Why you might search the PPSR

Perhaps you’d like to know more about a potential customer before offering them credit, or a loan?

Or maybe you’re buying a used vehicle, or other valuable pre-owned property, and you want to make sure there’s no money owing on it.

If you're liquidating a business, you may be looking for existing security interests, because they could affect other creditors.

The Personal Property Securities Act 1999 (Section 173) sets out conditions for searching the register. When you make a search, you’ll be asked to declare that you’re doing so legitimately.

Before you begin, you’ll need to set up your PPSR online services account. This takes only a few minutes.

Your search options

Within the PPSR, you can search a number of different categories. You’ll be required to provide specific information about the collateral (property), debtor, or registered financing statement, depending on the type of search you’re making. To find out more, select the type of search you wish to make from the list below:

• Motor vehicle
• Debtor person
• Debtor organisation (including New Zealand Business Number)
• Aircraft
• Financing statement number

How to search the PPSR

To conduct a search of the register:

1. Log in to the PPSR.
2. From the dashboard, choose the type of search you wish to make.
3. Confirm that you are conducting the search for a legitimate reason.
4. Enter your search criteria.
5. Pay the search fee - $2 (plus GST).
6. View, email, print or download the search results.

You can view your search results on the dashboard’s ‘My Recent Searches’ for a further 14 days.

Search the PPSR

Other guides in

Searching the PPSR

• Setting up your online services account
• Searching for a motor vehicle
• Searching for a debtor person
• Searching for a debtor organisation
• Searching for an aircraft serial number
• Searching for a financing statement
• Understanding your search results
• Other registers and services

Other help topics