How to get a car dealer licence in WA
In Western Australia you need a motor vehicle dealer licence from Consumer Protection if you buy or sell vehicles as a business, or sell 4 or more to non-dealers in 12 months. You must complete the dealer/yard manager course, have suitable premises, and pay $2,130 for one premises, and processing usually takes 4 to 6 weeks.
- Selling or exchanging 4 or more vehicles in 12 months to non-dealers means you are taken to be a dealer.
- You must complete the Dealer / Yard Manager Licence Requirements Course and lodge a police check under 3 months old.
- A new licence for one premises is $2,130, valid for up to 3 years (fee schedule updated April 2026).
- Processing usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. Yard managers and salespeople need their own licences.
Who needs a motor vehicle dealer licence in WA
A motor vehicle dealer is someone who carries on the business of buying or selling vehicles, or a financier or car hire operator. Under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act 1973, if you sell or exchange 4 or more vehicles in any 12-month period to people who aren’t dealers, you are taken to be carrying on a dealer business unless you prove you weren’t.
The licence is issued for categories of vehicle, so choose the category or categories that match what you plan to sell.
Licence types
| Licence | Who holds it | New licence fee |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle dealer licence | The business (sole trader, partnership or company) | $2,130 for one premises, plus $1,120 for each extra premises |
| Yard manager licence | The person managing a yard | $602 |
| Salesperson licence | Each person selling vehicles | $408 |
Fees are from the WA Government fee schedule last updated 21 April 2026, valid for up to 3 years. Fees are reviewed each year and usually change on 1 July, so check the current fee with Consumer Protection before you lodge.
Eligibility and police checks
- Lodge a police check dated within 3 months of lodgement, from Consumer Protection’s list of approved providers.
- For partnerships and companies, every partner or director needs a police check.
- Applications without payment are not accepted.
Training required
You must complete the Dealer / Yard Manager Licence Requirements Course with an accepted training provider. If you have never been licensed under the Act, or you are currently licensed as a salesperson, the course must be completed within 5 years before you apply. If you hold a yard manager licence now, or held one in the last 5 years, you don’t need to redo it.
Premises requirements
- You must operate from premises suitable for the type of dealing the licence covers.
- List every premises in the application, including storage premises if you trade in second-hand vehicles.
- Apply to register premises at least 1 month before you plan to start trading there.
Processing time
Applications typically take 4 to 6 weeks. Consumer Protection will contact you if it needs more information.
Ongoing obligations
- Dealer register: every dealer (other than financiers and car hire operators) must keep a register at each licensed premises and record every transaction there.
- Statutory warranty: applies to cars sold for $4,000 or more (including GST) that are no more than 12 years old and have travelled no more than 180,000 km. The dealer must repair defects that make the car unroadworthy or unserviceable.
- Renewals: licences last up to 3 years. A 25% late fee applies to renewals lodged after expiry but within 28 days.
- Compensation fund: WA’s dealer legislation doesn’t set up a dealer compensation fund, so there is no fund contribution on the licence.
Penalties for unlicensed dealing
Carrying on any class of dealer business without a licence for that class, or outside its conditions, is an offence under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act 1973, with a penalty of $50,000 and a daily penalty of $1,000 (as published in the Act on the WA legislation site; check the current version).
How to apply
Complete the new application form for your business type (individual, partnership or company), attach your course certificate, police checks and premises details, and pay the fee at lodgement. Licensing enquiries go to Consumer Protection on 1300 304 064.
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.
WA compliance packs aren’t on the current roadmap. Queensland is live now, with NSW and VIC next, so ask us about WA in a demo.
For the detail, read our guides to the WA dealer stock register and WA statutory warranty.
How to apply for a motor vehicle dealer licence in WA
- Complete the coursePass the Dealer / Yard Manager Licence Requirements Course with an accepted training provider.
- Choose your categoriesPick the licence category or categories for the vehicles you plan to deal in.
- Secure premisesFind premises suitable for the business and list every one, including storage for second-hand stock, at least 1 month before trading.
- Get police checksGet a police check under 3 months old from an approved provider for you or every partner or director.
- Lodge and payLodge the new application form with payment. A one-premises licence is $2,130 on the current schedule.
- Licence your staffApply for yard manager and salesperson licences for the people running your yard and selling for you.