Change of vehicle ownership and digital certificates

Seller

1. Sign into My e-Services and create a digital certificate for the vehicle. When creating the digital certificate, print out the pre-completed deed of transfer for both yourself and the buyer. You can also print out an empty deed of transfer without signing in.

• Instead of using a digital certificate, you can also hand over to the buyer a valid notification part of the vehicle’s certificate of registration. In this case, the buyer must carry out the change of ownership at a registration service point . 
• If you sell a vehicle to be registered abroad or Åland, provide the buyer with both parts of the registration certificate.
  
  2. Take a proof of identity with you when carrying out the sale.

Buyer

1. Check the vehicle’s details

• Is the vehicle in traffic use or has it been decommissioned ? Please take note that it is not permitted to drive a decommissioned vehicle even from the point of sale to your home. 
• Has the vehicle tax been paid?
• Has the regular vehicle inspection been carried out?
• Is the owner recorded in the register selling the vehicle, or is it someone who the owner has handed the vehicle over to? Traficom recommends that you buy a vehicle only from the owner marked in the register.

2. Take a proof of identity with you when carrying out the sale. 

Seller

1. Check the buyer’s identity.

2. Fill in the deed of transfer together with the buyer. Keep a copy of the deed of transfer in case of disputes. 

3. Give the buyer a valid digital certificate or the notification part of the registration certificate.

• If you are using the notification part, fill in the buyer’s details and the transfer date before signing.

Buyer

1.  Make sure that the seller gives you a digital certificate or the notification part of the registration certificate. Check (External link)the details and validity of the digital certificate (External link).

2. Fill in the deed of transfer together with the seller. Keep a copy of the deed of transfer in case of disputes. 

3. Check the seller’s identity.

Seller

1. Sign into My e-Services and make a notification of transfer. 

• With this notification, you ensure that you do not need to pay vehicle tax or other expenses after the sale. 
• To make the notification of transfer, you will need the buyer’s name, address, and either their personal identity code or business ID.

Buyer

1. Purchase vehicle liability insurance if the vehicle is in traffic use.

• You can either purchase insurance beforehand from your insurance company or handle the change of ownership and purchase of insurance at the same time using the insurance company’s digital registration service .

2. Make notification of the ownership change within 7 days of the date when the registered owner has transferred the vehicle to you. At the same time, you can also add other owners or holders for the vehicle.

• Sign into My e-Services and make a notification of transfer using the digital certificate. If the seller has made a notification of transfer for you using a personal identity code or business ID, you do not need a digital certificate to make the change of ownership.
• If the seller gave you the notification part of the registration certificate instead of a digital certificate, the change of ownership has to be done at a registration service point .