From July 2025: Couples borrowing each other's cars for transportation must prepare the following documents to avoid trouble

The real concept of non-owner cars

The concept of "non-owner vehicle" does not simply mean that the driver is not the person whose name is on the vehicle registration. In fact, the law only imposes penalties when the competent authority verifies that there is an act of buying, selling, transferring, giving, donating, or inheriting a vehicle without completing the proper ownership transfer procedures.

According to Decree 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented in 2025), cases that may be penalized include buying a vehicle but not transferring the ownership, being given, gifted, or inheriting a vehicle but not re-registering it, or allocating and transferring internal vehicles within an organization but not updating the new user.

The important conclusion is that using a vehicle not registered in the name of the owner is not automatically penalized, unless there is evidence of purchase or transfer without full legal procedures.

From July 2025, the penalty for "not transferring ownership" will be adjusted according to new regulations in the amended Decree. The penalty is divided according to the type of vehicle and the vehicle owner.

For motorbikes and scooters, individual owners will be fined from 400,000 to 600,000 VND, while organization owners will be fined from 800,000 to 1,200,000 VND.

For cars, tractors, and specialized motorbikes, individual vehicle owners will be fined from 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 VND, while organization vehicle owners can be fined from 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 VND.

It is important to note that the Traffic Police will only impose fines if they detect the transfer of a vehicle without changing the name. Borrowing a vehicle from a spouse or friend will not be fined, as long as they can prove the legal origin of the vehicle.

Borrowing a car requires full preparation of documents to avoid trouble.

Even though there is no penalty for legally borrowing a vehicle, the driver still needs to fully prepare the following documents to avoid trouble when being inspected.

Necessary documents include a driver's license appropriate to the type of vehicle being driven, a citizen identification card, an original or notarized copy of the vehicle registration, a valid civil liability insurance certificate, and a technical safety and environmental protection inspection certificate for the car.

If the above documents are not provided, the authorities may detain the vehicle for verification, causing waste of time and unnecessary trouble.

To ensure legal safety, people should always carry all necessary documents when participating in traffic, especially when using a vehicle that is not registered in their name. This not only helps avoid unfair penalties but also saves time when being checked.