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Your Complete Guide to Australian Number Plates
Transfer guides, fee calculators, valuation tools and scam prevention — everything you need before buying or selling.
Every state handles number plate transfers differently. Here's exactly what you need to know — the forms to fill in, the fees you'll pay, and the rules that catch people out.
*Standard and Personalised Content plates can only be transferred to your own vehicle or an immediate family member's. To sell to a stranger you need Personalised Plus or numeral-only plates, which have different transfer rights.
Plates purchased before 3 March 2000 are on an 'old-style' contract and may incur a transfer fee. You can upgrade to the new-style contract for free via VicRoads.
Transfers to an immediate family member (spouse, parent, child) or deceased estate beneficiary are free. All other transfers cost $118.10. Plates are yours for life with no annual renewal.
Custom plates carry an annual fee (~$200–$255/yr). Standard personalised plates are a one-off purchase with no ongoing cost. Transfer must be completed within 14 days to avoid the $102 penalty.
Optional plates (with a Certificate of Right to Display) can be sold to anyone on the open market. Personalised series and state/district plates can only be transferred to immediate family members.
If plates are not fitted to a registered NT vehicle within 12 months of becoming available, you lose the right to display them. Manufacturing can take up to 10 weeks during peak periods.
$39 transfers the right to display only. If you also want to assign the plates to a vehicle at the same time, the combined fee is $58.10.
Personalised and standard Y-series plates transfer for free. Premium plates (short numerics, names, business) carry significant transfer fees — up to $686.60 for one or two-digit numeric plates.
Fees current as of February 2026. Always confirm with your state transport authority before proceeding.