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Transferring Tesla ownership: app, keys, rego
Last checked: 26 October 2026 against Tesla Australia’s support pages, the Model 3 owner’s manual for Australia and state transport registries. If the app’s screens differ, follow its prompts. This is a general guide, not financial advice.
Short answer: a Tesla has two handovers. The registry transfer moves the rego, and the Tesla Account transfer moves app access, phone keys and Supercharging. The seller does a factory reset in the car, then releases the car in the Tesla app once the money has cleared. The buyer claims it with Add Product and deletes any key they don’t recognise. Tesla Australia says the account transfer can take three to five business days, so start it on handover day.
If you are still at the inspection stage, read our used Tesla inspection checklist first. Sellers preparing an ad can start with how to sell a used Tesla.
Why the Tesla Account transfer matters
Tesla’s Australian support page is blunt about it: “Each Tesla vehicle can only have one owner and one Tesla Account at a time.” Transferring ownership gives the new owner access to every feature of the Tesla app and removes the previous owner’s vehicle information and access.
When someone buys from a private seller or any other third party, Tesla says they must add the car in the Tesla app to claim ownership and “get access to features like Supercharging and roadside service”. Until that happens, the seller’s account still controls the car.
Don’t confuse an ownership transfer with adding a driver. Tesla lets an owner add up to five drivers in the app, but a driver is not the owner. A seller who “just adds” the buyer as a driver keeps control of the car and the account behind it.
For sellers: release the car in the right order
Tesla’s ownership instructions assume you no longer own the car, have the latest version of the Tesla app, and are near the car with Wi-Fi. Work through these steps on handover day, after the buyer’s payment shows in your own bank account.
- Turn off Valet Mode if you use it. Tesla’s steps: tap Controls, tap the driver profile icon next to Valet, then enter your 4-digit PIN.
- Factory reset the car. The Model 3 owner’s manual for Australia says to “Perform a factory reset for security purposes” through Controls > Service > Factory Reset. The car asks for your Tesla Account username and password. Do this first, because the manual also warns: “You cannot perform a factory reset once the vehicle is removed from your account.”
- Remove the car from your account. In the Tesla app, open the menu in the top-right corner, tap My Products, choose the car, tap Remove or Transfer Ownership and follow the prompts.
Removing the car has consequences you can’t undo. Tesla says it cancels your paid subscriptions, and any benefits earned or associated with your Tesla Account “will no longer be active and cannot be restored”. The manual adds that Bluetooth devices, profiles and navigation history are cleared. Tesla also warns: “Do not transfer ownership to a new driver unless you no longer own the vehicle.”
Both you and the buyer get an email confirmation once the transfer is complete. Tesla Australia says this “may take 3-5 business days”.
For buyers: claim the car in the Tesla app
Before you start, Tesla says to make sure you have the vehicle, Wi-Fi and the latest version of the app. You’ll also need your own Tesla Account.
- Open the Tesla app and tap the menu in the top-right corner.
- Tap My Products > Add Product. If you already have another Tesla in the app, the manual says to touch the vehicle name in the top-left corner and then Add Product.
- Follow the prompts. Tesla asks for the vehicle identification number (VIN), documents and owner information.
Tesla Australia says it “can take three to five days” for the car to appear in your app. If the request stalls, the usual causes Tesla lists are incomplete or incorrect documents, verification issues or “pending action from the previous owner”. Ask the seller to approve the request. If you can’t reach them, Tesla says it will review your request and complete the transfer or contact you within three to five business days.
While the claim is under review, you can still charge at Destination Charging sites, on a Wall Connector or Mobile Connector, and at third-party chargers. Supercharging opens up once the transfer is complete and the car is connected to your app.
Keys: phone keys, key cards and key fobs
Tesla supports three kinds of key: phone keys, key cards and key fobs. Tesla notes that 2012 to 2020 Model S and 2015 to 2020 Model X do not support phone key, so on those cars the cards or fobs do the work.
Count and test the physical keys at handover. Check that each card locks and unlocks the car before you pay. Extra key cards and key fobs are sold through the Tesla Shop.
Check the key list. On the touchscreen, Controls > Locks shows every key that can access the car, with an icon for each phone key, key card or key fob. A key card or key fob can be paired to more than one Tesla, so a card the seller keeps for another car can still open yours until it is deleted from this list.
Delete keys you don’t recognise. Tap the trash icon next to the key, then scan an authenticated key on the card reader to confirm. The manual notes the car needs at least one authenticated key card or key fob at all times, so the last card on the list can’t be deleted. Pair your own spare first.
