Procedures for transferring ownership of vehicles that have been transferred to multiple new owners

Article 31 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA stipulates the procedures for registering a change of ownership for vehicles that have been transferred through multiple organizations or individuals. For a clearer understanding, please refer to the article below.

Mua bán xe ô tô, xe máy từ ngày 15/8/2023: Những điều cần lưu ý

Instructions for the latest procedure to transfer ownership of a vehicle that has been transferred to multiple people. (Source: TVPL)

On July 1, 2023, the Minister of Public Security issued Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA regulating the issuance and revocation of registration and license plates for motor vehicles.

1. Procedures for transferring ownership of a vehicle that has changed hands multiple times.

Specifically, Article 31 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA stipulates the procedures for registering a change of ownership for vehicles that have been transferred through multiple organizations or individuals as follows:

- Organizations and individuals using the vehicle must go to the agency managing the vehicle registration records to carry out the revocation procedure and register the vehicle name change at the vehicle registration agency where they have their headquarters or residence as prescribed in Article 4 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA; in case the agency managing the records is also the agency handling the vehicle name change registration, they do not have to carry out the revocation procedure.

- Documents and procedures for revocation

Organizations and individuals currently using the vehicle must go to the agency managing the vehicle registration records to submit the necessary documents and complete the revocation procedures as stipulated in Articles 14 and 15 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA.

- Documents and procedures for vehicle registration and transfer

Organizations and individuals must present the documents specified in Article 10 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA and submit the following documents:

+ Vehicle registration certificate, clearly stating the purchase and sale process and commitment, taking responsibility for the legal origin of the vehicle;

+ Vehicle ownership transfer documents of the vehicle owner and vehicle ownership transfer documents of the last seller (if any);

+ Documents proving payment of registration fees as stipulated in Clause 3, Article 11 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA;

+ Certificate of vehicle registration and license plate revocation (with a scratch-off copy of the engine number and chassis number affixed, and the seal of the vehicle registration authority stamped on the scratch-off copy).

In cases where the agency managing the vehicle's records is also the agency handling the vehicle transfer registration, the organization or individual using the vehicle shall submit the vehicle registration certificate and license plate instead of the certificate of registration and license plate revocation.

- Responsibilities of vehicle registration agencies

+ In case an organization or individual is using a vehicle with a vehicle ownership transfer document from the vehicle owner and a vehicle ownership transfer document from the last seller: Within 02 working days from the date of receiving complete and valid vehicle documents, the vehicle registration authority shall issue a decision to impose a penalty for not carrying out the recovery procedures as prescribed and registering the vehicle name change as prescribed in Article 15 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA;

+ In cases where an organization or individual is using a vehicle without proof of ownership transfer from the previous owner and proof of ownership transfer from the last seller: The vehicle registration authority will issue an appointment slip valid for 30 days, allowing the vehicle to be used.

Within two working days from the date of receiving the vehicle ownership transfer registration application, the vehicle registration authority must send a notification to the vehicle owner and the vehicle registration authority that registered the vehicle; publicly post information about the receipt of registration applications from organizations and individuals at the vehicle registration authority's headquarters; and search and verify the stolen vehicle database and vehicle registration data.

After 30 days, if there is no dispute or complaint, the vehicle registration authority will issue a decision to impose a penalty for not completing the vehicle revocation and registration transfer procedures according to the provisions of Article 15 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA.

- Responsibilities of units managing databases of stolen vehicles and evidence vehicles

Within 7 working days from the date of receiving the document from the vehicle registration authority requesting verification, the unit managing the data on stolen vehicles and vehicles used as evidence shall respond in writing to the vehicle registration authority.

2. Cases related to vehicle engine number and chassis number

Cases related to vehicle engine numbers and chassis numbers are regulated in Article 30 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA as follows:

- Unregistered vehicles or registered vehicles with engine or chassis numbers that have been cut, welded, drilled, altered, or erased; or vehicles whose confiscation decisions do not record the engine or chassis numbers, or are marked "undetermined," "unknown number," or "no number," will not be eligible for registration.

- Imported, domestically manufactured and assembled vehicles that are not registered:

+ In cases where a vehicle only has a VIN number and no engine or chassis number, the vehicle registration authority will re-stamp the chassis number according to the VIN number and re-stamp the engine number according to the license plate number;

+ For vehicles with engine numbers and chassis numbers on the registration certificate, numbers marked with paint or stamped with a pin (laser), or numbers that are faded, rusted, or corroded due to environmental factors, the vehicle registration authority shall re-stamp the engine and chassis numbers according to the numbers recorded in the origin documents as stipulated in points a and b, clause 1, Article 11 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA;

+ For vehicles with engine and chassis numbers marked as technically incorrect, if there is a confirmation document from the manufacturer, registration will be processed and the engine and chassis numbers will be re-stamped according to the license plate number; for imported vehicles, the confirmation document from the foreign manufacturer must be legalized by consular authorities.

+ Vehicles with overlapping engine and chassis numbers and the appraisal conclusion shows that the engine and chassis numbers are original will be processed for vehicle registration.

- In case of replacing the engine assembly, engine block, or frame assembly without a number, stamp the engine number and frame number according to the vehicle license plate number.

- Vehicles that have been registered but during use, the engine number and chassis number are corroded, blurred, rusted or one or more characters are lost and the appraisal agency concludes that the engine number and chassis number are original, will be re-numbered according to the number recorded in the certificate of origin as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 11 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA.

- Vehicles confiscated according to the provisions of law have engine numbers, chassis numbers or engine numbers, chassis numbers that are welded, cut, chiseled, erased, and the original engine numbers and chassis numbers cannot be identified. If the vehicle is eligible to be registered for traffic and before confiscation, the agency assigned to preside over the handling of assets shall request the local Traffic Police Department to coordinate and organize the re-stamping of engine numbers and chassis numbers according to the following principles:

Local registration code series, year, number of the record of temporary seizure of exhibits, means of administrative violation, and practice certificate;

The confiscation decision or confiscation record recorded according to the engine number and chassis number has been stamped by the Traffic Police Department according to the principle in Clause 5, Article 30 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA, along with the decision to stamp the engine number and chassis number is the basis for handling vehicle registration (the copy of the engine number and chassis number after stamping must be affixed to the decision to stamp the engine number and chassis number).

- In all cases, the re-stamping of engine numbers and chassis numbers as stipulated in points a, b, and c of clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5 of Article 30 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA must be carried out by the vehicle registration authority.

Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA takes effect from August 15, 2023, replacing Circular 58/2020/TT-BCA.

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