In the days right after the funeral, one trivial matter piles on top of another. The thing that most often gets stuck is the car parked on the deceased family member’s driveway — no one drives it, the registration keeps renewing automatically, and it’s covered in leaves and dust, just waiting for someone to make a decision.
If you are the person responsible for handling the deceased estate, this guide will tell you step by step what documents you may need to prepare, and in what order to deal with the vehicle, whether you want to transfer ownership, sell it or scrap it in Victoria.
The whole process isn’t necessarily complicated, but it needs to be handled in the correct order. If you get the order wrong, you may end up having to make a second trip to complete the process.
You Don’t Need to Rush
You don’t need to rush to make progress. While you are still grieving the loss of your loved one, there is no need to lose sleep over the vehicle. Take the time you need to understand the process and gather the appropriate documents.
Confirm You Are Eligible to Act on Behalf of the Estate
To process registration changes for the vehicle, VicRoads needs to verify two core matters:
- That the registered owner has passed away.
- That you are authorised to act on behalf of the estate.
You cannot proceed without establishing both.
To prove that the owner has passed away, you may need to provide the original or an officially certified copy of an appropriate document, such as an official death certificate or other documentation accepted by VicRoads.
If the owner passed away overseas, additional requirements may apply. If the death certificate or other document is not in English, an official translation may also be required.
Proving You Are Authorised to Act for the Estate
Next, you need to establish that you are authorised to deal with the deceased’s vehicle.
Depending on the circumstances, relevant documents may include:
- The relevant section of the deceased’s will appointing you to handle estate matters.
- A grant of probate issued by the Supreme Court.
- If the deceased left no will, a letter of administration.
- A letter from a solicitor on their law firm’s official letterhead confirming that they represent the estate.
- Where applicable, a statutory declaration relating to the management of a deceased estate.
If the deceased’s will appoints more than one executor, additional documentation may be required to show who is authorised to handle the vehicle-related procedures.
A Practical Tip Before Visiting VicRoads
There is a practical tip that can save you the hassle of spending most of a day travelling back and forth.
If your circumstances require an in-person application to verify your authority to act for the estate, plan ahead and try to complete all relevant transport-related matters during the same visit.
This may include dealing with the deceased’s driver’s licence, finalising the vehicle’s registration matters and dealing with the number plates.
If you cannot attend in person and need to send documents by post, check the current VicRoads requirements carefully, particularly regarding certified copies and whether original documents will be returned.
Once you’ve made these preparations, you can make the final decision: keep the car and transfer ownership to a family member, or dispose of it?
If Someone in the Family Wants to Keep the Car
As long as your status as the estate’s representative has been established, there are different options for handling the vehicle.
If someone in the family wants to keep the car and continue driving it, the documents and fees required will depend on who is taking over the vehicle.
If the Vehicle Is Being Transferred to a Spouse or Partner
The requirements may be different when the vehicle is being transferred to the deceased’s spouse or partner. Depending on the circumstances, exemptions may apply to certain transfer requirements.
If the Vehicle Is Being Transferred to a Beneficiary
If the person taking the vehicle is a beneficiary explicitly named in the will with a legal right to inherit the vehicle, additional requirements may apply, including roadworthiness documentation and transfer costs.
If the Vehicle Is Being Transferred to Someone Else
If the vehicle is being transferred to someone outside the categories above, or to a company, standard transfer requirements may apply, including roadworthiness requirements, transfer fees and applicable duties.
Check the Numbers Before Spending Money on Repairs
The requirement for a roadworthiness inspection can lead families handling an estate to incur unexpected costs.
Many people assume that once they’ve dealt with their loved one’s final affairs, there will be nothing else to worry about. They can then discover that an old vehicle needs substantial repairs before it can be transferred.
For example, if the car is 15 years old and the dashboard is covered in warning lights, the cost of repairing it to pass an inspection could potentially exceed the vehicle’s market value.
Before deciding to transfer the vehicle, consider getting a repair quote from a workshop and compare the likely repair cost with the vehicle’s actual value.
If No One in the Family Wants the Car
If nobody wants to keep the vehicle, you don’t necessarily need to go through the trouble of transferring ownership to another family member.
Instead, you can deal with the registration cancellation process for the deceased estate.
The appropriate registration cancellation and refund application may need to be completed, depending on the circumstances, and some applications may need to be made in person.
Any eligible unused portion of the registration fees may be refunded to the estate, subject to the applicable rules and administration fees.
Selling a Vehicle From a Deceased Estate
If you sell the vehicle from the estate to a scrap yard or vehicle recycling service like ours, the requirements are generally simpler than selling it to a private buyer.
A vehicle being sold for recycling does not need to be roadworthy, and it can often be collected even if it is unregistered, won’t start or cannot be driven.
