Selling a car with finance owing: yes, you can — here's how.

It's one of the most common worries we hear: “I still owe money on it — can I even sell?” Yes. Thousands of NZ cars with finance owing change hands every month. The loan doesn't block the sale; it just has to be settled as part of it.

What the PPSR means for your sale

When you finance a car, the lender registers a security interest on the Personal Property Securities Register. Any buyer can look your plate up and see it. That's not a black mark — it simply means the lender gets paid before you do when the car sells.

How settlement actually works

1. Ask your lender for a settlement figure — the exact amount to clear the loan today. 2. The buyer pays the lender that amount directly. 3. You get everything above it. If the car sells for $18,000 with $11,000 owing, the lender gets $11,000 and $7,000 lands in your account.

What if you owe more than the car's worth?

It happens, especially on newer cars. The sale still works — you just top up the difference to clear the loan. Get the settlement figure first so there are no surprises.

The easy version

Tell us there's finance owing when you enter your plate (it's one tap in our form). We deal with your lender directly, settle the exact figure, and pay you the balance the same day — you never juggle the two payments yourself.