-generated certificate verifying any financial encumbrances against the vehicle you’re requesting a report against. Because every VIN is unique and issued by the manufacturer at the time the car was made, you can be assured that the vehicle specifications you’re being provided are accurate. Having the information provided by a VIN search also helps you determine if there are any modifications made to the car that hasn’t been advertised or legally approved. 


How long does it take to do a PPSR VIN check?

Conducting a PPSR VIN check takes practically no time at all. Once you’ve completed the simple REVS check form online, you’ll receive your report in easily readable PDF format within minutes. Simple!

When running a VIN lookup Australia, it’s important to ensure that the VIN provided to you on the rego or insurance paperwork is identical to that on the vehicle itself. If you’re requesting the vehicle identification number remotely from a seller, ensure that the VIN they provide is supported by recent photo evidence.
 
A good way to be sure you’re being given a genuine VIN is to ask the seller to provide a clear photo of the VIN listed on the rego or insurance documents alongside the VIN on the car door frame.

Remember: the closer you run a VIN lookup to the purchasing date, the more accurate the information provided will be. Get your PPSR car check with us today!

View a sample report >