This Federal government service allows you to check details of a vehicle and avoid some of the risks that can occur when purchasing a car. For example, if you buy a vehicle which has been stolen, has money owing on it, or has been written-off, you risk the vehicle being repossessed or unable to be registered. Always physically verify all the numbers on the vehicle yourself, don't rely on the seller or the vehicle rego papers to be accurate NSW http://www.ppsr.gov.au/ Ph 1300 007 777 There is a small fee for each service, currently around $3.70

please note that there's been a major change to this service there are no longer individual state services doing this service, it's now handled by one Federal Govt agency Therefore wherever you are in Australia you now contact the Personal Properties Security Register new phone number and web address is in the thread above