What is the PPSR?
- By Book Keeping Pros
- Sources checked 15 Oct 2026
Definition
The PPSR, or Personal Property Securities Register, is a government register of security interests in personal property, meaning anything that can be owned except land, buildings and fixtures. A search of the register shows the security interests registered over an item, such as equipment, a vehicle or stock, which matters when buying from a supplier.
In day-to-day bookkeeping, the PPSR comes up when the business buys. A search before the first order with a new supplier shows whether the goods on offer are tied to someone else's debt, and a copy of the result kept with the supplier's records shows what was checked, and when.
Personal property here is a legal category, not the owner's private belongings. It takes in business goods, stock, plant, equipment and vehicles, but not land, buildings or fixtures.
In Australia
business.gov.au's glossary describes the PPSR as a government register of security interests in personal property. Its definition of personal property excludes land, buildings and fixtures, and gives goods, plant, equipment, cars, boats, planes and livestock as examples.
Its guide to choosing suppliers lists a search of the Personal Property Securities Register among the basic checks before signing a contract or placing an order, to find out whether a supplier has offered any of the goods it is selling as security for a debt. It sits alongside other checks such as reading reviews, asking for references and confirming the supplier on the Australian Business Register.
Worked example
| Date | Supplier or item checked | Reason | Result recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Feb 2026 | New packaging supplier | Before the first order | No security interests found |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Wholesale furniture supplier | Before signing a supply contract | Interest listed over stock, raised with the supplier |
| 8 Jun 2026 | Second-hand forklift | Before paying for it | No security interests found |
Illustrative example only: these rows show the method and are not sourced data.
Common mistakes
- Placing a first order with a new supplier without checking whether the goods are tied to the supplier's own borrowing.
- Reading personal property as the owner's private belongings, when on the register it also covers business goods, stock and equipment.
- Keeping no copy of a search result, so there is no record of what was checked before a purchase.
Related terms
Related service
Small business bookkeeping
Your books kept current, every month.
Sources
- Key financial terms
business.gov.au, Australian Government. Current at 15 October 2026, released 9 July 2024. Checked 15 October 2026.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2020, licensed under CC BY 3.0 AU. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU.
- Suppliers
business.gov.au, Australian Government. Current at 16 October 2026, released 30 March 2026. Checked 16 October 2026.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2020, licensed under CC BY 3.0 AU. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU.