Lexi Webster
There are several ways to find out the year of your car in Australia. The most common way is to look at the build date, which is the month and year the car was produced and can be found on the vehicle build plate, usually located in the engine bay or on the door frame. Another way is to look at the compliance date, which is when the car arrived in Australia and was certified for road use. This date can be found on the compliance plate, typically located in the engine bay or on a structural member like a B-pillar. Additionally, the model year (MY) of the car can be found in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which can be viewed on the dashboard on the driver's side or on the door post. These dates help determine the value of the car, its specifications, and compatibility with certain parts or accessories.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Build date | The month and year the car was built and rolled off the production line. |
| Compliance date | The month and year the car arrived in Australia and was certified for road use. |
| Sale date | The date the car was delivered to the buyer. |
| Registration date | The official date the car was registered for use, usually the same as the sale date. |
| Model year | An arbitrary year to mark the start of a new specification. |
| Series or generation | A marketing or engineering code to distinguish model years in a lifecycle. |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) | A unique 17-character code composed of digits and capital letters that displays the car's unique features, specifications, and manufacturer. |
| Vehicle build plate | A label or plate that provides the build month and year, often found in the engine bay or on the door frame. |
| Compliance plate | Proof that the car complies with Australian Design Rules (ADRs) and can be registered for use in Australia. No longer required as of July 1, 2021, due to the introduction of the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV). |
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What You'll Learn
Check the vehicle build plate
To find out the year of your car in Australia, you can check the vehicle's build plate. This will provide the build date, which is the month and year the car was produced and rolled off the production line. This date is crucial in understanding your car's history and specifications, including potential recalls and compatibility with certain parts or accessories. It also helps in pricing the vehicle accurately when selling.
The vehicle build plate is usually found in the engine bay or on the door frame, often containing additional information about the vehicle, including the build month and year. Common locations for the vehicle build plate include the door jamb, either on the driver's or passenger's side, or in the engine bay, attached to the firewall, near the strut towers, or to the vehicle's frame under the hood.
The build plate is typically made of aluminium and riveted to the car, although modern vehicles may have a powder-coated label bonded to the car instead. It is similar to the compliance plate, which certifies that a vehicle complies with Australian Design Rules (ADRs) and can be registered for use on Australian roads. Traditionally, both plates were located in the engine bay, but the compliance plate may also be found on a strong structural member, such as a B-pillar, concealed by the driver's door when closed.
It is important to note that the build date may not always align with the model year of the car. The model year is an arbitrary year used to mark the start of a new specification and can sometimes be a calendar year but often commences months earlier. Therefore, checking the vehicle build plate is the most accurate way to determine the actual production year of your car.
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Look for the compliance plate
The compliance plate is proof that your car complies with Australian Design Rules (ADRs) and can be registered for use on Australian roads. Traditionally located in the engine bay, it can also be found on a strong structural member such as a B-pillar, concealed by the driver's door when closed. It was once an aluminium plate riveted to the car, but today it's more likely to be a powder-coated label bonded to the car.
The compliance plate includes the vehicle identification number and the compliance date, which is the month and year the car arrived in Australia and was certified for road use. This date is important for understanding your car's history and specifications, including potential recalls and compatibility with certain parts or accessories.
Since July 1, 2021, with the introduction of the Road Vehicles Standards Act 2018, new vehicles no longer require a physical compliance plate. Instead, new and imported vehicles must display a Secure Vehicle Identification label (SVI) and be listed on the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV). During a 24-month transitional period from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2023, both a compliance plate or RAV entry was accepted.
If your car is an import, it may have a pink or yellow plate affixed, usually found inside the door jambs or in the engine bay. This plate indicates that the vehicle was not sold originally in Australia but was brought into the country by an individual or company.
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Find the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character serial number used to identify individual vehicles. The VIN can be decoded to reveal information about the vehicle, including its make, model, and year of manufacture. This information is useful when registering a vehicle.
In Australia, the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS) maintains a database of every road vehicle's VIN. When a vehicle is manufactured in or imported into Australia, NEVDIS decodes and uploads its VIN for registration purposes. If you are importing a vehicle into Australia, the department may issue a VIN using the WMI '6ZZ' if the vehicle does not already have one.
To find the VIN for your car, you can look for the vehicle build plate, which is often found in the engine bay or on the door frame. The build plate will contain information about the vehicle, including the month and year it was built. Common locations for the vehicle build plate include the door jamb (on the driver's or passenger's side) and the firewall or strut towers in the engine bay.
Alternatively, if you have the car's service manual, you can check the logged sale date, which is the date you took delivery of the vehicle. This can help you estimate the vehicle's age, especially if you know the model year or registration date.
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Check the sale date in the car's service manual
When trying to determine the year of your car in Australia, one of the key milestones in its "life" is the sale date. This is the date you took delivery of the vehicle, and it is logged in the car's service manual. This date is usually the same as the registration date, which is the official date the car was registered for use.
The sale date is an important reference point for understanding your car's history and specifications. For instance, if you purchased your car in February 2018, and it was not registered until that month, then this will be the "year" of the car that a valuer will use to decide its market value at trade-in time. This is true even if the build date reveals that the car was manufactured in November 2017. In this case, it will still be valued as a 2018 model.
It is worth noting that the build date and sale date can differ significantly, especially for cars manufactured outside of Australia. It is quite common for a car to be built in one year but not arrive in Australia until the next. This is due to factors such as shipping times, the compliance process, and the time it takes for the vehicle to be transported to a retailer and prepared for sale. Therefore, checking the sale date in the car's service manual can provide valuable information about when the car was acquired by the original owner and entered the Australian market.
Additionally, the sale date can help you understand the compatibility of your car with certain parts or accessories. For example, if you are looking to purchase a new accessory for your car, knowing the sale date can help you determine if the accessory is compatible with the model year of your vehicle. This information can also be useful when pricing your vehicle for resale, as it provides potential buyers with a clearer understanding of the car's history and value.
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Identify the registration date
The registration date of a car in Australia is the official date the car was registered for use. This date is usually the same as the sale date. You can find out the registration date by checking the car's service manual, which will list the sale date.
Before a car can be registered in Australia, it must comply with the Australian Design Rules (ADRs). Traditionally, this was indicated by a compliance plate, which was usually located in the engine bay or on a strong structural member such as a B-pillar. However, as of July 1, 2021, the need for a physical compliance plate has been replaced by the introduction of the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV), a public online database of vehicles approved for the Australian market.
It's important to note that the registration date may differ from the build date, which is the month and year the car was produced, and the compliance date, which is when the car arrived in Australia and was certified for road use. The build date can be found on the vehicle build plate, often located in the engine bay or on the door frame.
Additionally, the model year of a car may not always correspond to the registration, build, or compliance dates. The model year refers to the model cycle the car is in and can be found in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN is a unique 17-character identifier that can be found on the dashboard on the driver's side or on the door post.
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Frequently asked questions
You can find out the year of your car by checking the vehicle's build plate, which is often found in the engine bay or on the door frame. The build date refers to the month and year the car was produced and rolled off the production line.
The compliance date refers to the month and year the car arrived in Australia and was certified for road use. This date is usually indicated by a compliance plate, which was traditionally located in the engine bay. However, due to legislative changes, compliance information is now available online through the Register of Approved Vehicles (RAV). The compliance date may differ from the build date as it depends on when the car arrived in the country.
The Model Year refers to the model cycle the car belongs to. It may not necessarily be the same as the build date as updates or revisions to the model can lead to a car built in one year being labelled as the next model year. For example, a car built in November 2017 may be labelled as MY18.
