Alert! Vehicle ownership transfer rules updated. Check here.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has made certain changes regarding the vehicle ownership transfer process, via amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. These changes are that will now allow vehicle owners to choose a nominee in the registration certificate at the time of registering the vehicle itself. This would help the vehicle to be transferred in the name of nominee or registered, in case of the owner's death.
In case the owner of a motor vehicle dies, the person nominated in the certificate of registration can use the vehicle as his own for 3 months from the death of the vehicle's owner.
That is, provided that the person has to inform the registering authority within the 30 days of the death of the owner and about his intention to use the vehicle as his own.
According to the rules, the nominee shall apply in Form 31 within 3 months from the death of the vehicle's owner to the registering authority for the transfer of ownership of the vehicle to his name.
According to the notified rules, existing owner can put the name of the nominee at the time of registration of the vehicles and can also add it later through an online application. In case the nominee is mentioned, the owner of the vehicle has to submit proof of the identity of the nominee.
The notification said,
Where the owner of a motor vehicle dies, the person nominated by the vehicle owner in the certificate of registration or the person succeeding to the possession of the vehicle, as the case may be, may for a period of three months from the death of the owner of the motor vehicle, use the vehicle as if it has been transferred to him, Provided that such person has, within thirty days of the death of the owner, informed the registering authority of the occurrence of the death of the owner and of his own intention to use the vehicle.
Also, the changes allow the owners to change the nominee in case of contingencies like divorce, division of property, etc. by using an agreed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the notification stated.
