The Minister of State with special responsibility for International and Road Transport and Logistics, James Lawless, has launched the new Online Change of Vehicle Ownership service.
The e-government service allows private (non-trade) vehicle owners to transfer vehicle registration to another private owner, entirely online.
The new service will allow buyers to check vehicle details against the vehicle register. These include make/model, colour, motor tax status, test status, number of previous owners, and whether or not the vehicle was imported.
This enables the buyer to get accurate and real-time information about the vehicle before completing the purchase, making the experience more transparent and efficient.
It is another important step in the Public Service Transformation Framework in the Government’s Better Public Services strategy, which aims to increase access to a range of government services online and other digital initiatives.
Previously, anyone transferring ownership of a vehicle would need to post their Vehicle Registration Certificate to the Department of Transport’s offices in Shannon, or visit a motor tax office.
This new online service complements other initiatives of the Department of Transport such as the plan to remove the need for paper discs in vehicle windscreens and the highly effective and simple Motor Tax Online website. These initiatives lead towards the goal of having a digital Life Events portal for all transport-related citizen services in the future.
There are approximately one million changes of vehicle ownership per year in Ireland, and half of these tend to be private sales. Sellers and buyers are legally obliged to notify the Department of Transport of changes in vehicle ownership, and details are recorded on the Department’s National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF).
Speaking about the service, Minister Lawless said: “It is now possible to transfer vehicle ownership online, in real-time, when the vehicle is physically changing hands. The new service benefits both the seller and the buyer at the point of sale. The seller can be satisfied that the vehicle is no longer recorded in their name and that they have no further legal obligations with regard to it, while the buyer has confirmation that they are now the recorded owner of the vehicle on the National Driver and Vehicle File.
“As these private change of ownership notifications were previously processed through manual data entry on the NVDF, there are obvious advantages to offering the service online. The new service will put the notification of the ownership change entirely in the hands of the seller and buyer of the vehicle, and save them time and money. The sharing of real-time data on the status of the transaction will result in a better customer experience for both parties.”
How did a vehicle owner record a Change of Vehicle Ownership work before the launch of the new service?
A private vehicle owner had to send a completed Vehicle Registration Certificate (logbook) to the Department of Transport’s office in Shannon, Co. Clare by post; or visit a motor tax office, and process the ownership change when taxing the vehicle.
How does the new system work?
The seller begins the process by entering their vehicle registration and vehicle registration certificate number.
Once this matches the record on the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF), proving that the seller is the recorded vehicle owner, a one-time transfer PIN is emailed to the seller’s email address as recorded on the NVDF.
The seller then shares this transfer PIN with the buyer.
The buyer enters the transfer PIN and logs in through their verified MyGovId to complete the transaction.
The buyer is presented with a declaration confirming that they are taking ownership of the vehicle and their legal obligations.
Ownership of the vehicle is transferred to the buyer and a new Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) will be posted to the new owner’s address.
The date of sale recorded will be the date the transaction was processed online.
How long does the transfer PIN last?
The transfer PIN currently has a time limit of 30 minutes, to encourage real-time updating. The Department will keep this under review based on customer experience.
How does the service identify the new owner?
The service uses MyGovID, a valuable service which is central to the Government’s eGovernment Strategy. MyGovID provides access to a range of online services across all Departments. Using MyGovID will, for the first time, enable secure online identity verification of the buyer of a vehicle.
Can I access the service in Irish?
Yes, the service is bilingual.
The Online Change of Vehicle Ownership service can be accessed here or through www.motortax.ie or www.motarchain.ie (as gaeilge).