Getting your Ps usually means one thing is next: your own car. It’s an exciting purchase, but it’s also one where new drivers make expensive mistakes. They buy a car they aren’t legally allowed to drive, a car with money still owing on it, or a car that costs far more to run than they planned for. This guide walks you through buying your first car as a P plater in Victoria, from the legal checks to the budget, the paperwork and the test drive.
We don’t recommend particular makes or models here, and no single car is “the best first car” for everyone. What we can do is show you how to check any car against the rules and the safety ratings, and how to protect your money along the way. Everything below comes from Transport Victoria, VicRoads, the TAC, ANCAP and Consumer Affairs Victoria, and every source is listed at the end so you can check the details yourself.
Start with what you’re allowed to drive
Before you look at colour, price or kilometres, check that the car is legal for you. On both P1 and P2 you can’t drive a prohibited vehicle unless you have an exemption. Transport Victoria says a vehicle is prohibited for probationary drivers if it has any of these:
- i.A “banned” rating in the probationary vehicle database
The VicRoads probationary vehicles database lets you search by make and model. Each result shows Approved, Banned or Under review.
- ii.A power to mass ratio of more than 130 kW per tonne
Divide the engine power in kilowatts by the vehicle’s mass in tonnes. If the answer is over 130, the car is off-limits on your Ps.
- iii.An engine modified to increase performance
Unless the modification was done by the manufacturer. An aftermarket tune can turn an approved car into a prohibited one.
The trap here is simple. Plenty of used cars that look ordinary have a performance version with the same badge and body shape. A seller may not know, or may not mention, that the car they’re selling is the higher-powered variant. Look the exact car up in the database before you inspect it, and check again before you pay. If the listing is vague about which version it is, ask for the build details and the VIN.
There are limited exemptions, such as driving with a fully licensed supervising driver beside you, driving for work, or a hardship exemption granted by VicRoads. They are narrow, and they are not a reason to buy a prohibited car as your everyday vehicle. For the full list of probationary conditions, see our guide to Victorian P plate rules.
Watch out
Transport Victoria states that if you don’t follow the prohibited vehicle rules you may be fined. Buying a car you can’t legally drive alone for the next few years is also a very expensive way to find out.
Automatic or manual: the A condition
If you passed your drive test in an automatic car, your probationary licence carries an A condition. Transport Victoria’s probationary kit explains that this restricts you to automatic vehicles while you’re on your Ps. To drive a manual during that time, you need to be re-tested in a manual vehicle.
That makes the decision simple for most first-car buyers:
- You have an A condition: only look at automatics. A cheap manual is no bargain if you can’t legally drive it.
- You passed in a manual: you can drive either. Your choice comes down to price, the kind of driving you do, and what you’re comfortable with.
- You want a manual anyway: book a manual test first, then buy the car. Don’t buy it and hope to sort the licence out later.
If you’re weighing up whether a manual licence is worth the extra effort, our article on the manual vs automatic licence covers the pros and cons in more detail.
Why safety matters more when you’re new
Your first car is the one you’ll drive while you have the least experience. The TAC is clear that for P platers, the most common cause of crashes is inexperience. It lists the typical P plate crashes as rear-ending another vehicle, colliding while turning right at intersections, being hit by a right-turning vehicle, and running off the road.
You can’t buy experience. You can buy a car that gives you better protection while you build it. The TAC’s research with its Used Car Safety Ratings found that people driving in the lowest rated car are eight times more likely to die or be seriously injured in a crash than people in the highest rated car.
The TAC also points out that vehicle age matters, largely because features like autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, electronic stability control and side curtain airbags are less common on older cars. Night driving adds to the risk: the TAC says young, first-year drivers are seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious injury crash between 10pm and 6am than fully licensed drivers.
