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Notice of Disposal SA: How to Lodge It After Selling Your Car
A Notice of Disposal in South Australia is a free seller-side notification to Service SA that records you no longer own an SA-registered vehicle. It applies when you sell, gift, scrap, write off, or send a vehicle to a wrecking yard.
Service SA says sellers must submit a Notice of Disposal when selling an SA-registered vehicle, including a car, trailer, caravan, or motorbike. Online lodgement is available through mySAGOV when the buyer is from South Australia, and there is no fee to submit a NOD.
A NOD does not transfer registration into the buyer’s name. The buyer completes the transfer separately, and Service SA states an SA buyer has 14 days from the purchase date to complete the transfer and pay the required fees.
This guide explains what a Notice of Disposal means, how to lodge it, what information you need, and what Adelaide car owners should know when selling to a private buyer, interstate buyer, insurer, or licensed wrecker.
What is a Notice of Disposal in South Australia?
A Notice of Disposal in South Australia tells Service SA that you no longer own an SA-registered vehicle. It helps protect you from future parking fines, toll notices, or driving offences linked to that vehicle after disposal.
Service SA uses the term Notice of Disposal, also called NOD, for this seller-side record. It applies to cars, motorcycles, trailers, caravans, and other SA-registered vehicles.
You may use it after selling, gifting, scrapping, writing off, or sending a vehicle to a wrecking yard.
A Notice of Disposal is free to lodge. It does not transfer registration. The buyer must complete the registration transfer separately.
Why You Must Lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA
You must lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA because it creates the official seller-side record that the vehicle has left your ownership.
Without a lodged NOD, Service SA records may still connect you with the vehicle. That can create problems when the buyer delays the transfer, keeps using the vehicle, or fails to update their details.
Service SA says a NOD may protect you from being held responsible for the buyer’s parking or driving offences. It also stops future direct debit payments connected to the vehicle.
This is especially important when selling to someone you do not know, selling a damaged vehicle, selling an unregistered car, or sending a vehicle to a wrecking yard.
When to Lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA
Lodge a Notice of Disposal within 14 days of disposal, and do it on the same day if possible.
The official MR96 Notice of Disposal form states that the seller must lodge the notice within 14 days. It also says this helps ensure the new owner is held responsible for parking or driving offences.
Same-day lodgement is the safer habit. It reduces the gap between handing over the vehicle and updating the Service SA record.
Keep proof of the disposal date. Useful records include a signed receipt, pickup confirmation, invoice, photos, messages, or written acknowledgement from a licensed wrecker.
How to Lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA
You can lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA online through mySAGOV when the buyer is from South Australia, or use a paper NOD when online lodgement is not available.
Service SA says online NOD lodgement is not available if the buyer is from interstate, the vehicle has been written off, or the vehicle has been taken to a wrecking yard. In those cases, use the paper Notice of Disposal process.
Method 1 — Lodge Online Through mySAGOV
Lodging a NOD online through mySAGOV is the fastest method when the buyer is from South Australia.
To lodge online:
- Log in to your mySAGOV account using a browser, not the mobile app.
- Go to the vehicle buying and selling section.
- Select the option for submitting a disposal notice.
- Enter the sale details, including date, time, and selling price.
- Enter the buyer’s SA driver’s licence or client number.
- Enter the buyer’s first name, last name, or organisation name.
- Review the information carefully.
- Submit the NOD.
- Save or print the confirmation.
Online lodgement works best for a normal SA private sale where the buyer’s details are complete and correct.
Method 2 — Lodge at a Service SA Centre
You can lodge a paper Notice of Disposal in person at a Service SA Customer Service Centre.
This method is useful when the buyer is interstate, the vehicle has gone to a wrecker, the vehicle has been written off, or you want Service SA staff to check the paperwork.
Take your ID, vehicle details, buyer details, and sale or pickup records. If the vehicle went to a wrecker, take the wrecker’s business name, ABN, address, and pickup confirmation.
Method 3 — Lodge the Paper MR96 Form
You can lodge the MR96 Notice of Disposal form when online lodgement is not suitable.
The official MR96 form is issued by the Government of South Australia. It states that both parties must sign the form and that it can be posted to Service SA, GPO Box 1533, Adelaide SA 5001, or lodged at a Service SA Centre.
Keep a copy before sending the form. Paper lodgement can take longer than online lodgement, so keep your sale receipt or pickup acknowledgement with your records.
What Information You Need to Lodge a NOD in SA
To lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA, you need vehicle details, buyer details, sale details, and proof of disposal.
