About the Personal Property Securities Register

What is the PPSR?

The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a national online register administered by AFSA (Australian Financial Security Authority) which can provide information to help protect consumers when they are buying personal property such as cars, boats or artworks.

PPSR replaced state registers such as REVS, VSR and WOVR in 2012.

The PPSR is of particular use to used (second-hand) vehicle buyers who wish to check there are no financial encumbrances on a vehicle they intend to purchase. These checks are commonly known as REVS Checks, VSR Checks or WOVR Checks due to the names of the old state registers.

Who would use the PPSR?

Consumers who are about to purchase personal property, such as valuable second goods, to make sure the property is free of a security interest.

Businesses who sell personal property on credit, consignment, or on a retention of title arrangement.

Financial institutions such as banks and finance companies providing loans where they receive a security interest in an item of personal property.

Examples of Personal Property

Personal property can also include non-material items such as:

• Accounts
• Intellectual property
• Investment instruments
• Licences

What is the PPSR used for?

The register is used to determine priority for secured creditors in the case of debtor default or liquidation.

Secured parties and potential secured parties are able to use it to search for and register security interests in personal property. The PPSR is web based, available in real time and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

What happened to REVS / VSR / WOVR?

All the above registers were state-based databases which contained significant vehicle history but would not provide information on vehicles registered or previously registered in another state. PPSR is a combined national register which replaced the state registers in 2012.