The TAC’s advice for P platers is to aim for a 4 or 5 star safety rating and look for these three features:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB), which can brake for you if a crash is about to happen
- Electronic stability control (ESC), which helps stop the car sliding or skidding out of control
- Curtain airbags, which protect your head in a side impact
Transport Victoria’s probationary kit gives the same message: buy a car with safety features such as airbags and autonomous emergency braking. And the TAC notes that it’s possible to find a safe car even on a lower budget.
Nazrul Islam, Mitcham Driving SchoolSpend your money on safety before you spend it on looks. A plain car with good stars and good tyres will look after you far better than a flashy one without them.
ANCAP ratings vs Used Car Safety Ratings
There are two rating systems in Australia, and they measure different things.
ANCAP: new cars
ANCAP (the Australasian New Car Assessment Program) crash tests new vehicles and assesses their safety technology, then publishes a rating on a 0 to 5 star scale. Each rating has a “TESTED” datestamp showing which year’s criteria the car was assessed against. ANCAP says its test criteria become more demanding every three years, so a five-star rating from years ago isn’t the same as a recent one.
ANCAP’s own advice is to choose a vehicle with the highest safety rating possible, with a datestamp no older than six years. A rating stays with the vehicle for its lifetime, so always check the tested year, not just the number of stars.
Used Car Safety Ratings: second-hand cars
ANCAP doesn’t rate used vehicles. For those, Victoria uses the Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR), produced by Monash University Accident Research Centre in partnership with the TAC and the Department of Transport and Planning. Rather than crash tests, they’re based on real crash data. The 2025 update analysed 9.5 million vehicles and 2.6 million injuries from police-reported crashes between 1987 and 2023.
The ratings are published at howsafeisyourcar.com.au, where you can look up a make, model and year range. The TAC notes that most of the “safer pick” vehicles in the 2025 ratings can be bought second-hand for under $25,000, and more than half for $10,000 or less.
| Question | ANCAP | Used Car Safety Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Which cars? | New vehicles | Used vehicles |
| Based on | Crash tests and safety technology assessments | Real police-reported crash data |
| Run by | ANCAP | Monash University Accident Research Centre with the TAC and the Department of Transport and Planning |
| What to check | Star rating and the “TESTED” datestamp | Rating for the exact model and year range |
| Where to look | ancap.com.au | howsafeisyourcar.com.au |
Setting a realistic budget
The price on the windscreen is only the start. Work out the full cost of owning the car before you start looking, and you’ll know what you can really afford.
One-off costs when you buy
- The purchase price of the car itself
- Registration transfer fee, paid to transfer the registration to you
- Motor vehicle duty, if it applies, paid when you transfer the car
- A PPSR check and, ideally, an independent mechanical inspection
- Anything the car needs straight away, such as new tyres or an overdue service
Ongoing costs once it’s yours
- Registration renewal, which includes the TAC charge
- Insurance for damage to your car and other people’s property
- Fuel (or charging, for an electric car)
- Servicing at the intervals the manufacturer recommends
- Tyres, brakes and repairs as parts wear out
- Parking and tolls, if you’ll use toll roads or park in paid areas
Consumer Affairs Victoria makes two useful points about running costs. First, some cars are much more fuel efficient than others, so compare fuel consumption before you buy. Second, depreciation (the value a car loses over time) can be the single most expensive cost of owning a car. Neither shows up in the asking price, but both affect what the car really costs you.
Instructor tip
Get insurance quotes on two or three cars you’re considering before you make an offer. For new drivers, the gap between quotes on different cars can be large enough to change which car you can afford.
Registration and the TAC charge
Every car driven on Victorian roads needs to be registered. When you renew, VicRoads says you pay two things: the registration fee and the TAC charge. When a car is registered for the first time, motor vehicle duty and a number plate fee can also apply.
The TAC charge funds the Transport Accident Commission, which supports people injured on Victorian roads. According to the TAC, the charge depends on:
- Where the car is usually kept. Your postcode puts you in a low, medium or high risk zone.
