Change of vehicle ownership
- Introduction
- If you sell a vehicle privately
- If you sell your vehicle to a motor dealer
- Buying a vehicle with registered owner deceased
- Older vehicles
- Motor tax
- Changing address details
- Replacing lost documents
- If the seller won’t send the Vehicle Registration Certificate
- Where to apply
Introduction
If you sell your vehicle or trade it in for a new model, you must by law register the change of ownership. You register free of charge with the Department of Transport. The Department of Transport keep a record of vehicles called the national vehicle and driver file (NVDF).
Ownership and address details must be kept up to date at all times. This is important because, for example, if your vehicle is subject to a safety recall, manufacturers will contact all registered owners using their record. It takes approximately 2 to 5 days to process a Vehicle Registration Certificate upon receipt.
This page tells you how to change a vehicles ownership detail on a Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC, also known as the logbook).
If you sell a vehicle privately
There are 4 steps in a private sale for changing vehicle ownership. It is your responsibility as the seller to make sure it is done correctly.
- Complete and sign the change of ownership section on the back of the Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC).
- The buyer must sign the same form.
- Send the completed form to the Department of Transport for updating (see ‘Where to apply’).
- The Department of Transport will post the VRC to the new owner.
If you sell your vehicle to a motor dealer
If you sell your vehicle to a motor dealer, you must give the dealer the Vehicle Registration Certificate.Both the seller and the dealer must complete the Form RF105 (pdf).
An approved dealer can use the online change of vehicle ownership service to notify the details online. Otherwise, the seller must send the RF105 to the Department of Transport.
Buying a vehicle with registered owner deceased
If you buy a vehicle and the current owner (seller) is deceased, you will need the Vehicle Registration Certificate and a letter to show you have right to the vehicle. This can be a letter from:- The executor of the deceased's will, or
- The solicitor dealing with the will
If there is no VRC
If the VRC is not available, you can use a declaration of ownership form. To do this, you will need to get a statutory declaration sworn before a commissioner for oaths or a solicitor. The statutory declaration is a way of swearing that something is true. It is a written statement and must be witnessed by someone who is authorised to witness your declaration. The statutory declaration form should go with the letter from the executor of the will or the solicitor.
You can get a statutory declaration form from your local motor tax office.
Older vehicles
Pre-1993 vehiclesSee change of ownership for vehicles registered before January 1993.
1993 – 2004 vehicles
Owners of vehicles registered before May 2004 may still have a ‘Vehicle Licensing Certificate’ if they haven’t changed ownership. In such cases, a Vehicle Registration Certificate will be issued to the new owner upon change of ownership.
Motor tax
You cannot tax your vehicle until the registration of the change of ownership has gone through.You can renew motor tax online or by completing a Form RF100A.
See our page on motor tax.
If you need to change ownership of a vehicle that has never been taxed either by the current or last owner see motortax.ie.
If you are a driver or a passenger with a disability, you may get tax relief when buying a vehicle.
Changing address details
If your address has changed, fill in the appropriate details on the Vehicle Registration Certificate and send it to the Department of Transport.Replacing lost documents
It is possible to get replacement documents associated with changes to vehicle ownership. List of documents and the cost of their replacement is as follows:Document |
Replacement cost |
| Registration book | €12 |
| Vehicle licensing certificate/Registration Certificate | €12 |
| Tax disc | €6 |
To get replacement documents:
- Download and complete form RF134 (pdf) .
- Have this form witnessed by a member of the Garda Síochána at a Garda station.
- Send your completed form with the correct fee to your motor tax office.
You can pay by cheque, postal order or by bank draft. You should make it payable to your local motor tax office.
If the seller won’t send the Vehicle Registration Certificate
If you are having problems and the seller won’t send the VRC to the Department of Transport.
You as the buyer can do the following:
- Contact the Department of Transport, you can email dvcsdchangeofownership@dttas.ie, (include your postal address), you will be given a statutory declaration form.
- Complete the declaration form and have it witnessed by a Commissioner for Oaths or a practicing solicitor.
- Send both completed documents back to the Department of Transport – see ‘Where to apply’ below.
This does not apply if you bought the car from a motor dealer. It is the responsibility of the motor dealer to follow the procedures for change of vehicle ownership notification.