NSW Motor Dealer Licence Guide for Online Dealerships
A starting point for NSW businesses buying, selling or trading vehicles online, including licence display and notification considerations.
Businesses that buy, sell or exchange motor vehicles in NSW may need a motor dealer licence. Service NSW specifically includes online motor dealers offering vehicles through their website, so a digital sales model should not be assumed to sit outside licensing requirements.
Begin with the business activity
Map what the business actually does: buying stock, selling to consumers, wholesaling, arranging transactions, displaying vehicles for another party or operating as an agent. The correct licence pathway depends on the activity, structure and current NSW rules.
Individual and corporation applications
Service NSW provides application pathways for individual and corporation licences and lists one-, three- and five-year options. Applicants should review the current eligibility requirements, identity checks and fit-and-proper considerations before preparing the application.
Online advertising obligations
Service NSW states that licensed motor dealers must display their licence name and number at the place of business and publish them on advertising or promotional material. It also notes that licensed dealers selling wholly or partly online must notify NSW Fair Trading as an online dealer.
This should be reflected in website templates, marketplace listings, social profiles and downloadable vehicle material. A compliance detail that appears on the showroom wall but not online is not a complete digital process.
A preparation checklist
- Define the proposed business activities.
- Confirm the applicant structure and responsible people.
- Check premises and record requirements.
- Review licence display and online notification rules.
- Create an advertising template with the required licence details.
- Set a renewal and annual compliance calendar.
Do not rely on an old application guide or another state’s process. Licensing is administered under state and territory rules and should be checked with Service NSW before trading or changing the business model. This article is general information, not legal advice.
This resource is currently in publication. Claims, sources and practical guidance should be checked against current official information before action.