Yes, it can happen: fines go to the registered owner, so until the registry records the sale, notices can still reach you. Lodge a notice of disposal, don’t pay a fine for an offence after the sale, and use your state’s route to hand it to the buyer, before the due date.
Check your fine for free →Free case-strength check first, and if your grounds are weak we’ll tell you · one flat price, $10 parking & toll, $15 everything elseFines and toll notices follow the registered owner, not the person who actually drove. The authority works from the registration record, and until that record says you no longer own the car, you are the person the notice goes to. That is why a fine can turn up weeks after you handed over the keys, often for an offence that happened after the sale.
It is the same mechanism behind rental car fines and nominating another driver. The difference here is that the person who should pay is a stranger, and you may only have their name from a receipt.
Every state has a seller’s notification, usually called a notice of disposal. It tells the registry you are no longer the operator and who bought the car. The details differ:
| State | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| NSW | Lodge a notice of disposal within 14 days of the sale; a late lodgement fee may apply. Service NSW says that once you submit it you “cannot be held responsible” for parking or driving fines or offences the buyer might incur. |
| Victoria | Submit a notice of disposal to VicRoads; the page sets no number of days and says it must happen before the buyer can complete their part. You should get a confirmation email within 24 hours. The page does not say who pays fines after a sale. |
| Queensland | Queensland’s transfer-a-fine page lets you hand on a fine if you sold the vehicle before the fine was issued (see below). Check the Queensland Government’s current selling guidance for any seller notification steps and deadlines, as we have not relied on its older selling page. Until the registration is out of your name, assume notices can still reach you. |
| Western Australia | Notify the Department of Transport within 7 days, online or on the MR9 form; a penalty applies if you miss it. The page does not say when your liability for fines ends; WA’s plate-return guidance mentions telling the Department you sold the vehicle before the offence date, without saying what that does. The Department (13 11 56) can confirm. |
| South Australia | Submit a notice of disposal; the page sets no seller deadline and says it may protect you from the buyer’s parking and driving offences. It does not transfer registration. |
| Tasmania | Submit within 7 days of selling or giving up responsibility for the vehicle. Service Tasmania says your name is then taken off the registration and you are no longer responsible for the vehicle, but its pages do not mention fines specifically. |
| ACT | Complete the notice of disposal on your registration certificate, signed by both parties, and notify Access Canberra. No seller deadline is stated and the page is silent on fines. |
| Northern Territory | Submit a notice of disposal to MVR within 14 days of selling a second-hand vehicle. The page does not address fines. |
Only NSW and (more softly) SA state in plain words that the notice protects you. For the others, the notice is still your best evidence of when you stopped being the owner.
Also remove the car from your toll account and take the e-tag out. NSW and Queensland both advise this, because tolls run through your account, not the registry.
In WA the traffic infringements page does not cover sold vehicles, so the Department of Transport (13 11 56) is the place to ask. If you are unsure, ask the issuing authority before the due date rather than after.
Nominating usually needs the new owner’s full name, address, date of birth and licence details. NSW says Revenue NSW may ask for more evidence in writing, in person or in court. If you sold to a dealer or through a trade-in, your paperwork should name the business, which is often easier to hand the fine to than a private buyer.
If you have no buyer details at all, you can still ask the authority for a review and explain what happened, with whatever proof you have of the sale date. That is an honest explanation of circumstances, not a guaranteed ground, and the authority decides. The evidence guide covers what reviewers look for.
Stolen or cloned plates are a separate situation: Fines Victoria lists a vehicle or number plates believed stolen or cloned as a reason to nominate, and in WA the Department of Transport (13 11 56) is the contact for sold, stolen or cloned-plate situations. Other states may handle this differently, so follow the instructions on your notice. Report it to police and keep the report.
Fight My Fine asks a few plain-English questions, gives you a free read on how strong your grounds are, and tells you honestly if they are weak. Then it drafts an editable letter for the right authority. One flat price: $10 for parking and unpaid-toll fines, $15 for all other fine types. If we rate your dispute Strong and the authority does not budge, you get your full fee back. The authority makes the decision, and we never predict it.
A printable checklist of what to gather, what to check and what to send before the due date. Pop in your email and it’s yours.
Yes, if the registration is still in your name. Fines are sent to the registered owner, so the notice can reach you even though someone else was driving. NSW says that once you lodge a notice of disposal you cannot be held responsible for fines or offences the buyer might incur, and Queensland, Victoria and NSW all let you hand on a fine for a car you sold before the offence.
No, not if you plan to hand it on. Fines Victoria says not to pay if you intend to nominate, and Queensland says that once a fine is paid it is finalised, so transfer it first. Check the due date on your notice and act before it.
Official pages do not list one fixed document, but they point to the same things: the buyer's name and address, the date (and for Queensland, the time) of sale, and proof such as a receipt or sale document and your notice of disposal confirmation. Keep copies of everything from the day you sold.
Lodge your notice of disposal anyway, then respond to any fine using your sale paperwork. In South Australia the notice of disposal does not transfer registration, so the car stays in your name until the buyer completes the transfer. A notice of disposal is not a guarantee, and the authority makes the final decision.
Fight My Fine is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and this article is general information, not legal advice. Registry and fines rules, deadlines and fees change and differ by state, so the dates on your own notice always come first. Outcomes depend on your circumstances and the issuing authority’s decision, and nothing here is a prediction or guarantee. For serious matters or anything heading to court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free legal service.