Change of vehicle ownership

Rules

Selling a vehicle registered before 1 January 1993

If you sell your vehicle privately, you will need to complete a Change of Ownership Form RF200 (pdf), which is available from your local Motor Taxation Office. The completed form and the Log Book should then be brought or sent to your local Motor Taxation Office where the change of ownership details will be registered.

If you sell your vehicle to a motor dealer, you need to complete a RF 200 form and bring or send it to your local Motor Taxation Office. The Log Book does not accompany this, as you have to give the Log Book to the motor dealer at the time of selling.

Selling a vehicle registered on or after 1 January 1993

If you sell a pre-April 2004 vehicle privately, part B of the Vehicle Licensing Certificate, which you would have received when you bought the vehicle, should be completed and returned to the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The new details will be registered and the certificate will be sent to the new owner. The Vehicle Registration Certificate, which you also get when you buy a pre-April 2004 vehicle, should be given to the new owner at the time of the sale.

If you sell a post-April 2004 vehicle privately, part B of the Vehicle Registration Certificate which you would have received when you bought the vehicle, should be completed and returned to the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division. The new details will be registered and the certificate will be sent to the new owner.

If you sell your vehicle to a motor dealer, you have to complete a Form RF105 (pdf) (Notes), which is available from the motor dealer. The completed form should be returned to the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division, while the Vehicle Licensing Certificate and Vehicle Registration Certificates (Vehicle Registration Certificate for post-April 2004 vehicles) are given to the motor dealer.

When selling a vehicle to a motor dealer in either transaction, a valid garage code must be supplied on behalf of the motor dealer. Failure to supply this code will result in the change of ownership being rejected - by either your Motor Tax Office or the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division. The motor dealer can only obtain a valid garage code from the Department in Co. Clare by fulfilling strict criteria. (See "Where to apply" for contact information.

Buying a vehicle registered before 1 January 1993

If you buy a vehicle that was first registered before this date, you must complete part B of the RF 200 form and detach and retain part C, which is completed by the seller. The new details will be registered in the Log Book, which will then be returned to the new owner.

Buying a vehicle registered after 1 January 1993

If you privately buy a vehicle that was first registered after this date, the seller must fill in your details on part B of the Vehicle Licensing Certificate (Vehicle Registration Certificate for post-April 2004 vehicles) and return it to the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division. The new details will be registered and the amended certificate will be sent to you. The seller will give the Vehicle Registration Certificate for a pre-April 2004 vehicle to you when you buy the vehicle.

Motor tax

You cannot tax your vehicle until the registration of the change of ownership has gone through. You can then renew the motor tax on the vehicle using Form RF100A or online. See document on motor tax.

Replacing lost/misplaced documents

It is possible to obtain replacement documents associated with changes to vehicle ownership. List of documents and the cost of their replacement is as follows;

To obtain replacement documents, download and complete form RF134 (pdf) and have this form witnessed by a member of the Garda Siochana at a Garda station. Forward your completed form with the appropriate fee to your Motor Tax Office.

Changing address details

If your address has changed, fill in the appropriate details on the Vehicle Licensing Certificate (Vehicle Registration Certificate for post-April 2004 vehicles) and send it to the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division.