Understanding PPSR Search Results

PPS Registry search results refer to the report generated after running the identification of a car through the PPS database. Typically, people use the search results to find out the encumbrance status of personal property they are about to purchase, particularly cars. However, you can also use PPSR results to verify the identification details for such properties as well as their quality and ownership status, that is, whether they are written off or status.

When a PPSR search yields a ‘no security interest' result, it means that there is no outstanding debt on that property. The presence of one or more securities on the property shows that there is at least one outstanding debt on that property. Should a seller fail to pay back the loan, your property can be repossessed by the lender.

Components of a PPSR Search Report

A PPSR check report has four main components:

Stolen/Written Off Section

This section contains data such as whether a property has ever been written off or stolen. Stolen properties will have details of original owners. Properties that have been written off will be highlighted by a written off code on the PPSR report. Properties can be written off when they are too damaged for repair or not financially viable for the same.

General Section

This refers to the part of the search report where details such as the date of generation for the report, certificate number, vehicle registration number and type of search (VIN/Chassis) are displayed. Registration identification, in this case, refers to a car's VIN, not its vehicle registration number (number plate).

Encumbrance Section

The money owing status of a property is displayed in the encumbrance section, directly under the PPSR Registration Details section. No results under this section show that there is no security interest in the property, while the presence of a serial number and registration details indicate a financial debt with the property as security.

NEVDIS Section

The National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS) is a collection of miscellaneous vehicle information gathered from national and state records. It contains details such as vehicle description (type) as well as engine identification numbers. The information contained in this section can help you check whether the car you are about to purchase is the actual one listed, and that its parts are original.