It is against the law to drive a written-off vehicle on the road unless it is going for repairs or an inspection.
On this page:
What is a written-off vehicle?
Presenting a written-off vehicle for inspection
Booking a vehicle identity inspection (Tier 3)
Find out if a vehicle is reported as wrecked or written-off
When to report a written-off vehicle
What is a notifiable vehicle?
How to report a written-off vehicle
What is a written-off vehicle?
Written-off vehicles are classed as either a statutory write-off or a repairable write-off and must not be driven on a road other than for the purpose of being driven to or from a place of repair or inspection, prior to re-registration.
A vehicle considered a statutory write-off:
- has severe structural or other damage or deterioration that prevents it from being driven safely on a road
- is not eligible to be registered in South Australia.
A vehicle considered a repairable write-off:
- is written-off and is determined not to be a statutory write-off
- has been assessed as uneconomical to repair, as the cost of the repairs will exceed the insured value of the vehicle
- may be declared a write-off by an insurer following accidental damage or if determined to be a write-off by an owner.
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When presenting a repaired or rebuilt written-off vehicle for inspection, you must supply:
• proof of identity of the person presenting the vehicle for inspection to the authorised officer
• proof of previous registration in Australia if available
• unless delivered by tow truck the vehicle must have some form of current registration, such as:
o ‘Unregistered vehicle permit’
o ‘Trade Plate’ where the Plate owner has financial interest in vehicle
• inspection payment receipt
• the repaired written-off vehicle
• required Repair Diary fact sheet MR1422
Additional requirements may include having a Supplementary Restraint System Report completed by an accredited agent.
A report form for vehicles damaged by impact (MR1419b) (PDF 68KB) and for water immersed and storm damaged vehicles (MR1419c) (PDF 70KB) can be downloaded.
For more information see vehicle inspections or download the Purchasing a written-off vehicle fact sheet (MR925) (PDF 75KB).
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Step 1: If you live within a 100 kilometre radius of the Adelaide GPO, the vehicle must be inspected at:
Vehicle Identity Assessment Station
7 Naweena Road
Regency Park SA 5010
Rural inspection locations will be advised at the time of booking.
Step 2: To book an inspection and pay the fee by MasterCard or Visa - phone 1300 882 247.
Or, after making a booking you can pay at
- a Service SA customer service centre
- or at the Vehicle inspection office Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Kateena Street, Regency Park. phone 1300 882 247.
No payments (except for credit card payments) will be accepted at the Naweena Road Vehicle Identity Assessment Station. Payment for Tier 3 inspections are to be made prior to arriving for the inspection.
Find out if a vehicle is recorded as wrecked or written-off
To find out if a vehicle has been recorded as written-off phone 13 10 84 or go to a Service SA customer service centre.
You will need to supply the registration number and vehicle identification number to enable a check to be done.
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When to report a written-off vehicle
Penalties apply for not notifying of a written-off vehicle in the following circumstances. In this section you will find information about:
Private owners
Insurers
Dismantlers, wreckers and repairers
Auctioneers and motor vehicle dealers
Written-off vehicle notices
Importing a notifiable written-off vehicle into South Australia
Private owners
Private owners (including businesses not associated with motor vehicles in the course of trade) must notify a notifiable vehicle before selling or otherwise disposing or dismantling a registered or unregistered vehicle.
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Insurers
Insurers must notify within seven days of determining a registered or unregistered notifiable vehicle as written-off.
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Dismantlers, wreckers and repairers
Dismantlers, wreckers and repairers must notify within seven days of acquiring a registered or unregistered notifiable vehicle that has been written-off. This includes vehicles or parts of a vehicle bearing a vehicle identification plate or vehicle identification number.
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Auctioneers and motor vehicle dealers
Auctioneers and motor vehicle dealers must notify within seven days of acquiring, but before auctioning, or disposing of a registered or unregistered written-off notifiable vehicle.
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Written-off vehicle notices
Written-off vehicle notices (where issued) must be affixed to a notifiable vehicle as soon as practicable and before the vehicle is sold or otherwise disposed of.
If it's intended to cancel the registration of a notifiable vehicle, a notification must also be completed and accompany the application for registration cancellation.
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Importing a notifiable written-off vehicle into South Australia
If importing a notifiable written-off vehicle into South Australia you must notify within seven days of bringing the vehicle into the State (including a part of a vehicle bearing a vehicle identification plate or vehicle identification number) into South Australia from another State or Territory of Australia.
Notification is not required in South Australia if a notification has been recorded on an interstate written-off vehicle register in the prescribed manner for the current status of the vehicle.
For more information download the guidelines for the:
For an alternative version of documents in this section, phone the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure on 1300 882 248.
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What is a notifiable vehicle?
A notifiable vehicle is a written-off vehicle that is less than 15 years of age (determined from its date of manufacture) and is:
- a motor vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) not greater than 4.5 tonnes
- a motorbike
- a caravan
- a trailer with a GVM greater than 4.5 tonnes
- a vehicle wrecked or wholly or partly disassembled or a part of a vehicle bearing a vehicle identification plate or vehicle identification number
- an interstate written-off vehicle not recorded on a written-off vehicle register administered by an interstate vehicle registration authority.
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How to notify a written-off vehicle
Complete the notification of a written-off vehicle form (PDF 464KB) and return it to a Service SA customer service centre, or if you are authorised as an agent to issue written-off vehicle notices - phone Service SA on 13 10 84.
Regardless of whether you are a private owner, an insurer or a business associated with the motor trade, you must supply the following:
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- the registration number of the vehicle if available
- the engine number, vehicle make and body type of the vehicle
- the date the vehicle was determined to be a write-off
- whether the vehicle is a statutory or repairable write-off
- the name and address of the person notifying the written-off vehicle
- the area and severity of damage caused to the vehicle.
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More information
On this site
Buying a vehicle
Contact
Service SA
Customer service centres
Phone 13 10 84