Motor dealer licence
Business information for motor dealer licences, including eligibility requirements, how to apply for a new licence, renew or change your licence details.
When a motor dealer licence is needed
You need a motor dealer licence if your business involves buying, selling or exchanging motor vehicles as a retailer or a wholesaler.
Motor vehicles include cars, motorcycles, caravans, and some trailers.
A trailer is a vehicle that is towed by a motor vehicle. It does not include a trailer that weighs 250 kilograms or less when empty.
A towable recreation vehicle with living space or sleeping facilities is also classified as a trailer.
A wholesaler is unable to sell vehicles to the public.
You must also hold a licence to deal in written-off light vehicles that have been registered in NSW or interstate.
Unlicensed motor dealing in NSW is an offence and can result in a penalty notice of $5,500 or prosecution with a maximum penalty of $110,000. In the case of a second or subsequent offence, the maximum penalty is $110,000 or imprisonment for 12 months, or both. A court may also order a person convicted of unlicensed motor dealing to forfeit any proceeds made from the vehicles sold.
Learn more about your obligations working as a motor dealer.
When a motor dealer licence is not required
You don’t need a motor dealer’s licence for:
- vehicles that don't transport goods or passengers on public roads (for example, agricultural equipment)
- vehicles that can’t be registered in NSW (for example, quad bikes, Segways, motorised wheelchairs and battery powered bikes)
- trailers used to transport a new or second-hand boat if the trailer is included as part of the sale of the boat. A second-hand dealer licence will be required if the boat you are selling is second-hand.
Eligibility
Who can apply
To apply for a motor dealer licence, you must:
- be at least 18 years old
- be a ‘fit and proper person’ to hold a licence
- not be a controlled member of a declared organisation
- not be disqualified from holding a licence
- not be an undischarged bankrupt
- not, as an adult, have been found guilty in the past 10 years of motor vehicle theft or dishonesty offences
- have sufficient financial resources to carry on the business
- have approval from the local council to run a motor dealer business at your nominated business address.
NSW Fair Trading will perform checks (including financial and police checks) to determine whether you are a fit and proper person.
For example, this means you:
- have not been found guilty of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty in the last 10 years, and are not currently involved in court proceedings for such an offence
- have not been convicted of an offence under the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013, the Regulations, or another Act administered by the Minister responsible for Fair Trading
- have had proceedings for such an offence have been commenced against the applicant but have not been finally determined
- are not a member of or regularly associate with members of a declared criminal organisation.
In addition, NSW Fair Trading will confirm if you have made any compulsory contributions or other payments to the Compensation Fund under the Motor Dealers and Repairers Act 2013 (if applicable).
The Commissioner for Fair Trading may also conduct further checks to determine your eligibility to hold a licence if necessary.
How to apply
What you need
Before you begin your application make sure you have:
- proof of identity
- personal details (name, address and date of birth) of either the individual or business partners
- business details, including the registered name of your business, the address, and incorporation date
- Australian company number (ACN)/Australian business number (ABN)
- payment for the licence fee.
You can apply for a 1, 3 or 5 year licence.
If you have a business manager
If you are employing a manager to run your business, you need to nominate them and tell NSW Fair Trading.
The manager will need to complete the Manager’s consent form included within your application.
A corporation must nominate an individual to be the manager of the day-to-day business of the licensee. An individual can manage the business themselves or nominate another person to manage the business.
Where there is more than one manager, complete a separate Manager's consent form for each manager to include in your application.
Apply now
Apply online at the Service NSW website.
To begin, select 1 of the buttons below.
The lodgement of your application online will take about 20min to complete.
This is for new applicants only. Find out how to renew your licence below.
Apply for a motor dealer licence
To apply in-person as an individual, download and complete the Individual application form.
To apply in person as a corporation, download and complete the Corporation application form.
Take your completed application form and any supporting documents to your nearest Service NSW Centre.
The application review process
We will assess your application within 30 business days.
We might contact you by email if we need more information.
Advising you on the application outcome
We will send an email to advise you if your application has been successful.
If your application is successful, the email will include a copy of your licence and your details will be added to the public register.
If your application is unsuccessful, we will provide you with the reasons in writing including any options that may be available to you.
Unsuccessful applications
If your application has been unsuccessful, you can apply for a review.
A review involves another officer from NSW Fair Trading, who was not involved in the original decision, reviewing the decision on your application.
For more information about the process see reviews of NSW Fair Trading decisions.
Renew a licence
You need to renew your motor dealer licence before it expires.
We will send you a renewal form about 4 weeks before the expiry date with details of how to renew.
If you’ve received your renewal notice, you can renew your licence online.
If your licence isn't renewed by the due date it will expire, and you will no longer be authorised to conduct business.
Restoring your licence after expiry
If your licence expired less than 3 months (92 days), you may be able to restore it (for a fee) at a Service NSW Centre.
You can use the details on your renewal form to apply to restore your licence.
If your licence is renewed or restored, you’ll keep your existing licence number. In this instance, your licence is considered to have been renewed from the day the licence expired.
If your licence has been expired for more than 3 months, restoration may not be an option. In this case you may need to apply for a new licence.
To check the status of your licence, you can search the public register.
Replace a motor dealer licence
If you have a motor dealer licence and it's been damaged, lost or stolen, you can apply for a replacement at a Service NSW centre.
You will need to submit a written request for a replacement that includes your licence number, the reason for a replacement and your signature.
Change of licence details
As a licence holder, it is your responsibility to tell us within 14 days if your name, address or contact details change.
To change your name or contact details, download and complete the Change of details form.
You can change your licence details in person at a Service NSW Centre, or by email to businesslicensing@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.
Changing the details of your premises
‘Notified premises’ are places (excluding trade shows) where you intend to conduct business.
To change the details of your notified premises, download and complete the Change to Notified Premises form.
You must change your details:
- at least 20 business days before operating at your new premises
- within 20 business days of ceasing business at your premises
- within 20 business days of moving your business to a new premises.
Online dealers
An 'online dealer' is a motor dealer who uses a website to offer for sale and sell motor vehicles. This includes motor dealers that sell wholly or partly online.
If you're an online dealer, you must notify us within 20 business days if your online business address changes.
You can change your licence details in person at a Service NSW Centre, or by email to businesslicensing@customerservice.nsw.gov.au
You must also clearly display your motor dealer licence number on your website and advertising material, operate under a .au domain, and ensure you have premises for use as an office, and for storage of motor vehicles or records in NSW.
Working interstate
There are several ways of working across borders and you can find information on each of these at our Working interstate and in New Zealand page.
Automatic Mutual Recognition
Under the Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme it is easier for occupational licence holders to work across state borders without having to apply for a second licence and pay fees.
Under the scheme some interstate licensees can start work automatically in NSW and others will be required to notify us of their intention to work here. This does not include workers from Queensland as that state is not participating in AMR.
To be eligible for the AMR scheme, you must hold a current licence or registration in your home state or territory for the activity covered by an occupation that you intend to do in the second state or territory.
Visit the AMR page for more information about the scheme.
Ask a question
If you need help with your application or have a question, please call 13 32 20.