Changes to vehicle registration and transfer from February 12th that you need to know

Circular 64/2017 introduces several changes to vehicle registration and transfer procedures.

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security issued Circular 64/2017/TT-BCA, amending and supplementing several articles of the old Circular 15/2014/TT-BCA on vehicle registration. These changes will take effect from February 12, 2018. Notably, Circular 64/2017 has removed the requirement that vehicle owners must notify the issuing authority in writing before selling or gifting a vehicle, for easier tracking purposes.

At the same time, Circular 64/2017 also removed the content: "If the vehicle owner fails to notify, they will continue to be legally responsible for that vehicle until the organization or individual who buys, receives, or is given the vehicle completes the registration and transfer procedures."

However, the new Circular still retains the regulation that within 30 days from the date of issuing the vehicle ownership transfer document, the organization or individual purchasing or receiving the vehicle as a gift must go to the competent authority to complete the procedures for vehicle registration, transfer of ownership, and relocation.

In addition, Circular 64/2017 also amends and supplements the content related to vehicle registration certificates and license plates. Specifically, for cars and motorcycles with blue license plates in white letters and numbers, and vehicles with license plates bearing the symbol 80 on a white background with black letters and numbers, when there is a decision to transfer, sell, or donate, the registration certificate and license plate must be retrieved and returned to the vehicle registration authority before handing them over to the new owner.

According to Circular 64/2017, which regulates the units and agencies authorized to issue blue license plates with white letters, there have also been changes, shortening the series of letters in the license plate to A to M instead of A to Z as before.

For vehicles with blue license plates... the registration certificate and license plates must be returned upon transfer of ownership.

These license plates will be issued to Party agencies; the Office of the President; the Office of the National Assembly and its agencies; the Offices of the National Assembly Delegation and People's Councils at all levels; Central Steering Committees; the People's Public Security, People's Courts, and People's Procuracies; ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies; the National Traffic Safety Committee; People's Committees at all levels and specialized agencies under the People's Committees at the provincial and district levels; political and social organizations (Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vietnam Trade Union, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Women's Union, Vietnam Veterans Association, Vietnam Farmers Association); public service units, except for public driver training and testing centers; and project management boards with state management functions.