If the worst has happened and your car has been declared a write off in Western Australia (WA), you might be looking to get a refund on your car registration fees. This detailed guide aims to walk you through the process of getting your refund and how to dispose of your vehicle afterwards.
Understanding Car Registration Refunds in WA
Car registration or a “Vehicle License” is an essential requirement for vehicle owners across Western Australia, serving as a legal identification document for your car, often indicated by the vehicle’s number plates. While maintaining valid registration is a requirement to drive a vehicle, if your car is written off, you may want to cancel the registration and receive a refund on the remaining amount.
Note: Refunds will only be issued to the licensed vehicle owner(s) in Western Australia, with the exception being in the case of a deceased estate.
How Do Vehicle Registration Refunds Work In WA?
In the event of an accident that leads to your car being written off, the refund will take effect starting from the date the number plates are surrendered to the Department Of Transport (DOT), unless accompanied by either an accident report or a letter from the insurer verifying the accident date. The amount refunded will be prorated based on the remaining duration of the vehicle license.
If the plates are lost, stolen, or damaged, the vehicle owner must fill out a ‘Lost/stolen number plates (Form VL14)’ before a refund can be processed.
How To Apply For A Refund
Online
If you have a DoTDirect account, you can apply for a refund for eligible vehicle licence credits via DoTDirect. All eligible credits will appear in your DoTDirect account. If you are entitled to a credit that does not appear in your DoTDirect account, you will have to submit an Application for refund form (Form C2).
Where a refund is not available via DoTDirect, ‘No credits to be refunded found’ will be shown on your account.
You can apply for a refund by submitting an Application for refund (Form C2) below (instructions are provided on the form).
By Mail
If you are not able to claim a refund online, you can apply for a refund by completing an Application for refund (Form C2) and mailing it to:
Driver and Vehicle Services, GPO Box R1290, Perth, WA 6844.
What Documents Do I Need?
- Vehicle details including VIN, plate number, make, year
- An accident report or a letter from the insurer verifying the accident date (if you are claiming a refund period that dates to before you hand in your number plates)
- A DoTDirect account if applying online, you can register or login here: https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/dotdirect/dotdirect.asp
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