To complete the vehicle sale, we need your official identification and documents showing that you have the authority to sell the vehicle on behalf of the estate.
Before agreeing on a pickup time, call our team and explain your family’s specific situation. Every estate is different, so spending a couple of minutes on the phone to confirm what documents you need to bring is far more reliable than arriving on the day and discovering that something is missing.
The proceeds from the vehicle sale will be paid to the person authorised to receive the funds on behalf of the estate.
You will also receive the relevant paperwork when you hand over the vehicle. Keep these documents somewhere safe because they may be needed for the estate’s records and any subsequent official processes.
Before the Car Is Towed Away: Check Every Corner
This is advice we have repeatedly shared with families we have worked with, and it’s one of the things people most regret not taking the time to do properly.
Cars left behind by older family members can contain personal belongings and important documents that may never be recoverable once the vehicle is gone.
Before the vehicle is collected, carefully check:
- The glovebox and centre console.
- Under both front seats and down the sides of the seat bases.
- The boot and underneath the boot floor where the spare wheel sits.
- Behind the sun visors.
- The door pockets.
- Any other storage compartments throughout the vehicle.
Go through every storage nook and cranny carefully.
If there is a folder specifically used for keeping maintenance records in the car, don’t forget to open it and check inside.
You might find vehicle registration documents, old letters, photographs, tools, sunglasses, jewellery and occasionally even an envelope with cash.
Some old items may have little or no market value but can be extremely meaningful to your family. Cassettes the deceased loved listening to, old maps, photographs or even the dog’s old lead can become irreplaceable family mementos.
If you find something like this, don’t throw it out with the old vehicle.
Take Photos Before Collection
After you’ve finished searching through the car, take several photographs of the entire vehicle and make sure you capture the odometer reading clearly.
These photographs can provide a useful record for the estate’s files and may help if questions arise later about the vehicle’s condition or mileage.
If the car has personalised number plates, you may also be able to apply to retain them for future use.
The process for retaining or transferring personalised plates is different from standard number plates, so check the current VicRoads requirements before the vehicle is collected.
What If the Estate Hasn’t Been Fully Sorted Yet?
What if the deceased estate’s affairs haven’t been fully sorted out and you aren’t ready to formally dispose of the vehicle?
You don’t necessarily have to wait until probate has been finalised before asking us for a quote.
A quote costs you nothing and doesn’t obligate you to sell the vehicle to us. It can also help you understand the approximate value of the vehicle when you’re preparing an inventory of the estate’s assets.
If the deceased’s house is also being sold and the vehicle needs to be removed from the driveway before the property changes hands, mention the timing when you call to arrange the pickup.
We can usually work with your schedule where possible so the vehicle doesn’t become an obstacle to the property handover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to obtain probate to sell a vehicle from a deceased estate?
Not necessarily. There are circumstances where VicRoads accepts other documentation to establish your authority to deal with the vehicle.
The exact documents required depend on the circumstances of the estate, so check the current VicRoads requirements before making an application.
If the vehicle is still registered in the deceased’s name, can I sell it?
Yes, provided you can produce the appropriate documents showing that you are authorised to act on behalf of the estate.
This is a common situation when dealing with vehicles left behind after someone passes away.
Do I have to prepare a roadworthy certificate?
If you are selling the vehicle to a scrap yard or vehicle recycling service, a roadworthy certificate is generally not required for the vehicle to be collected for recycling.
If you are transferring the vehicle to a new registered owner, different requirements may apply.
What if the will appoints more than one executor?
Additional documentation may be required to establish who is authorised to handle the vehicle-related procedures. If more than one executor is appointed, check with VicRoads about the appropriate documentation before attending.
What happens to the deceased’s unused vehicle registration fees?
The estate may be eligible for a refund for an unused portion of the vehicle registration, subject to VicRoads’ current rules, fees and eligibility requirements.
In the Geelong area, how soon can you come to pick up the vehicle?
Once the necessary estate and vehicle paperwork has been sorted out, we can often arrange vehicle collection in the Geelong area and surrounding suburbs quickly, depending on availability.
Call us with the vehicle’s location and condition, and we can discuss the available pickup options.
When you’re ready
We remove vehicles across Geelong, Geelong West, Corio, Lara, Highton and Ocean Grove, with free towing and no pressure on timing. If it helps to just get a figure for the estate records first, that’s fine too.
Have a look at how selling works, what we pay for cash for cars, or get in touch on 0403 433 113 and we’ll talk it through.
This article is general information about the VicRoads process, reviewed September 2026. It isn’t legal or financial advice — for questions about the estate itself, speak to the solicitor handling it. Check the VicRoads website for current forms, fees and thresholds.