Procedures for initial vehicle registration according to the new regulations.
The Ministry of Public Security has recently announced administrative procedures for managing vehicles, including the procedure for initial vehicle registration.
Decision No. 1383/QD-BCA on the announcement of the revised and supplemented list of administrative procedures in the field of registration and management of motor vehicles and specialized motorcycles; and licensing of operation for smart vehicles under the authority of the Ministry of Public Security. The decision takes effect from March 1, 2025.
The procedure for issuing vehicle license plates for the first time is carried out partially or directly through public services at the central, provincial, and commune levels as follows:
Execution sequence
Step 1: The vehicle owner logs into the public service portal and accurately, completely, and truthfully declares all the required information in the vehicle registration form.
If a digital signature is not available, the vehicle owner must print the vehicle registration form from the public service portal, sign it, clearly state their full name, and affix a seal (if applicable, if it is an agency or organization).
If the registration cannot be done through the public service portal, the vehicle owner must fill out the vehicle registration form directly at the vehicle registration agency.
Step 2: After successful completion of the application, the vehicle owner receives an online vehicle registration application code and an appointment schedule for processing the application via text message or email address, which will be announced by the public service portal.
Step 3: The vehicle owner brings the vehicle to the vehicle registration office for inspection, provides the vehicle registration file code, and submits the required documents to the registration office; registers to use postal services to receive the vehicle registration certificate and license plate.
Step 4: The vehicle registration officer checks the vehicle owner's documents and vehicle documents, compares them with the owner's data in the vehicle registration and management system, and conducts a physical inspection of the vehicle as required.
Step 5: After the vehicle registration officer checks the vehicle's documents and verifies that the vehicle is valid, a license plate will be issued according to the following regulations:
New license plates are issued in cases where the vehicle owner has not yet been issued a registered license plate, or already has a registered license plate but it is currently registered for another vehicle.
Issuing new identification license plates for vehicle owners whose existing license plates have been revoked since August 15, 2023.
If the vehicle documents and the vehicle itself do not meet the regulations, supplement and complete the documents according to the instructions of the vehicle registration officer on the document guidance form.
Step 6: The vehicle owner receives the appointment slip for results, pays the vehicle registration fee, and receives the license plate (in the case of a new identification license plate being issued, or in the case where the vehicle owner requests to reuse the old, revoked identification license plate, provided that the vehicle registration authority has not yet destroyed that license plate as per regulations).
Step 7: The vehicle owner chooses to receive the results at the vehicle registration office or via postal service.
How to do it
Vehicle owners can fill out the vehicle registration form on the Public Service Portal or directly at the vehicle registration agency. The vehicle registration agency accepts applications during working hours.
Results can be obtained at the vehicle registration office or via postal service.
Document components
Vehicle registration form.
The vehicle owner's documents are as required by regulations.
Vehicle documents: Certificate of vehicle origin; Certificate of legal ownership; Proof of fulfillment of financial obligations.
Processing time
Issuance of vehicle registration certificate: No more than 2 working days from the date of receipt of complete and valid documents.
New vehicle license plates: Issued immediately upon receipt of complete and valid documents.
Issuing new license plates for auctioned vehicles, changing license plates, and issuing vehicle identification plates: No more than 7 working days from the date of receiving complete and valid documents. The processing time for vehicle registration is calculated from the date of receiving complete and valid documents and the vehicle owner completing the payment of the vehicle registration fee.
