Is the Service NSW rego check a REVS check?

No. It confirms that the registration is current, its expiry and the CTP insurer. A REVS check, which today is a PPSR search, is the one that looks for money owing.

How much is a REVS check in NSW?

$5.95 here by rego, with the official certificate. On the government's own site the PPSR search costs $2.00, but you need the car's VIN to run it.

Does a REVS check on a NSW car find finance or write-offs from other states?

Yes. The PPSR is national, so finance registered anywhere in Australia shows up, and the search returns written-off and stolen status recorded in other states too.

What do I need to run it?

The NSW registration number, or the VIN if you have it. We show you enough of the vehicle to match against the car before you pay anything.

Who can correct a wrong NSW registration record?

Transport for NSW, which holds the NSW register. Finance recorded on the PPSR is disputed with AFSA, or with whoever registered it.

Do I get a certificate I can keep?

Yes. The official PPSR certificate as a PDF, on screen and by email, with the search number and the time of the search.

REVS Check NSW

REVS was where NSW recorded cars with money owing on them. The national PPSR replaced it in 2012, and this is that search for a car registered in NSW, by rego, with the official certificate.

What a REVS check means in NSW today

REVS, the Register of Encumbered Vehicles, was NSW's record of cars with money owing on them. On 30 January 2012 it was replaced by the national Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR), run by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA). When somebody in NSW asks for a REVS check, a PPSR search is what they need.

A clear search made before you pay is what protects a buyer if finance is later claimed against the car. The certificate records the search number and the moment of the search, which is your evidence that you checked.

Service NSW's free check, and what it leaves out

Service NSW's free rego check tells you whether a NSW registration is current, when it expires and which CTP insurer covers it. It is worth doing, and it costs nothing.

It does not look for money owing, because finance is recorded on the PPSR rather than by Transport for NSW. And it shows the car's NSW registration rather than its history, so a car written off in another state before it was registered in NSW may not say so there.

Buying in NSW: the order that protects you

A private sale goes most safely in this order:

While you browse, run the free Service NSW check to confirm the plate and the expiry match the ad.
Before you pay a deposit or hand over money, run the PPSR search: here by rego, or on the government's site with the VIN.
Match the VIN on the car to the VIN on the certificate.
Then lodge the transfer with Service NSW, within 14 days of the sale.

What you get for $5.95

Vehicle identity
Money owing check
Written-off status, with the damage detail
Stolen check
Registration details
Official PPSR certificate (PDF)
Plain-English verdict

Common questions

Is the Service NSW rego check a REVS check?: No. It confirms that the registration is current, its expiry and the CTP insurer. A REVS check, which today is a PPSR search, is the one that looks for money owing.
How much is a REVS check in NSW?: $5.95 here by rego, with the official certificate. On the government's own site the PPSR search costs $2.00, but you need the car's VIN to run it.
Does a REVS check on a NSW car find finance or write-offs from other states?: Yes. The PPSR is national, so finance registered anywhere in Australia shows up, and the search returns written-off and stolen status recorded in other states too.
What do I need to run it?: The NSW registration number, or the VIN if you have it. We show you enough of the vehicle to match against the car before you pay anything.
Who can correct a wrong NSW registration record?: Transport for NSW, which holds the NSW register. Finance recorded on the PPSR is disputed with AFSA, or with whoever registered it.
Do I get a certificate I can keep?: Yes. The official PPSR certificate as a PDF, on screen and by email, with the search number and the time of the search.

The longer story: REVS check vs PPSR: what replaced REVS in Australia?