Information | Detail |
Vehicle plate number | From the registration record or number plates |
VIN or chassis number | From the vehicle or registration certificate |
Buyer’s full name | First and last legal name, or organisation name |
Buyer’s SA driver’s licence or client number | Needed for online lodgement when the buyer is from SA |
Date of disposal | Exact date of sale, gift, pickup, or wrecking |
Time of disposal | Needed for online lodgement and paper records |
Selling price | Actual sale price, or $0 if gifted |
Seller details | Your name, address, and signature |
Wrecker business details | Business name, ABN, address, and pickup record |
When the buyer is a licensed wrecker, use the wrecker’s business name, ABN, and address as the buyer-side details. Keep the pickup acknowledgement or invoice because it confirms when the vehicle left your possession.
Notice of Disposal vs Other SA Car Paperwork
A Notice of Disposal is different from transfer of registration, cancellation of registration, and PPSR discharge.
These processes often happen around the same sale, but they do different jobs.
Process | Who handles it | Purpose |
Notice of Disposal | Seller | Records that the seller disposed of the vehicle |
Transfer of Registration | Buyer | Moves registration into the buyer’s name |
Cancellation of Registration | Registered operator | Cancels registration when the vehicle is no longer used |
PPSR Discharge | Finance company or lender | Removes a finance security interest |
A NOD does not move registration into the buyer’s name. Service SA says the vehicle remains in the seller’s name until the SA buyer completes the transfer and pays the required fees.
For the full seller journey before paperwork, read our How to Sell a Car guide.
What Happens If You Don’t Lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA
If you do not lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA, your name may remain connected to the vehicle record after the sale.
This can cause problems when fines, parking notices, toll issues, or driving offences are linked to the vehicle before the buyer completes the transfer.
Service SA says a NOD may protect sellers from being held responsible for the buyer’s parking or driving offences. It also creates a record you can keep for proof.
If you forgot to lodge it, lodge it as soon as possible. Late paperwork is still better than having no disposal record at all.
Special Situations Adelaide Car Owners Face
Some disposal situations need extra care because online lodgement may not work or extra paperwork may be involved.
Selling to a Licensed Adelaide Wrecker
When you sell your car to a licensed Adelaide wrecker, you still lodge the Notice of Disposal yourself.
Service SA says online NOD lodgement is not available when the vehicle has been taken to a wrecking yard. Use the paper Notice of Disposal process instead.
A licensed wrecker gives you the buyer-side details needed for the form. These usually include the business name, ABN, address, pickup date, and written acknowledgement.
At Adelaide Jap Dismantlers, the intake process includes VIN recording, plate checking, vehicle condition notes, pickup confirmation, and yard processing at Holden Hill. This gives the seller a clearer paper trail if a question comes up later.
Owners selling unwanted, damaged, or end-of-life vehicles can review our cash for cars Adelaide service before arranging disposal paperwork.
Lodging a NOD for an Unregistered Car
You may still need a Notice of Disposal for an unregistered SA vehicle when the vehicle was previously registered in your name.
This helps record that the vehicle has left your ownership. It is especially useful when the car has expired rego, accident damage, missing parts, or is no longer safe to drive.
This situation is common for owners who want to sell my car without rego Adelaide after the registration has expired or the car is no longer roadworthy.
Lodging a NOD for a Written-Off Vehicle
For a written-off vehicle, lodge a Notice of Disposal and check whether written-off vehicle reporting also applies.
Service SA says online NOD lodgement is not available when the vehicle has been written off. Use the paper NOD process instead.
Written-off vehicles may also involve the Written-Off Vehicle Register. SA.GOV.AU states that private owners must report a written-off vehicle before selling, disposing of, or dismantling a registered or unregistered vehicle.
Owners dealing with accident-damaged or insurance-assessed vehicles can also read our Written-Off Vehicles in SA: Seller Guide for related WOVR and disposal context.
Lodging a NOD for a Deceased Estate Vehicle
For a deceased estate vehicle, the executor or authorised person handles the vehicle paperwork through Service SA.
Bring identification, vehicle details, proof of authority, and estate documents requested by Service SA. This type of transfer often needs staff review, so an in-person Service SA visit is usually more practical than trying to manage everything online.
Service SA has a separate process for deceased estate vehicle transfers, so check the current requirements before selling or disposing of the vehicle.
Lodging a NOD When the Buyer Is Interstate
When the buyer is from interstate, you cannot lodge the NOD online through mySAGOV.
Service SA says online NOD lodgement is only available when the buyer is from SA. Interstate buyer situations require a paper NOD instead.
Keep a copy of the form, buyer details, and sale receipt. Interstate sales can take longer to clear from SA records, and Service SA may continue to record you as the last registered owner in South Australia.
After You Lodge — Number Plates, Refunds, and Records
After lodging your Notice of Disposal, check your number plates, registration status, insurance, and personal records.
Returning Number Plates
Return or manage number plates through Service SA when plates must be surrendered, changed, or retained.
