Why is it important to check if a car is stolen or has money owing?
Whenever buying a second-hand car through a private vendor, or even a small dealership that you’re not familiar with, it’s a good idea to first check whether the car’s stolen or has money owing on it.
Ownership and finance checks can provide peace of mind that you’re making a lawful and sound investment.
They can also assist in securing finance as, typically, lenders require an assurance that the vehicle has no outstanding financial obligations. And are important when arranging insurance cover, as policies can be affected by a vehicle’s history.
How to check if your car is stolen
You can check if a car has been reported stolen by searching for it online on the NZ Police’s stolen vehicle database. All you have to do is enter the car’s licence plate number or its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). You can access the police’s database here.
A VIN is a 17 character ID number that identifies a vehicle, and can typically be found:
- Stamped onto the car’s chassis, often the firewall
- On a metal plate fixed onto the car’s chassis
- Etched into the car’s rear window
If you have suspicions about a vehicle, contact the NZ Police directly to inquire about the status of the vehicle.
Be aware of stolen plates
It’s common for a car’s licence plates to be switched when it’s stolen, which limits the effectiveness of searching the NZ Police online database using just a car’s registration number. For this reason, using a vehicle’s VIN can be a more reliable method.
Alternatively, sites like CarJam provide an overview of the specific car registered to a licence plate, plus its VIN, so you can cross check the plate and VIN.
How to check if your car has money owing
1. Check the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR)
If you’re purchasing a used car, it’s sensible to check that there’s no money owing on it before you buy. A quick search of the PPSR can tell you if any third party has registered a security interest against the vehicle.
Visit the PPSR website and perform a check by entering the car’s registration number or its VIN. The PPSR will provide information about whether there’s money owing on the vehicle, or if it has any security interests registered against it.
In order to access the PPSR database, you must create a RealMe account, which you can use to access a range of government websites.
2. Contact the financing company
If the PPSR report indicates that money is owed on the vehicle, contact the financing company listed in the report, or contact the seller, to obtain more information about the financial status of the vehicle.
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About the author of this page
Bruce Pitchers is Canstar NZ’s Content Manager. An experienced finance reporter, he has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and NZ, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. As a freelancer, he has worked for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority and major banks and investment companies on both sides of the Tasman.
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the Driven, Stuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines and newspapers, including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery book 5 Minute Murder.
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