Add your own keys. To pair a new card or fob, go to Controls > Locks > Keys > Add Key, scan the new key, then scan one that is already paired. Tesla says only the vehicle owner can add new keys from the app (Security & Drivers > Add Key Card), which is one more reason to finish the account transfer early.
Set up your phone key. Once the car is in your account, open the Tesla app near the car, select it and tap Set Up next to Phone Key. Bluetooth needs to be on, and Allow Mobile Access must be enabled under Controls > Safety on the touchscreen.
If the car is leased, the manual says to contact the leasing company to add or remove keys.
Connectivity, FSD and other software
Premium Connectivity. Tesla Australia says that once the seller transfers ownership and the car leaves their account, “any associated Premium Connectivity subscription will be automatically cancelled”. A subscription “cannot be transferred to another vehicle” either. For private sales since 21 January 2020, a car without lifetime Premium Connectivity or an active trial gets a 30-day trial for the new owner. The trial “will commence on the date ownership transfers”, needs the buyer to claim the car in the app, and can’t be postponed.
Standard Connectivity. Every Tesla comes with it. For cars that changed hands privately after 20 July 2022 without lifetime Standard Connectivity, it runs for the rest of the eight years from the date the car was first delivered new or put into service. Tesla also says all vehicles have access to over-the-air software updates. To see what the car has, open the Tesla app and go to Upgrades > Manage. Free lifetime Premium Connectivity shows there as Free Premium Connectivity under Active.
Enhanced Autopilot and FSD (Supervised). Tesla Australia’s offer to move these packages from an old car to a new one “ended on March 31, 2026”. If the seller took part, Tesla says the old car “will only have access to basic Autopilot features”. A package moved to a new car under the offer will stay with it and be available to the next owner. Tesla also says the packages can’t be moved to another account.
Everything else. Tesla warns that “Supercharging credits, upgrades, subscriptions and some other features may not be transferable”. Paid subscriptions end when the seller removes the car. Treat the ad as a claim, not a guarantee: after your claim goes through, check Upgrades > Manage in your app. Before you pay, ask the seller to show you the same screen in theirs.
Handover day checklist
| When | Seller | Buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Before payment | Turn off Valet Mode; gather key cards and fobs | Test every key card; check the software screens |
| Payment cleared | Factory reset, then Remove or Transfer Ownership | Start Add Product with the VIN and documents |
| Rego | Lodge the state’s disposal or transfer step | Complete the buyer’s side and pay any duty |
| First days | Watch for Tesla’s confirmation email | Delete unknown keys; set up a phone key |
Then transfer the registration
The Tesla Account and the state registration are separate systems. Finishing one does nothing for the other. In brief:
- NSW: the seller lodges a notice of disposal within 14 days of the sale, even as a private seller. There’s no fee to lodge on time, but a late lodgement fee may apply.
- Victoria: tell VicRoads within 14 days with a notice of disposal, most easily through myVicRoads.
- Queensland: an online transfer has two steps. The seller transfers the registration out of their name, then the buyer finishes it and pays any fees and duty. It must happen within 14 days, and personalised plates block the online route.
- Western Australia: within 7 days of the sale, the seller must notify the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure and give the new owner’s name and address, online through DoTDirect or on the MR9 form.
- South Australia: the seller lodges a notice of disposal with Service SA at no cost. It doesn’t transfer the registration, and an SA buyer has 14 days to complete the transfer.
- Tasmania, the ACT and the NT: look up the local registry’s form and deadline before handover.
NSW also tells sellers not to sign anything that transfers ownership until the payment has been received. Buyers paying duty can check our stamp duty guide.
FAQ
How long does a Tesla ownership transfer take in Australia?
Tesla Australia says three to five business days. The buyer can still charge at Destination Charging, a Wall Connector, a Mobile Connector or third-party chargers in the meantime, and gets Supercharging once the transfer is complete.
What if the seller didn’t remove the car from their account?
Claim it yourself with My Products > Add Product and ask the seller to approve the request. If you can’t reach them, Tesla says it will review the request and complete the transfer or contact you within three to five business days.
Does FSD transfer to the new owner?
Not always. Under Tesla’s transfer offer, which ended on 31 March 2026, a car that gave its package to a new Tesla dropped back to basic Autopilot, while a package moved under the offer stays with the car it went to. Paid subscriptions end when the seller removes the car, so ask the seller to show you Upgrades > Manage before you pay.
Buying or selling?
Browse used Teslas for sale, or list your Tesla on ev4sale.au. Listing questions are covered in the FAQ.
Sources: Tesla Australia support (add or remove vehicles, vehicle keys, connectivity, EAP and FSD transfers); Model 3 owner’s manual for Australia (manage vehicle ownership, keys); plus the state registry pages linked above.