- The type and use of the vehicle. Passenger cars, goods vehicles and motorcycles are charged differently.
Insurance duty and GST are also added, and these are separate from the TAC charge itself. Registration fees change, so check the current amounts on the VicRoads vehicle fees page when you’re working out your budget. You can usually choose to pay registration in shorter periods, such as three or six months, which spreads the cost but adds a small service fee each time.
Insurance: what rego covers and what it doesn’t
This is the part that catches many new owners out. In Victoria, the TAC charge in your registration is your compulsory third party (CTP) insurance. The TAC describes it as covering vehicle owners for injury or death that their vehicle causes to another person. You don’t buy a separate CTP policy.
What rego doesn’t give you is cover for damage: damage to your car, or damage you cause to someone else’s car or property. For that you need a separate policy. Consumer Affairs Victoria describes the three main types:
| Type of cover | Damage to other cars and property | Your car: fire and theft | Your car: accident damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third party property | Yes | No | No |
| Third party property, fire and theft | Yes | Yes | No |
| Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Third party property insurance is the minimum most people should have. Without it, a minor bump into an expensive car could leave you paying the repair bill yourself. Comprehensive cover protects your own car as well, which matters more the more your car is worth, or if you’ve borrowed money to buy it.
When you compare policies, read the product disclosure statement and check:
- The excess that applies to young or inexperienced drivers, and how it compares with the standard excess
- Whether cover depends on you being listed as a driver
- Whether the car is covered at agreed value or market value
Dealer or private seller?
Where you buy the car changes your legal protection a lot.
Licensed motor car trader
When you buy from a licensed trader, you get several protections by law:
- Clear title, meaning the car isn’t listed as stolen or written off and no money is owed on it
- A statutory warranty if the car is less than 10 years old and has travelled less than 160,000 km. It lasts 3 months or 5,000 km, whichever comes first
- A cooling-off period of three clear business days after you sign the contract, excluding weekends and public holidays
- A notice of particulars on the car showing details such as the build date, odometer reading, written-off status and cash price
A few conditions apply. If you cancel during the cooling-off period, the dealer can keep $100 or 1% of the purchase price, whichever is greater. The cooling-off period doesn’t apply if you take delivery of the car during those three days, if the car is bought in a company name, or if it’s a commercial vehicle. The statutory warranty doesn’t cover faults listed on the trader’s existing defects notice, and it excludes items such as tyres and batteries.
Licensed traders must display their licensed motor car trader number, and you can check it on the Business Licensing Authority’s register.
Private seller
Private sales are often cheaper, but Consumer Affairs Victoria notes that there is no cooling-off period and the car is not covered by a statutory warranty. It’s up to you to confirm the car isn’t stolen, has no money owing on it, isn’t on the written-off vehicles register, and is registered.
| Protection | Licensed trader | Private seller |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling-off period | Three clear business days (conditions apply) | None |
| Statutory warranty | Cars under 10 years and under 160,000 km: 3 months or 5,000 km | None |
| Clear title guaranteed | Yes | No, you check it yourself |
| Roadworthy certificate to transfer rego | Check with the trader | Seller provides it (unless exempt) |
| Usual price | Often higher | Often lower |
Consumer Affairs Victoria also lists warning signs that a private seller might be selling a stolen car. Be cautious if the seller asks for payment, or a large part of it, in cash; offers to bring the car to you or waits outside the address they gave you instead of going inside; or offers a price well below market value. Ask for identification to confirm the person selling the car is its owner.
Checks before you pay: PPSR, VIN and ownership
The single cheapest protection in the whole process is a PPSR check. The Personal Property Securities Register is a national register, and a search costs $2 at ppsr.gov.au. It shows you whether the car is recorded as free from debt, and it may also tell you if it’s recorded as stolen or written off.
Why does debt matter? If a previous owner used the car as security for a loan and still owes money, that debt is registered against the car. You want to know that before you hand over your savings, not after.
