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:
The first thing you’ll need to complete a PPSR REVS check is to find the VIN – or vehicle identification number. This is a 17-digit serial number unique to every vehicle that reflects its manufacturing origins.
You can find the VIN on a car’s rego certificate or sticker, insurance documentation, on the compliance plate in the engine bay, on the passenger side windshield, or on one of the doorposts.
After finding the VIN, plug it into the VIN check bar located at the top right and bottom of our website, then hit ‘Get Report’. Then, you’ll be asked to nominate which type of PPSR VIN check or VIN lookup report type (standard or comprehensive) that you’d like. After that, just complete the necessary payment and contact details (required for delivery of the report).
In a few short minutes, an easy-to-read report in PDF format will be delivered straight to your inbox with all the information needed to help you make an informed decision on your vehicle purchase.
Vehicle security checks utilise the PPSR (Personal Property Securities Register) database – formerly known as the Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS) – to check whether there is finance owing on a vehicle and if it is at risk of being repossessed after you buy it.
Running a REVS check online can also help you identify discrepancies between what components a car or vehicle should have according to manufacturer specifications, and what you’re supposedly being sold.
This can help you make a fair market comparison and help save time and money in the long run by avoiding any surprise car repairs and replacements of unauthorised vehicle parts.
A PPSR REVS check isn’t mandatory, but it is recommended. This is because the cost of not running a PPSR vehicle check or REVS check can far outweigh the expense of conducting an encumbered vehicle check.
To fully understand how this works, consider the following.
You purchase a used vehicle from a seller, who told you that it was free from any encumbrances such as car finance loans. Unfortunately for you, the seller lied. They did take a secured loan out against the car when they first bought it. However, they didn’t use the money from the sale of the car to repay their debt and subsequently defaulted on their loan agreement.
Suddenly, you find your car is being repossessed by a bank you had nothing to do with, just so it can pay off somebody else’s debt. You’re left out of pocket for the purchase price of the car with no avenue for compensation.
Sadly these situations are not unheard of, which is why running a PPSR REVS check before you commit to buying any used vehicle is so important. It can also help you avoid purchasing a car that has been stolen or classed as a repairable write-off by an insurance company due to concealed accidents or weather damage. Such cars can not only put your physical safety at risk but are maybe unable to be re-registered or receive full insurance cover – leaving you with a vehicle you are unable to drive or sell.
As you can see, spending the small amount of money required to conduct a PPSR check is well worth the insight it can bring to help you make a safe investment with your used vehicle purchase.
We offer two different types of PPSR REVS check reports to ensure your peace of mind.
If you’d like a comprehensive report on the history of your chosen vehicle, our premium CarHistory report is the perfect choice. For $38.95, you’ll receive detailed information regarding:
Meanwhile, our standard PPSR check costs just $26.95. For this small sum, you’ll receive a vehicle finance check (complete with a certificate), stolen car check, vehicle specs, and a vehicle registration check – letting you know if the car’s rego is current and when the expiry is.
Both our standard and premium vehicle security checks come with government-issued PPSR certificates. You can even view a sample PPSR REVS check on our website before you order your own.