Motor vehicle dealer premises

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Motor industry

The Motor Vehicle Dealers Act requires each applicant for a dealer's licence operate from premises suitable for the type of business for which the licence is sought.

The Commissioner for Consumer Protection also maintains records of these premises to assist it with decisions, such as whether the dealer may operate from one or more premises, (e.g. where the premises are adjacent but have separate titles) and to identify the boundaries of those premises.

With each application for a licence, the following information must be submitted about the premises from which the dealer intends to trade:

  • Details of any proposed activity other than vehicle sales to be conducted at the premises, eg repairs; and
  • Payment of the relevant fee.

You must submit all the above information, even if the premises are currently registered (licensed) in the name of another vehicle dealer.

You must apply to register the premises at least one month before you intend to start trading.

Please note that, while the Commissioner for Consumer Protection may authorise a dealer to carry on business from a particular premises, it remains the responsibility of the dealer to liaise with their local government authority to ensure those premises are zoned appropriately.

Adjoining premises

Where a dealership has two premises which physically adjoin, the dealership may request for the authorised premises and the registers be amalgamated.

This has the potential to apply to premises that have two different street frontages and street names, but which are physically joined at the rear or along the side of the properties.

Approval will not be granted where the dealership premises are separated by:

  • a cross street; or
  • another business.

Co-locating your dealership with another - sharing premises

If two dealerships are considering co-locating premises with a separate entity, the following requirements must be met:

  1. There must be a clear and visible demarcation between the dealerships.
  2. Signage must be of equal or nearly equal size and visible from the same vantage points.
  3. Where offices are co-located in the same building, signage to the front must indicate both entities and trading names.
  4. There must be separate phone lines.

However, where two dealers, operating with identical principals/directors and/or partners, are co-located to operate separate hire and sales businesses, demarcation is not required if individual vehicles are identified as 'hire' or 'sale'.

Changes to premises/temporary premises

Dealers who wish to acquire additional premises, change premises or carry on business from temporary premises, must apply to the Commissioner before they start to operate from those premises.

  1. Additional premises
    Requires an application and payment of the prescribed fee.
  2. Change in premises (moving from one premises to another)
    Requires an application and payment of the prescribed fee.
  3. Special occasion permit
    Requires an application to carry on business at temporary premises in connection with a special occasion or event (e.g. Perth Royal Show) and payment of the prescribed fee.

    The Commissioner may attach conditions to a Special Occasion Permit and a permit may also be required under the Retail Trading Hours Act 1987.

Note: The Commissioner can attach conditions or restrictions to any premises approval.

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