- i.Get the VIN and registration number
Ask the seller for both before you travel to see the car. A genuine seller shouldn’t hesitate.
- ii.Check the probationary vehicles database
Confirm the exact car is approved for P platers before you spend time on anything else.
- iii.Run the $2 PPSR check
Look for money owing, and stolen or written-off records. VicRoads also offers a Vehicle Report that includes a PPSR check and registration status.
- iv.Match the VIN on the car
Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends physically sighting the car and its VIN. Make sure the number on the car matches the paperwork and your PPSR search.
- v.Confirm the seller owns it
Ask for photo ID and compare the name with the registration papers. See the car at the seller’s home address where you can.
Watch out
Run the PPSR check close to the day you pay, not a week before. A check is a snapshot of the register on the day you search.
Service history and an independent inspection
Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests asking to see the car’s service history. Regular servicing by a qualified mechanic, to the manufacturer’s specifications, makes mechanical problems less likely. A car with a full logbook isn’t guaranteed to be perfect, but a car with no records at all is a bigger unknown.
Consider an independent inspection before you commit, especially in a private sale where there’s no statutory warranty to fall back on. Consumer Affairs Victoria lists three options:
- The RACV’s independent vehicle inspection service
- A Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) member
- An independent qualified mechanic
If you’re buying from a licensed trader and can’t arrange an inspection straight away, Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests making the sale conditional on your satisfaction with an independent inspection report, and writing that into the contract.
Your test drive checklist
A test drive is your chance to find the problems a photo can’t show you. Take someone experienced with you if you can: a parent, an older friend who knows cars, or your driving instructor. Two sets of eyes and ears pick up more than one.
Before you start the engine
- Walk around the car in daylight and look for mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps or rust
- Check the tyres for tread depth and uneven wear
- Look under the car for fresh fluid leaks
- Ask to start the engine from cold, and listen for rattles or knocks
- Check every warning light comes on at start-up and then goes off
On the drive
- Drive on a mix of roads: some stop-start streets, a hill, and a faster road if it’s safe and legal
- Brake firmly in a safe place and check the car stops straight without pulling
- Feel for smooth gear changes, whether automatic or manual
- Listen for clunks over bumps and noises when turning
- Check the steering doesn’t pull to one side on a flat road
Instructor tip
Try parking the car and doing a three-point turn during the test drive. Some cars have much bigger blind spots or a wider turning circle than you’re used to, and it’s better to find out before you buy than in a tight car park.
The roadworthy certificate
In Victoria, a roadworthy certificate (RWC) is needed when a registered car is sold, when a car is re-registered, and to clear some defect notices. When you buy a registered car, VicRoads says the seller should give you the roadworthy certificate, and you’ll need it to transfer the vehicle into your name, unless an exemption applies.
Some key points from Transport Victoria and VicRoads:
- A roadworthy is issued by a licensed vehicle tester
- It’s current for 30 days from when it’s issued
- It covers safety items such as wheels and tyres, steering, suspension and brakes, seats and seatbelts, lights, the windscreen and wipers, and the vehicle structure
- It doesn’t tell you whether the car is mechanically reliable or what its general condition is
That last point matters. A roadworthy confirms the car met certain safety standards on the day it was tested. It doesn’t check the engine’s health, the gearbox’s future, or whether the air conditioning works. That’s why an independent inspection is worth considering even when the car comes with a fresh roadworthy.
VicRoads lists exemptions from the roadworthy requirement, such as brand new vehicles that have never been registered. Most used cars bought by P platers won’t fall into an exemption, so expect to need one. If a private seller offers the car “without a roadworthy” at a discount, ask yourself why, and check with VicRoads what that means for transferring the registration.
Transferring the registration
Once you’ve bought a registered car, VicRoads says you need to let it know within 14 days of the purchase. The process usually runs through myVicRoads:
- i.The seller starts the transfer
The seller begins the transfer in their myVicRoads account, or completes a printed transfer form with you.
