Get thy vehicle papers in order

A lack of attention to documentation could cost you heavily, especially if the responsibility for someone else’s blunder falls on you.

Dilip Kumar, a Chennai-based businessman, discovered this recently when a police sub-inspector landed at his doorstep on a calm Saturday afternoon. A decade ago, he had sold his scooter to a friend who himself sold the vehicle later. Kumar knew his scooter trail only to the third buyer but what was unknown to him was that at some point, his old vehicle got involved in a hit-and-run case. Legally speaking, he is at fault!

Regional Transport Department sources and city police add that many like Kumar make the mistake of not completing the Transfer of Ownerships forms number 29 and 30 while selling a vehicle. Thus, the vehicle remains under the name of the original owner who is liable in case of an accident.

During the sale of a vehicle, the buyer and seller need to fill and sign both the forms and submit it to the Regional Transport Office under the jurisdiction of residence of the buyer.

The Original Registration Certificate of the vehicle and a copy of proof of address of the buyer must be furnished along with the submission which has a government fee.

Following address verification, the Regional Transport Officer stamps the change of ownership on the RC making the sale of vehicle legal.

While the RC goes to the buyer, the seller retains a copy of the RC with the fresh stamp.
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/devising-solutions-for-parking-in-the-bylanes/article7060669.ece