There are two main ways to search the PPSR - by the property’s serial number or by the details of the grantor i.e., the person who granted the security interest, which is usually the seller.
A grantor search is required when:
- The property is unable to be searched on the PPSR by serial number. Only motor vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, and certain intellectual property can be described by serial number. Everything else requires a grantor search.
To conduct a grantor search on the PPSR you use the organisation’s identifier, usually Australian Company Number (ACN) or, in the case of an individual, their name and date of birth as listed on a driver’s licence.
- There are specific rules about how to identify a grantor when registering on the PPSR, so it is important to correctly identify the grantor when searching the PPSR for these types of goods.
- Searching against the wrong details could mean you don’t find a registration and purchase assets with money owing on them, which puts them at risk of being repossessed by a bank or financier, even though you’ve paid for them.
For more information on how to do an organisation search see: Do an organisation search.
For more information on how to do a search of an individual see: Do an individual search.