When buying a used car, do I need to have it re-inspected?

Many Giao thong readers wonder if the new owner needs to re-register the car after buying a used car that has had its license plate changed (because the old plate has been identified by the old owner).

The hotline of Giao thong Newspaper received a question about buying a used car, having completed the procedures to change the name and license plate because the old license plate was identified according to the old owner. Currently, the car has a new license plate identified according to the new owner, but on the registration certificate and inspection stamp, which are still valid for 1 year, the old license plate is recorded. Does the new owner need to take the car for re-inspection?

When buying a used car, if the vehicle registration certificate and inspection stamp are still valid, even if the vehicle has been transferred or has a new license plate, the owner still does not need to re-register the vehicle.

Regarding this issue, a representative of the vehicle inspection center in Hanoi said that because vehicle license plates have now been identified, in most cases of buying and selling used cars, the vehicle's license plate must be changed, even if both the old and new car owners live in the same city.

At that time, the license plate information on the vehicle registration and the inspection certificate will not be consistent. However, according to current regulations on motor vehicle inspection, the inspection certificate and inspection stamp will only expire in the following 4 cases: The motor vehicle has been issued a new inspection certificate and inspection stamp; There has been a notice of revocation from the inspection units; The motor vehicle has been involved in an accident to the extent that it does not ensure technical safety and environmental protection according to regulations; There has been confirmation from the inspection unit about the discrepancy between the technical parameters on the inspection certificate and the actual technical parameters of the motor vehicle.

In the case where the vehicle registration certificate and inspection stamp are still valid and do not fall into one of the four cases above (like the case of a reader of Giao thong Newspaper), the transfer of ownership or license plate number does not affect the technical safety and environmental protection of the motor vehicle, therefore, the vehicle registration certificate and inspection stamp are still valid until the expiration date stated on the certificate/inspection stamp.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Public Security said that using a valid certificate or inspection stamp that does not match the vehicle's license plate is not a violation of regulations on vehicle conditions when participating in traffic as prescribed in Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented in Decree No. 123/2021/ND-CP).

Therefore, vehicle owners will not be administratively punished for this violation when driving a vehicle in traffic.

Thus, in the case of readers of Giao thong Newspaper, they can completely rest assured to use the current inspection certificate and inspection stamp without worrying about being fined when participating in traffic.

However, vehicle owners need to pay attention to the inspection expiration date on the inspection sticker to bring the vehicle for inspection, to avoid being inspected and penalized if it is overdue and participates in traffic.

At this time, when the vehicle is brought for inspection, the inspection center will update the information about the change of owner and the new license plate to the vehicle database system of the Vietnam Register. At the same time, the vehicle will be issued a new inspection certificate and inspection stamp by the inspection center with an inspection cycle consistent with the vehicle's production time, printed on which are information about the owner and the vehicle's license plate consistent with the current vehicle registration.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/mua-o-to-cu-co-can-dua-xe-di-dang-kiem-lai-192241213161923878.htm