Cancelling your registration

Find out when you can cancel your vehicle registration, how to return your number plates and whether you're entitled to a refund.

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When you can cancel registration

If you're the registered operator, you can cancel your vehicle registration at any time, including if your vehicle has been written off or stolen or if you no longer plan to live in NSW.

If you're moving interstate, the cancellation process is slightly different. See Cancelling your registration from interstate.

If you've sold the vehicle, you cannot cancel the registration. Instead you need to submit a

File

Notice of Disposal (PDF 310.16KB)

If you've moved overseas, you can send a representative to cancel the registration on your behalf.

How to cancel registration

To cancel your vehicle registration, you must attend a service centre in person or send a representative and provide:

When there is more than one person registered as the operator of the vehicle, only the primary operator needs to sign the form.

Returning number plates

When you cancel your registration, you must hand in the vehicle's number plates. It is an offence to keep number plates when you cancel your vehicle registration.

Stolen plates

If your plates are stolen, report the incident to the Police Assistance line on 131 444. They will give you a police event number which you need to give us to process your cancellation.

Returning number plates in another jurisdiction

If you hand your plates in in another jurisdiction, you need to provide a 'surrendered number plate' receipt issued by the interstate authority.

Reserving number plate content

If your registration has expired and it's been less than 3 months since the expiry date, you can reserve your number plate. You must put them in reserve at a service centre and pay the annual reserve fee, plus any annual number plate fees.

Getting a refund

You may be entitled to a refund of the unused portion of the motor vehicle tax. This includes pensioners in some circumstances.

To get a refund, you must cancel your registration before the expiry date. There is no refund of the registration fee or number plate fees. The cancellation fee is deducted from your refund.

For refunds on stolen or written-off cars, you must provide the service centre with an original letter from the police or your insurer that includes the date of the incident.

Overseas refunds

If you cancel the registration to return or permanently move overseas, you can provide your overseas address for your refund.

Related information

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