Your legal obligations
The principal Western Australian law regulating the operations of motor vehicle dealers is the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA).
The major requirement of this law is that all motor vehicle dealers, yard managers and salespersons must be licensed to work in Western Australia. The Act also regulates how used (second-hand) vehicles should be sold.
As a licensed dealer or licensed employee you need to understand your rights and obligations under this Act.
The law can be complex and if you are unsure how the Act applies to your situation, we advise you to contact us or the Motor Trade Association of WA, or seek independent legal advice.
If you do not comply with the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, you may face serious penalties.
You should also be aware of the basic requirements of other legislation, which will affect your operations. The relevant laws are:
- Fair Trading Act 1987
- Trade Practices Act 1974 (Federal law)
- Retail Trading Hours Act 1987
- Motor Vehicle Repairers Act 2003.
- Consumer Credit Act (WA) 1996 and Consumer Credit Code
- Chattel Securities Act 1987
- Road Traffic Act 1974
- Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984
- Equal Opportunity Act 1984
- Financial Transactions Reporting Act 1988 (Federal law)
- Privacy Act 1988 (Federal law)
- Consumer Affairs Act 1971
- Environmental Protection Act 1986
You can buy copies of State laws from the State Law Publisher.