- ii.You give your details
You’ll need your Victorian driver licence number (or VicRoads customer number) and your family name.
- iii.You complete it in myVicRoads
Log in to your own myVicRoads account after the purchase to finish the transfer the seller started.
- iv.You pay the fees
Pay the transfer fee and any motor vehicle duty that applies. Have the roadworthy certificate ready unless the car is exempt.
Don’t leave it to the last day, and organise your insurance so it starts before you drive the car home.
Common questions about buying a first car on Ps
What is the best first car for a P plater?
There isn’t one answer. The right car for you is one that is approved in the probationary vehicles database, matches your licence (automatic if you have an A condition), has a good safety rating for its model and year, and fits your full budget, including insurance and running costs. Use the Used Car Safety Ratings and ANCAP to compare cars you’re considering.
How do I know if a car is P plate approved in Victoria?
Search the make and model in the VicRoads probationary vehicles database, which shows Approved, Banned or Under review. Also check the car hasn’t had engine modifications that increase performance, because that can make it prohibited even if the standard model is approved.
Do I need a roadworthy certificate to buy a car in Victoria?
When you buy a registered car, the seller should provide a roadworthy certificate, and you’ll need it to transfer the registration into your name unless an exemption applies. It’s current for 30 days from when it’s issued.
Is there a cooling-off period if I buy privately?
No. Consumer Affairs Victoria states there is no cooling-off period for private sales. The three business day cooling-off period applies to cars bought from licensed motor car traders, with conditions.
Is my rego enough insurance?
Your registration includes the TAC charge, which is Victoria’s compulsory third party insurance for injury or death caused to other people. It doesn’t cover damage to your car or anyone else’s car or property. For that you need separate insurance, such as third party property or comprehensive cover.
Practical tips for your first car
Buying the right car is half the job. Looking after it and driving it well is the other half. These are the habits our instructors see make the biggest difference for new owners.
Never buy under pressure
If a seller says someone else is coming to look this afternoon, let them. There will always be another car. A rushed decision is how people skip the PPSR check.
Keep a car fund
Put a little aside every pay for rego, servicing and tyres. Those bills are certain, and they’re much easier to pay when you’ve planned for them.
Check your tyres monthly
Tyres are the only part of the car touching the road. Check pressures and tread regularly, and replace worn tyres before they become a problem in the wet.
Get used to your new car
Every car feels different. Spend your first few drives on quiet, familiar roads getting to know its size, brakes and blind spots before you take it anywhere busy.
If you’ve just bought a car and you’re not yet confident in it, a couple of refresher lessons can help you settle in. And if you’re still working towards your licence, our complete L to P plate guide sets out every step in order.
New car, new licence? Drive it with confidence.
Our instructors help learners and new P platers across Mitcham and Melbourne’s east get test-ready and build the skills to drive safely on their own, in automatic or manual.
Sources and further reading
We’ve written this guide from the official sources below. Rules, fees and ratings change, so treat those pages as the final word and check them before you buy.
- Transport Victoria: Vehicles for probationary drivers
- VicRoads: Probationary vehicles database
- Transport Victoria: The probationary kit
- TAC: Risks for young drivers
- TAC: New used car safety ratings reveal safest vehicles on the market
- TAC: Making it easier to find safer cars
- How Safe Is Your Car: Used Car Safety Ratings
- ANCAP: Frequently asked questions
- TAC: Transport accident charge
- TAC: Indemnity provided by the transport accident charge
- VicRoads: Vehicle fees
- VicRoads: Buy and transfer a vehicle
- Transport Victoria: Roadworthy certificate
- VicRoads: Roadworthy certificate exemptions
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: Buying a used car
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: Used car cooling-off period
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: Warranties
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: Vehicle status check
- Personal Property Securities Register: PPSR search
