Transfer of ownership is a critical stage in the purchase of a used vehicle. Pay attention and carefully check the vehicle license to make sure that every detail matches the vehicle you are buying, and that the seller is indeed the owner of the vehicle.
Transfer of vehicle ownership may be carried out at any Post Office branch that is connected to the License Bureau’s computer system. The current vehicle license, as well as the identity cards of the buyer and seller, must be presented and a fee paid.
If the vehicle license is valid and there is no lien or attachment on the vehicle, change of ownership will be registered on the spot.
Not all liens appear on the Misrad Hatachbura (Ministry of Transport and Road Safety) computer system, and it is possible that the Post Office branch computer permits transfer of ownership even though there is a lien on the vehicle. The obligation to check whether a vehicle has a lien or any attachment falls solely on the buyer, and is neither the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety nor of the Postal Authority. We strongly recommend that before buying the vehicle, you check that it is free of any lien or attachment with the Registrar of Pledge at Misrad Hamishpatim (Ministry of Justice), the pertinent authority in these cases.
Transfer of ownership may be carried out at the License Bureau for the following:
- Disabled person entitled to the disbled fee
- An inherited vehicle
- A diplomatic or U.N. vehicle
- Bus – transfer of ownership is carried out through the Traffic Supervisor at the Ministry of Transport and Road Safety
- Touring vehicle
- Desert vehicle
- A minor
- A tourist
- Administrator of an estate
- As a result of a court ruling
- A vehicle without an annual “Test”
Transfer of owndership may be carried out by another party holding a power-of-attorney.
A private individual must sign the power-of-attorney form that is attached to the new vehicle license. This must be presented together with the actual identity cards of the power-attorney holder, the buyer and the seller. The power-of-attorney form may also be obtained from the Post Office. A corporation or company must have the power-of-attorney acknowledged by a lawyer.
The obligation to register change of ownership falls on the seller; therefore, we do not recommend that the seller gives the vehicle license to the buyer relying on the buyer to carry out transfer of ownership. Payment of the transfer fee generally falls on the buyer, though this is a joint decision between the buyer and the seller.
Change of ownership must be registered within 15 days from the date of sale. Until transfer of ownership is concluded, the vehicle remains registered in the name of the previous owner, who will continue to receive any tickets, fines and attachments. Therefore, it is recommended that transfer of ownership be carried out before the buyer takes possession of the vehicle.