The State Government is introducing harsher penalties for shonky used car dealers.

For the first time, any dealer convicted for winding back an odometer will face imprisonment for up to two years or a tripled fine of up to $30,000 (up from $10,000).

For unlicensed dealing, the government is doubling the potential jail time for third or subsequent offences from one year to two years in prison and raising the fine from $100,000 to $250,000.

The fine will increase from $100,000 to $150,000 for a first or second offence. For body corporates, it would increase to $500,000.

In the last financial year, inspectors from Consumer and Business Services inspected nearly 170 used car dealers operating both from home and in car yards.

Over the last financial year, a total of six individuals were convicted of tampering with odometers, getting slugged a total of more than $35,000 in fines and compensation orders.

Of those, four were unlicensed.

Over the coming year, Consumer and Business Services will be cracking down to implement these harsher penalties.