Do you need an ABN to buy a car at a salvage auction in Australia?

No. At Pickles — and the other major Australian salvage houses — any individual aged 18 or over can register, bid and buy, including salvage and write-offs. You don't need an ABN, a business or a dealer licence to win a vehicle. You do need an ABN and the right licences if you intend to resell vehicles or parts commercially. Note that a statutory write-off can only be bought for parts, dismantling or export — it can never be re-registered.

Can you re-register a repairable write-off in any state?

Almost. Every state and territory lets you repair and re-register a repairable write-off after it passes an identity inspection and a roadworthy inspection — except New South Wales, which only allows it in narrow cases (you were the registered owner, the damage was hail only, or you inherited it). An open-market buyer generally cannot re-register a repairable write-off in NSW.

What happens after you win a car at a Pickles auction?

A deposit is taken from your registered card at the fall of the hammer. The balance is due within about a day, paid by bank transfer (EFT). Once your funds clear — usually 24 to 48 hours — Pickles issues a zero-balance invoice. You then collect the vehicle (or send a transporter) within the free storage window, using that paid invoice plus photo ID.

What documentation do you need to repair a write-off for re-registration?

Keep a full evidence trail: photos of the car as bought (the auction listing photos), photos of the damage and of repairs in progress (especially structural work before it is covered by panels or paint), a written repair statement, receipts and invoices for parts with the donor vehicle's VIN for major used components, a Supplementary Restraint System (airbag) report if airbags were worked on, and structural/welding certification from a qualified repairer. South Australia, Victoria, the ACT and NT are especially strict on this.

How to buy, repair & register a salvage car at auction in Australia

Buying a salvage car at auction, repairing it, and getting it back on the road is a seven-step journey: find the right car → register and bid → pay → collect → source parts → repair and document → pass the state inspections and re-register. Anyone 18 or over can buy at the major Australian houses (Pickles, IAAI, Grays, Slattery) — no ABN needed — but only a repairable write-off can be made road-legal again, never a statutory write-off, and New South Wales bans re-registering a repairable write-off you bought at auction. Here's the whole process, step by step.

General guidance current as of 2026. Fees, inspection names and rules change and vary by state and by auction house — always confirm the current detail with the auction house's terms and your state's transport authority before you rely on it.

1. Can you actually buy one? (ABN vs private)

Yes — any private individual 18 or over can register and buy, including salvage and write-offs. You don't need an ABN, a business, or a dealer licence to win a car. (You do need an ABN and the right licences to resell vehicles or parts commercially.) Three things that genuinely limit you are regulatory, not auction paywalls:

Statutory write-offs are parts-only — they can never be road-registered again in Australia. Buy one only for dismantling, parts or export.
Victorian statutory write-off buyers need an EPA Authority to even collect the vehicle.
NSW won't let you re-register a repairable write-off bought at auction (only the original owner, hail-only damage, or an inherited vehicle qualify). Buying to repair-and-register? Buy in — or for — another state.

2. Find the right car

Search live and sold salvage across every major house in one place with Smart Search, watch the Deals Board for lots priced below what comparable cars actually sell for, and before you commit, run the lot through Check-a-Listing — paste the auction URL and you'll get its damage, WOVR status, comparable sold prices and a deal score, so you bid with a number, not a feeling.

3. Register & bid

Create an account with the auction house, verify your ID (driver licence), and register for the specific sale. Most houses take a small card pre-authorisation so the deposit can be drawn if you win. Everything is sold "as-is, where-is" with no consumer guarantees, so do your homework first: run a PPSR check for finance owing or theft, confirm the WOVR write-off status, and factor in the buyer fees (a per-lot fee plus GST, not just the hammer price).

4. Pay — deposit, invoice, zero-balance

When the hammer falls, the payment runs in a fixed order:

Deposit is automatically taken from your registered card.
Balance is due fast — typically within about a day — paid by bank transfer (EFT) (salvage is usually direct deposit only).
Funds clear in roughly 24–48 hours.
Once cleared, you get a zero-balance invoice — proof you've paid in full. Title doesn't pass and you can't collect until you have it.

Don't pay on time and you can forfeit the deposit, lose the car, and be charged late fees — so line up your funds before you bid.

5. Collect it — storage windows & transport

You get a short free storage window before daily fees start, so book transport early (weekends usually count against it). Rough guide as of 2026 — confirm with the house:

Pickles — about 2 days free (3 for salvage), then a daily fee.
Grays — about 5 business days, then a daily/weekly fee (extra grace for interstate or third-party collection).
IAAI — about 3 business days (the daily rate is set per branch).
Slattery — set per listing; check the lot's terms.

To release the car to a transport company, every house needs the same three things: your zero-balance (paid) invoice, a copy of your photo ID (licence front and back), and a signed authority naming the transporter to collect on your behalf. The vehicle must be paid in full before anyone can take it.

6. Source the parts

Most rebuilds need donor parts. Find salvage and donor vehicles on the salvage-for-parts pages, and keep the donor vehicle's VIN and a receipt for every major used part (engine, transmission, body sections, airbags) — the identity inspector later checks part identities against your paperwork to rule out stolen components.

7. Repair & document everything

You can repair it yourself or use a licensed crash repairer — but either way the documentation is what passes the inspection. Keep, from day one:

Photos of the car as bought (save the auction listing photos).
Photos of the damage and parts removed, and of repairs in progress — especially any structural/chassis work before it's hidden by panels or paint.
A written repair statement — what was repaired, what was replaced.
Parts receipts with donor VINs; a Supplementary Restraint System (airbag) report if the SRS was worked on; and structural/welding certification from a qualified repairer.

8. Inspect & re-register (state by state)

To move the unregistered car to the inspection, use a temporary/unregistered-vehicle permit, a trade plate, or a tow. Then, in every state, two checks must pass — usually in this order:

An identity inspection (confirms the VIN, compliance plate and engine number — the anti-"re-birthing" check). In SA this is the inspection at the Regency Park identity station and it must pass first.
A roadworthy / safety inspection — only bookable after identity passes.

The bodies and names differ — check your state's page:

QLD — Written-Off Vehicle Inspection (WOVI) via Queensland Inspection Services. VIC — Vehicle Identity Validation (VIV) + Certificate of Roadworthiness. SA — identity inspection then road-safety inspection. WA — authorised written-off inspector (inspect before paint/trim). TAS / NT / ACT — add a structural or stolen-vehicle check on top of the two.
NSW — re-registration of an auction-bought repairable write-off generally isn't allowed (see step 1).

See the full per-state detail on the repairable write-off state pages. Pass both inspections, register through your state authority, and your number plates are issued — the car is registered.

9. Insure it

With the car registered, arrange insurance — but know that a repairable-write-off history stays on the register permanently, and many insurers will only offer third-party cover (or decline comprehensive). Disclose the history and confirm cover before you rely on the car.

Know the deal before you bid

A free Auction Intel account unlocks the sold-price history, comparable sales and a 0–100 deal score on any salvage lot across Pickles, IAAI, Grays and Slattery — so you know what a car is really worth before you commit.

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