A car's service history can help you avoid issues and negotiate on price when you're buying a used car. This type of report includes important details about the vehicle, such as whether it's been reported as stolen or if there's an existing finance agreement. It can even help you determine if the odometer is accurate.
These details can be very valuable when you're searching for a used car, because the standards can vary a lot between private sellers and used car dealerships.
How to find a car’s service history
There are 3 main options for checking a car's service history.
Ask the seller for a copy of the car's service book and any other documents on its history
Conduct free finance and registration checks
Pay for a full check on the vehicle if you want more information or a single, detailed report on the car
Most of the time, people will either choose between doing their own checks or paying an agency for a full report on the car.
Free and low-cost car service history checks
Car service book: This booklet or logbook should have details of the type of work or repairs that have been done by a registered repairer. The used car seller should be able to provide this book or a copy of the details for you to review. If you're concerned or have further questions, you could also contact the repairer listed in the service book.
Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) check: You can use the Australian government's PPSR to find out if there is any finance owing on the car. An online search costs around $2 and you'll get a certificate you can use as proof of the details listed at that time. Finder's PPSR guide has more details.
Free registration checks: You can check an car's registration through the state or territory government where it is registered. This will tell you key details about the car's registration, including when it is due to expire, if there have been any suspensions, the compulsory third party (CTP) insurance provider and policy expiry date and even previous odometer readings.
Full car service history checks
If you want a more detailed view of the car's history, you can pay an agency or organisation for a complete check of the vehicle. This typically costs less than $50 but pricing can vary depending on the service you use.
For example, Service NSW currently offers a full vehicle history report for $23, while Equifax's CarHistory has a $39.95 fee. And if you're a member of NRMA, you could get a car history report for $27 ($37 for non-members).
Did you know?
A Finder survey of 1,012 respondents found 1 in 5 Aussies (19%) – equivalent to 3.9 million people – are performing maintenance on their cars to save money.
The research found a further 12% of Australians – 2.5 million people – had done their own car maintenance in the past 1-5 years to delay needing to visit a mechanic.
Interestingly, DIY car care is most common among women, with 22% admitting they had performed their own car maintenance over the past year, compared to 17% of men.
What does a car’s service history look like?
A car’s service history can show:
PPSR (formerly REVS) check results
If the car has been listed as stolen
Whether the car has been previously written off as a result of damage
Odometer readings
A log of previous repairs
Previous sales history and how many times the car has changed hands
For example, depending on the provider, a service history check might look like this:
Date
Odometer reading
Work done
15 September 2022
60,000km
Full inspection, oil changed, tires rotated
1 January 2023
65,000km
Car registration changed from QLD to NSW
2 January 2024
65,001km
Full inspection, replaced drive belt
You can also get added services, such as a valuation of the car, included in the car history check.
Red flags to look out for
Has the car been previously written off? This means that it was decided that repairs would cost more than the car is worth. If a car has been previously written off, but is now sitting before you in the hands of a salesman, there’s a good chance it has some invisible damage or very shoddy repairs.
Is it stolen? Buying a car from a thief is a good way to get robbed on price.
Has the odometer been rolled back? This is near-ironclad proof that the seller is trying to gouge you.
Is it poorly maintained? If the car has a poor service history then it’s a long way from good as new.
Finding out a car’s service history can reveal to you the state of the car and its current value. Getting these checks done along with following a used car buying checklist can help ensure you get value for money and help you avoid driving away with a poorly maintained, possibly stolen lemon that’s been trumped up by a shady salesman.
Elizabeth Barry was the lead editor for Finder. She has over 10 years' experience writing about a range of topics with a focus on personal finance. You’ll find her writing and commentary in a range of publications and media including Seven News, the ABC, MSN, the Irish Times and Singapore Business Review. See full bio
Elizabeth's expertise
Elizabeth has written 211 Finder guides across topics including:
Amy Bradney-George was the senior writer for credit cards at Finder, and editorial lead for Finder Green. She has over 16 years of editorial experience and has been featured in publications including ABC News, Money Magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald. See full bio
Amy's expertise
Amy has written 565 Finder guides across topics including:
Want to buy a classic car but don't have the ready money? There are still financing options available for classic vehicles. Find out what loans you have to choose one and which one will work best for you.
If you've come to the end of your novated lease and you are left with a balloon payment, you might be wondering whether to refinance that into a personal loan or take on another novated lease.
If you've been wanting a boat but didn't know where to start, read up a range of boat loans you can apply for. Secured and unsecured options are available and you could have the funds the next business day.
You can still get a car loan if you want to finance a used car. Find out how you can get a used car loan and see what rates are available for the used car you want. Learn how to best compare lenders and apply for your loan today.
Finding the right car loan shouldn't be as hard as finding the right car. Get a loan that will give you pre-approval so you can go shopping with the right amount of funds.
How likely would you be to recommend Finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.
Finder is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stand by our editorial principles.
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
