How to get a car dealer licence in the ACT
In the ACT you need a motor vehicle dealer licence from Access Canberra to buy and sell cars as a business, issued under the Traders (Licensing) Act 2016. You can choose 1 year for $891 or 5 years for $4,037 in 2026-27.
- You need a licence to buy and sell vehicles as a business, including buying to sell on to dealers or financiers.
- Individuals, partnerships, corporations and associations can apply, for a 1-year or 5-year term.
- The 2026-27 fee is $891 (1 year) or $4,037 (5 years). A 10-day dealer event licence is $93.
- Trading without a licence carries up to 50 penalty units.
Who needs a motor vehicle dealer licence in the ACT
You need a licence if you trade in motor vehicles commercially: buying and selling cars as a business, or buying vehicles to sell on to dealers or financiers. Access Canberra licenses dealers and repairers under the Traders (Licensing) Act 2016. Access Canberra doesn’t publish a number-of-cars threshold, so if you sell more than the odd private car, check with Access Canberra.
Licence types
| Licence | 1 year | 5 years |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle dealer, wholesaler or car market operator | $891 | $4,037 |
| Motor vehicle repairer | $444 | $2,016 |
| Dealer event licence (10 days in one year) | $93 |
Fees are for 2026-27, current from 1 July 2026. If you hold a dealer licence in another state, you may be able to work in the ACT under Automatic Mutual Recognition.
Eligibility
Applicants must be eligible and suitable to hold a licence in the category they apply for, and renewals must show you still are. Grounds for discipline include breaching a licence condition or getting the licence by fraud.
Training and qualifications
Access Canberra doesn’t list a training course or qualification for a motor vehicle dealer licence.
Documents you’ll need
- Individuals: two proofs of identity (one a primary photo ID) and a name-only police check.
- Companies: a current ASIC company extract issued within 30 days, or a certificate of incorporation, plus identity documents and a police check for each director or committee member.
- A completed declaration and the fee.
Processing time
Access Canberra doesn’t publish a processing time for dealer licences. Lodge early and make sure your police checks are current.
Ongoing obligations
- Second-hand vehicle notice: under the Sale of Motor Vehicles Act 1977, attach the prescribed notice to second-hand vehicles, keep a copy for 3 years and give the buyer the other copy within 14 days. The maximum penalty for not doing so is 10 penalty units.
- Duty to repair: dealers must repair or make good defects so the vehicle is in reasonable condition for its age, and this is a term of the contract of sale. Check the warranty limits in our ACT statutory warranty guide.
- Renewal: pick a 1 or 5-year term and renew before expiry.
Penalties for unlicensed dealing
Carrying out a licensed activity without a licence, or at premises the licence doesn’t cover, carries a maximum of 50 penalty units under the Traders (Licensing) Act 2016. Falsely claiming to be licensed carries the same maximum.
How to apply
Apply to Access Canberra using the Application for Motor Vehicle Sale, Motor Vehicle Repairer, Second-Hand Dealer and Pawnbroker Licences form, with your identity documents, police checks and fee.
What software you’ll need
Once you hold the licence, the paperwork is ongoing: a record of every car you buy and sell, the right warranty terms on each contract, PPSR checks, and licence and staff expiry dates. Our car dealer compliance tools log PPSR, odometer, written-off and stolen checks on every car, track licence and salesperson expiry dates, and keep a full audit trail.
ACT compliance packs aren’t on the current roadmap. Queensland is live now, with NSW and VIC next, so ask us about the ACT in a demo.
For the detail, read our guides to the ACT dealer stock register and ACT statutory warranty.
How to apply for a motor vehicle dealer licence in the ACT
- Pick your licence and termChoose the motor vehicle dealer licence and a 1-year ($891) or 5-year ($4,037) term for 2026-27.
- Get police checksGet a name-only police check for you, or for each director or committee member.
- Gather identity and company documentsTwo proofs of identity per person, and for a company an ASIC extract issued within 30 days or a certificate of incorporation.
- Complete the form and declarationFill in the Application for Motor Vehicle Sale, Motor Vehicle Repairer, Second-Hand Dealer and Pawnbroker Licences form.
- Lodge with Access Canberra and payLodge the application and pay the fee. Don’t trade until the licence is issued.