Good news motorists - Posting logbooks to change car ownership a thing of past amid new online system

A new online service has been launched to make the handover of cars easier for Irish buyers and sellers, without the need for the posting of logbooks.

Minister of State James Lawless, today launched the new Online Change of Vehicle Ownership service.

This e-government service allows private vehicle owners to transfer vehicle registration to another private owner, entirely online.

The new service will allow buyers to check the details of a vehicle against the vehicle register, including the make and model, the 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.”

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