Special plates need extra care. Service SA says sellers who want to keep special plates need to visit a Service SA centre to get new standard plates before selling the vehicle. Old plates cannot simply be reused and must be surrendered to Service SA.
Registration cancellation, plate return, and unused rego refunds are separate from the NOD process, so read Cancel Registration and Plates in SA before removing plates or cancelling rego.
Registration Refund
A registration refund is separate from a Notice of Disposal.
A NOD records that the vehicle left your ownership. Registration cancellation and refund claims deal with unused registration.
Check the current Service SA cancellation process before cancelling registration, especially when the car is sold with plates attached or sent to a wrecker.
Keeping Your Lodgement Record
Keep your NOD confirmation and sale records for at least 12 months.
Useful records include the mySAGOV confirmation, paper MR96 copy, signed sale receipt, buyer details, pickup acknowledgement, invoice, photos, text messages, and emails.
If you need proof later, Service SA offers a Confirmation of Sale letter or a copy of your NOD. This service currently costs $31.
Common Mistakes Adelaide Sellers Make With NODs
The most common Notice of Disposal mistake in SA is assuming the buyer’s registration transfer replaces the seller’s NOD.
Avoid these mistakes:
Assuming the buyer’s transfer protects your seller record.
Waiting more than 14 days to lodge the paper NOD.
Entering the wrong buyer licence or client number.
Trying to lodge online when the buyer is interstate.
Trying to lodge online after the vehicle has gone to a wrecker.
Skipping the NOD because the car is unregistered.
Forgetting to record the wrecker’s business details.
Leaving insurance, direct debit payments, or toll accounts connected to the car.
Throwing away number plates instead of checking Service SA requirements.
Failing to save the lodgement confirmation.
The practical rule is simple: complete the disposal record as soon as the vehicle leaves your control.
What Happens on the Wrecker’s Side
When Adelaide Jap Dismantlers buys your car, the yard intake process gives you the details needed to complete your Notice of Disposal properly.
The process connects with our car wreckers service because the vehicle moves from seller paperwork into licensed dismantling.
The process usually includes:
Checking the vehicle at pickup or at the Holden Hill yard.
Recording the VIN, plate number, make, model, and condition.
Confirming the pickup date and time.
Providing business details for seller paperwork.
Moving the vehicle through the dismantling workflow.
Recovering reusable parts where possible.
Separating recyclable materials from non-reusable parts.
This gives the seller a clearer paper trail if a question comes up later about the pickup date, buyer details, or vehicle identity.
It also connects the full vehicle lifecycle: unwanted car, disposal paperwork, yard intake, dismantling, reusable parts, and recycling.
Reusable components may be checked, matched, and stocked through our used auto parts process.
If the vehicle cannot be driven or collected by the buyer, our free car removal Adelaide page explains how pickup works across Adelaide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fee to lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA?
No. Service SA says there is no fee to submit a Notice of Disposal in South Australia. Online lodgement is available through mySAGOV when the buyer is from SA. Paper lodgement is used when online submission is not available.
How long do I have to lodge a Notice of Disposal in SA?
The MR96 form states that the seller must lodge the Notice of Disposal within 14 days. Same-day lodgement is safer because it creates the seller-side record soon after the vehicle leaves your possession.
Does a Notice of Disposal transfer the registration?
No. A Notice of Disposal does not transfer registration into the buyer’s name. Service SA says the vehicle remains in your name until the SA buyer completes the transfer and pays the required fees.
Do I need a Notice of Disposal if I sold my car to a wrecker?
Yes. You still lodge a Notice of Disposal when selling to a licensed Adelaide wrecker. Online lodgement is not available when the vehicle has been taken to a wrecking yard, so use the paper NOD process.
Do I need a Notice of Disposal for an unregistered car?
Yes, a Notice of Disposal is useful when an unregistered vehicle was previously registered in your name. It helps record that the vehicle has left your ownership, especially when the car is scrapped, sold for parts, or sent to a wrecker.
Need Help Disposing of a Car in Adelaide?
Adelaide Jap Dismantlers helps Adelaide car owners sell unwanted, old, damaged, non-running, written-off, and unregistered vehicles with clear pickup records and buyer-side details for disposal paperwork.
The business operates from Holden Hill and handles vehicle buying, car wrecking, dismantling, reusable parts recovery, and vehicle removal across Adelaide.
If you have not sold the vehicle yet, our sell my car Adelaide page explains the practical selling process before disposal paperwork.
Once the vehicle leaves your ownership, lodge your Notice of Disposal with Service SA and keep your confirmation with your sale records. That record gives you a clearer paper trail if questions come up later.
Resources” To create this guide we got information from these sources:
MR96 form
