You can cancel your vehicle registration (including a car, caravan, motorcycle or trailer) and get a refund for any time left before the registration expires.
Cancel online
You can cancel your registration online if you have a mySAGOV account and you want to:
- temporarily unregister a vehicle that you intend to re-register within 12 months
- claim the unused portion of registration for a vehicle you've sold.
In both of these cases, you won't need to surrender the number plates.
To cancel online:
- Log in to your mySAGOV account using your web browser (not the mySAGOV app). Select Start now below to begin.
- Select Vehicle list in the Vehicles section
- Select Details alongside the registration number of the relevant vehicle
- Scroll down and under Payments, select Cancel registration
Other ways and reasons to cancel
You can cancel your vehicle registration using the application to cancel registration form if the vehicle is:
- now registered interstate
- sold
- stolen
- temporarily unregistered as you intend to re-register within 12 months
- written off or wrecked.
What you'll need to cancel
To cancel any registration you must complete an application form.
Application to cancel registration (201.9 KB PDF)
To request the refund to be paid to another party, you'll also need to complete a procuration order (190.8 KB PDF).
Reasons for cancelling
You may need to provide other information, surrender the number plates and attend a Service SA centre depending on why you need to cancel.
If the vehicle is now registered interstate
Include these documents with your application form:
- the interstate registration certificate
- receipt for the surrender of number plates issued by the interstate authority.
Post the completed form and supporting documents to Service SA.
If the vehicle was sold
Take the completed form to a Service SA centre or post it.
If the vehicle was stolen
You'll need to report the incident to the South Australia Police (SAPOL) and ask for a report number.
To make a report, call the police assistance line on 131 444 or attend a police station.
Thirty days must have passed since the date the vehicle was stolen before the registration can be cancelled. This is to allow the vehicle to be driven should it be recovered. The cancellation date will be backdated to when the vehicle was stolen.
Take the completed form to a Service SA centre.
If you are temporarily unregistering the vehicle you intend to re-register within 12 months
Take the completed form to a Service SA centre or post it.
If the vehicle is written off or wrecked
For written off or wrecked vehicles you'll need a statutory declaration or letter from an insurance company. This must state that the vehicle has not been driven on public roads since the date of the incident and, if relevant, that the number plates have been destroyed. This will enable the cancellation to be backdated to when the vehicle ceased being used on the road.
If the number plates were not destroyed they must be surrendered. Take the completed form, the statutory declaration or letter and the number plates to a Service SA centre.
If you intend to surrender the number plates to a Service SA centre at a later date you will also need to complete a surrender of number plates form (190.5 KB PDF).
If the number plates were destroyed, take the completed form and supporting documents to a Service SA centre or post it.
More about Written off vehicles
How to apply
In person
Take the application form and, if applicable, supporting documents and number plates to a Service SA centre.
A third party may attend on your behalf, but must produce evidence of Power of Attorney or a SACAT Administration Order.
Post
Send the application form and if applicable supporting documents to:
Service SA
GPO Box 1533
Adelaide SA 5001
How refunds are calculated
- A pro-rata refund is calculated on the remaining portion of the vehicle’s registration fee, compulsory third party insurance premium and lifetime support scheme levy.
- No refund is issued on the administration fee, stamp duty on the insurance policy, or emergency services levy components of the original registration fee.
- An administration fee of $20 is deducted from the amount refundable.
New plates will be issued when re-registering a vehicle that has had its number plates surrendered. A fee of $64 is payable.
What happens next
The cancellation is effective from the date it is processed and refund cheques are posted to the registered owner or a third party (if requested) in approximately 10 working days.
