Statutory warranty in Tasmania: 7 years and 120,000 km
Yes, Tasmania has a dealer statutory warranty. Under the Motor Vehicle Traders Act 2011, a used car under 7 years old with under 120,000 km is covered for 3 months or 3,000 km after delivery, whichever comes first, and the Australian Consumer Law guarantees apply on top.
- Under 7 years and under 120,000 km: 3 months or 3,000 km, whichever comes first.
- Age runs from the date the car was entered on the Register of Approved Vehicles.
- Commercial vehicles, and cars offered only to other traders, aren’t warrantied.
- Give a pre-sale disclosure statement, and say so if a car has no statutory warranty.
Classes and thresholds
Tasmania has tighter limits than most states and no price threshold.
| Vehicle at sale | Statutory warranty (whichever comes first) |
|---|---|
| Car under 7 years and under 120,000 km | 3 months or 3,000 km after delivery |
| Motorcycle under 3 years and under 15,000 km | Warrantied (check the period with CBOS) |
| Anything older or higher km | None (ACL still applies) |
The Act measures the 7 years from when the car was entered on the Register of Approved Vehicles (or, under the older wording, its compliance plate date). Check how this applies to a particular car with CBOS.
Test a car with the statutory warranty checker, and see the TAS dealer licence guide for who must be licensed. The national comparison covers every other state.
What’s excluded
- Commercial vehicles.
- Cars offered for sale only to other licensed traders, and cars sold through another trader who intends to on-sell them.
- Brake linings, pads, drums and discs, plus tyres, batteries and clutch components.
- Damage from unauthorised repairs, failure to service, misuse, collision or modifications.
- Defects that don’t make the car unroadworthy or unserviceable.
- Faults covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.
What the dealer must do
- Repair any covered defect at no cost to the owner during the warranty period.
- Give the buyer a copy of the Used Motor Vehicle Pre-sale Disclosure Statement.
- Include the statutory warranty (if the car qualifies) and a guarantee of clear title in the written contract.
- Say clearly if a car doesn’t come with a statutory warranty.
Consignment and trade sales
A car offered only to other licensed traders is not a warrantied vehicle, and nor is one sold through another trader who intends to on-sell it. The pages we checked don’t separately cover private consignment, so check with CBOS.
Penalties
The official pages we checked don’t set out warranty penalty amounts. Check the current Motor Vehicle Traders Act 2011 or ask CBOS.
Worked examples
These sample cars are sold to a consumer. Figures are samples, not real stock.
| Sample car (consumer buyer) | Age | Odometer | Price | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample: 2021 hatch | 5 years | 90,000 km | $15,000 | Statutory warranty: 3 months or 3,000 km, whichever comes first |
| Sample: 2019 SUV | 7 years | 140,000 km | $22,000 | No statutory warranty |
| Sample: 2015 ute | 11 years | 175,000 km | $14,000 | No statutory warranty |
| Sample: 2012 sedan | 14 years | 210,000 km | $5,500 | No statutory warranty |
| Sample: 2011 wagon | 15 years | 190,000 km | $2,800 | No statutory warranty |
How it works with the Australian Consumer Law in Tasmania
The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) consumer guarantees apply to every used car a dealer sells to a consumer, on top of any state warranty. They cover goods under $100,000 (including GST), and vehicles used mainly to carry goods whatever the price. The car must be of acceptable quality, judged on its age, price and condition, and must match its description.
The guarantees have no fixed time limit and you can’t contract out of them. A state warranty that has expired, or never applied, doesn’t end them. Private sales sit outside most of the guarantees, though private sellers still guarantee clear title, undisturbed possession and no undisclosed securities.
If you also give a voluntary or extended warranty, the ACL treats it as a warranty against defects. The document must carry the mandatory text that starts “Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law”, and it adds to the guarantees rather than replacing them.