PPSR quarterly statistics

We publish information every quarter on PPSR transactions, including searches and registrations. We also publish annual statistics on PPSR transactions in the AFSA annual report.

Revisions

We publish statistics on PPSR transactions (searches and registrations) by month from the December quarter 2017. We updated the time series spreadsheets to include this monthly breakdown, and revised previous data.

We publish statistics on PPSR transactions to amend registrations by type and month from the June quarter 2019. We updated the 'Activity regarding PPSR registrations' time series spreadsheet to include this monthly breakdown, and revised previous data on total amendments. Data on transactions to create and discharge registrations were not affected.

These revisions replaced previously published information.

Scope and coverage

Personal property is generally all forms of property other than land, buildings and fixtures. A security interest is an interest in personal property that secures payment or performance of an obligation. It also includes PPS leases.

Unless otherwise stated, we report on every PPSR search and registration transaction that occurred on the PPSR in the reporting period.

Definitions

Account customers: An account customer is a user who transacts online (WebUI) or through a business-to-government (B2G) connection. While it is not necessary to become an account customer to search the PPSR, an account is required if you need to create a registration.

B2G account customer: An account customer that transacts with the PPSR through a business-to-government channel. The B2G channel is a way for businesses with a high volume of transactions to access the PPSR.

Amendments: An amendment is a modification to a current registration. Registration amendments are highly variable.

Casual user: Someone who accesses the PPSR without creating an account. A casual user is only able to perform certain searches on the PPSR.

Collateral: Personal property that has a security interest attached to it as a result of an agreement between a grantor and a secured party. For example, property that can be taken by a lender if a loan is not repaid. When making a registration on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR), the collateral must be described by a collateral class.

Collateral class: A set of categories used on the PPSR to describe the collateral contained in a registration. A registration must only relate to a single collateral class. It cannot be amended once a registration is completed.

Discharges: A registration that has passed its expiry date or has been removed from the PPS Register.

Grantor: An individual or an organisation who owns or has an interest in the personal property to which a security interest is attached.

Other goods: a collateral class and means personal property that is goods, other than agriculture, aircraft, motor vehicles and watercraft.

Registrations: A PPSR registration is a searchable notice placed on the PPSR to reflect a security interest over personal property.

Searches: account customers and casual users can perform searches of the PPSR.

Security interest: A security interest is when a secured party (such as a lender) takes an interest in personal property of a grantor (such as a borrower) as security for a loan or other obligation. The security interest means the secured party can take the personal property (known as the collateral) if the secured obligation is not met.

Searches

Searches by type

PPSR searches are classified based on the search criteria entered. People can search the PPSR by:

• serial number
• individual grantor
• organisational grantor
• PPSR registration number
• other searches.

Serial number

Serial numbered personal property includes motor vehicles, aircraft, watercraft and some intellectual property rights such as trademarks. The most common item searched by serial number is motor vehicles.

A motor vehicle search can be completed as

• a quick motor vehicle check or
• other motor vehicle searches, which use VIN, Chassis or manufacturer's numbers as the serial number identifiers.

Individual and organisational grantor

A grantor is an individual or an organisation who owns or has interest in the personal property to which a security interest is attached. Examples of grantors are debtors, lessees and guarantors.

Individual grantor searches return current PPSR registrations that list the natural person identified in the search criteria as a grantor. To conduct an individual grantor search, users must have an authorised purpose in accordance with section 172 of the Personal Property Securities Act 2009.

Organisational grantor searches return current PPSR registrations that list the organisation identified in the search criteria (for example a company) as a grantor.

Registration number

A PPSR registration number is a unique number that is automatically assigned to every registration made on the PPSR.

Other searches

Other searches include ordinal searches. Users can use an ordinal search to compare 2 registration events of either the same registration or 2 separate registrations. For example, users can compare any combination of the following:

• start time
• amendment (by change number)
• end time.

Searches by user

Searches on the PPSR can be performed by external and internal users.

External users include:

• casual users
• account customers.

Account customer users include:

• B2G customers
• Web UI customers.

Registrations

PPSR registrations require transactions to create, amend or discharge. We publish statistics on PPSR transactions by type and month each quarter.

Registration state

A registration is current if it has an end date in the future and has not expired or been removed.

Security interest

PPSR registrations may be categorised into 3 kinds of security interest:

1. transitional security interest
2. non-transitional security interests
3. prescribed property (other registration kinds).

Security interests that existed, or were created under a security agreement that existed, before 30 January 2012 are transitional security interests. All other security interests are non-transitional.

Most registrations on the PPSR are security interests. The other registration kinds are:

• proceeds of crime
• hoon liens
• court orders
• other prescribed property.

Registration amendments

Users can make the following types of amendments to a PPSR registration:

• Change address for service – The address for service is email, mailing and if provided physical address used for giving notices to the secured party.
• Change registration attributes – Secured parties can amend some registration attributes; for example, registration end dates can be changed, and grantors can be added and removed. Some attributes cannot be changed, such as the grantor identifier, collateral type, start date/time and any serial number.
• Transfer all registrations from a secured party – All registrations within a secured party group are transferred to another secured party. This happens when the security interests are assigned to or purchased by another secured party.
• Transfer multiple registrations from a secured party – Some registrations within a SPG are transferred to another secured party. This happens when the security interests are assigned to or purchased by another secured party.
• Transfer single registration from a secured party – A single registration within a SPG is transferred to another secured party. This happens when the security interests are assigned to or purchased by another secured party. Account customer default users are limited to single transfers.

Registrations by collateral type

There are 2 different collateral types, commercial property and consumer property:

• consumer property: property that is used by an individual and not in connection with an enterprise that has an Australian business number (ABN)
• commercial property: property held by a person other than an individual or held by an individual in connection an enterprise that has an ABN.

Some migrated registrations record the collateral type as unknown because they are from transitional registers that did not record this information.

The number of registrations with collateral type listed as unknown will continue to fall as migrated registrations expire or are discharged and re-registered with accurate information.

Registrations by collateral class

Registrations must describe collateral by class. Collateral classes are grouped into 4 broad categories:

• tangible property – describes property that you can see or feel
• general property – the all present and after-acquired property classes
• intangible property – describes property that you can't see and feel but is not financial property (such as intellectual property and certain debts)
• financial property – includes financial instruments and documents, like cash and shares.

Collateral classes are:

• agriculture
• aircraft
• all present and after-acquired property
• all present and after-acquired property, except
• financial property
• intangible property
• motor vehicles
• other goods
• watercraft.