Vietnam: Is it possible to authorize someone else to apply for a replacement of the lost vehicle registration certificate?

According to Article 15 of Circular No. 15/2014/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, if the vehicle registration certificate is lost, and the vehicle owner is a Vietnamese individual, they need to submit the following documents to apply for a replacement:

- Identity Card. Where the identity has not been issued yet or the permanent residence in the Identity Card is not identical to the vehicle registration declaration, family record book must be shown instead.

- Letter of recommendation from head of agencies and units where they are working, attached to the Identity Card of the People’s Police; the Identity Card of the People’s Military (in compliance with the legal regulations of the Ministry of National Defence).  

Where there is none of the aforementioned to be shown, the confirmation letter from the head of agencies and units must be submitted.

- With respect to Learner’s and student’s card of those who are attending the continuous full-time training at vocational schools, colleges, universities and institutes for a period of more than 2 years, the recommendation letter is required.

If the legal owner is a Vietnamese expatriate currently living and working in Vietnam, temporary residence or family record book and Passport (valid) or any other valid document in lieu of Passport must be submitted.

According to Clause 5 Article 9 of Circular No. 15/2014/TT-BCA, the authorized person to carry out the vehicle registration must show his/her identity card; submit his/her letter of authorization that is notarized by People’s Committee of a hamlet, ward, town or any proper confirmation made by his/her working agency and unit.

Thus, the current law allows vehicle owners to authorize another person to apply for a replacement of the vehicle registration certificate on their behalf, provided that the authorized person presents their own Citizen Identification Card and submits a duly authenticated authorization letter issued by the People's Committee of the commune, ward, or township, or a confirmation from the relevant authority or organization where they work.

According to Clause 2 Article 4 of Circular No. 15/2014/TT-BCA, where the certificate of vehicle registration has been lost and needs to be reissued, the verification and completion of procedures shall not exceed 30 days as from the date of fully receiving legal documents.

Note:

- Whenever the replacement of the certificate of license plate and vehicle registration occurs, the license plate shall remain unchanged. If a vehicle registers 3-digit or 4-digit license plate or any other numbering system, it must change to 5-digit license plate in accordance with legal regulations.

- In case of those who have already completed the procedures for the license plate and vehicle registration as well as the legal owner’s title transfer and vehicle relocation, and at the request of the legal owner for his/her full ownership of the vehicle, his/her vehicle shall be registered again and its license plate shall be kept unchanged; If a vehicle registers 3-digit or 4-digit license plate or any other numbering system, it must change to 5-digit license plate in accordance with legal regulations.           

Nguyen Trinh

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