Changes to motor vehicle laws
For consumers
For most people, buying a car—new or used—is a big and expensive purchase.
Queensland has introduced new laws to protect you from financial loss if you buy a vehicle that turns out to be defective. This increase in consumer protections is an automatic safeguard when you choose to purchase from a licensed dealer or auctioneer.
From 1 September 2019, licensed motor dealers and chattel auctioneers must give you a ‘class B’ statutory warranty when you buy a car that is 10 years old or older, or has an odometer reading of 160,000km or more. The warranty period is 1 month or 1,000km, whichever comes first.
This protection adds to the statutory warranty protections already in place for used cars.
The new laws also increase the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal's (QCAT) jurisdictional limit from $25,000 to $100,000 for motor vehicle disputes. QCAT provides an easier and more cost-effective avenue to resolve legal disputes, compared with the courts. Visit QCAT's website for more information.
Read more about how the new laws apply when buying:
For motor dealers and chattel auctioneers
From 1 September 2019 you will need to provide a ‘class B’ statutory warranty when selling a car that is more than 10 years old or has an odometer reading of 160,000km or more. The warranty period is 1 month or 1,000km, whichever comes first.
The existing statutory warranty obligations for used vehicles are still in place, and these will now be called ‘class A’ statutory warranties.
Learn more about how the new laws apply when selling or auctioning: