Cancel registration & apply for a refund

To cancel your registration, you will need to provide us with the following information:

• name of the vehicle’s registered operator
• address of the registered operator
• driver licence number of the registered operator or the vehicle serial number (if the registered operator does not hold a driver licence or is an incorporated body)
• vehicle registration number plate
• make and type of the vehicle
• if cancelling due to the vehicle being written off, the date of the accident.

You can provide this information to us by:

• posting it to VicRoads, GPO Box 1644, Melbourne, VIC 3001
• calling us on 13 11 71 or
• visiting a VicRoads Customer Service Centre.

The vehicle’s registration cancellation will be effective from the date that VicRoads receives the request or the date of the accident for a written off vehicle.

Cancelling registration on behalf of the vehicle’s registered operator

If you are not the registered operator, you can request to cancel the vehicle registration on their behalf. You will need either:

• a completed Authority to act as an agent form [PDF 254 Kb]
• a letter of authority from the registered operator, or
• if the registered operator is an incorporated body, the request can be made in writing on the company letterhead and signed by a person authorised to sign on behalf of the company.

The request must be submitted either by post or at a VicRoads Customer Service Centre.

When cancelling your vehicles registration, you can do one of the following:

Return your number plates

• Return your number plates to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre.
• Hand the plates to an interstate authority, if you are registering your vehicle in another state. The interstate authority will provide you with a receipt that you can then submit along with your refund request if there are remaining days on the Victorian registration.

Keep your number plates

• If you have custom plates and you wish to retain the rights, you will need to notify VicRoads. You can place them on a vehicle registered in your name by notifying us and paying a plate assignment fee.
• If the number plates are general issue and you want to place them on another vehicle registered in your name you will need to pay a plate assignment fee. (Note: The plate combination can only be used if it is not owned by another person/company)
• If you want to re-use the general issue plate on the same vehicle (upon re-registration), you will need to pay a fee to purchase the rights to the plate. (Note: The plate combination can only be purchased if it is not owned by another person/company)

Transfer your number plate rights

You can transfer the rights of your custom plates to another individual or company. For more information visit our Transfer number plate page.

Lost or stolen number plates

Advise us if the plates are lost or stolen by providing a statutory declaration [PDF 132 Kb] to this effect. If the plates have been stolen, you must also report the theft to your local police and provide VicRoads with a copy of the police report.

You (or the person you have authorised to act on your behalf) can apply for a refund of the unused portion of the registration and TAC charge.

To claim your refund you must complete a refund form [PDF 263 Kb] signed by the registered operator or other authorised person. 

You then must either:

• return the number plates to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre, or
• provide number plate additional documents (for example a letter from your insurance company, an interstate authority receipt, signed statement of plates lost or stolen or the police report).