Change of ownership

A notification regarding change of ownership must have been received by us within ten days of the transfer, using the last registration certificate issued. If it takes longer to notify us, we will not register the date of the change of ownership stated in the notification, but instead will use the date on which we received the notification. The new owner must take out compulsory road traffic insurance if the vehicle is subject to the traffic insurance obligation. This insurance should apply from the date on which the change of ownership was notified. Remember that the previous owner is responsible for the vehicle until the change of ownership has been registered.

If a change of ownership is made in the relevant month for the payment of vehicle tax, this tax obligation does not transfer to the new owner, even if the change of ownership takes place before the tax becomes due for payment.

Unfortunately, the details provided in a notification of change of ownership are sometimes incorrect. In such a case, a change of ownership cannot be made and the old owner will then remain entered as the owner in the Swedish Road Traffic Registry, resulting in significant costs. You are responsible for ensuring that the change of ownership is made. For this reason, you should check that the other party is actually the person they claim to be. You should also personally ensure that the notice is put into the letterbox and really has been sent to the Swedish Transport Agency.
 
If you buy your vehicle from or sell your vehicle to a vehicle dealer, they will often notify the change of ownership via a computer link to the Swedish Transport Agency. In that case, you will not have to notify the Agency using the registration certificate.

The registration certificate

A change of ownership must always be notified using the last original registration certificate issued. There has been a new kind of registration certificate since 2 September 2004, comprising two parts. If you have not received a new registration certificate, the old one can still be used. Do you have a new registration certificate? If so, any change of ownership must be notified on Part 2, the yellow section. 
More information about registration certificates.

Content of the notification

A notification of change of ownership must include:

• the buyer's personal identity (ID) number, corporate ID number or any other number that has been allocated, 
• the buyer's name, 
• the buyer's address in Sweden, 
• the date on which the ownership is to be transferred,
• the signatures of both the buyer and seller.

When changing ownership to someone who is a minor (that is, under the age of 18), the notification must also include:

• the personal identity (ID) numbers, names and signatures of custodians,
• details about which of the custodians should be registered.

A notification concerning a change of ownership must be sent to:
The Swedish Transport Agency
SE-701 81 Örebro, Sweden

When the buyer or seller is a minor

If the buyer or seller is a minor, both custodians must approve the notification of change of ownership. We will require their approval before registering the change of ownership. In other words, we will not make the change of ownership without this approval. More detailed information about this is provided under the next heading.

Change of ownership to a vehicle owner who is a minor

Children cannot be the sole registered owner of a vehicle for which they do not have a driving permit or driving licence. (This does not apply to trailers that can be towed by a vehicle for which the minor has a driving permit or driving licence.)

A change of ownership to a minor must be approved by all custodians. The notification should also indicate which of the custodians is to be registered at the Swedish Road Traffic Registry as being responsible for insurance, taxes and charges for the vehicle. The custodians' personal identity (ID) numbers, names and signatures, together with details of the custodian to be registered in the Swedish Road Traffic Registry, must be stated in the 'Other notifications' (Övrig anmälan) section on Part 2 of the registration certificate. If the Swedish Transport Agency does not receive the information referred to above, we will not register the change of ownership.

When the minor and the custodian have been registered, it is the custodian who is responsible for and must sign notifications on the registration certificate. A change of custodian and the date of this change must be notified in the 'Other notifications' (Övrig anmälan) section on Part 2 of the registration certificate. We must have received this notification within 10 days from the date stated.
 
When the child has attained the age of 18 or gets a driving permit or driving licence for the vehicle, the custodian will automatically be removed from the Swedish Road Traffic Registry. From this date the child will be liable for traffic insurance, tax and charges as well as any parking tickets.

Licensing a vehicle for use in conjunction with a change of ownership

If a vehicle is going to be licensed for use in conjunction with a change of ownership, it is important to consider the order in which you notify us if you want the new owner to be the person subject to tax.
 
You cannot ask for a vehicle to be licensed for use retroactively, even though this can be done when notifying a change of ownership. Licensing a vehicle for use applies from and including the date on which we registered your notice. This is normally the day on which we received the notification or a date in the future that you have stated in your notification. It is consequently important that the change of ownership occurs before the vehicle is licensed for use or that the date of the change of ownership is the same as the date on which the vehicle is licensed for use.
 
Example: If you notify us via one of our self-service facilities that a vehicle is being licensed for use on 11 March and then post your change of ownership notification where it is shown that the ownership of the vehicle changed on 12 March, the tax obligation will remain with you as the previous owner. If, on the other hand, your change of ownership notification shows that the vehicle also changed ownership on 11 March, the Swedish Tax Agency may consider whether the tax obligation could transfer to the new owner. You must then contact the Swedish Tax Agency personally, requesting that the tax be recharged to the new owner.

If you notify us on the registration certificate that a vehicle is to be licensed for use directly in conjunction with the change of ownership, the new owner will become the person subject to tax.
More information about licensing a vehicle for use

Making an off road notification for a vehicle in conjunction with a change of ownership

If you make an off road notification for a vehicle, you will no longer have to pay vehicle tax. We will refund any surplus (excess) amount of vehicle tax that has been paid. This amount will be refunded to the person registered as the owner at the time the off road notification is made for the vehicle. If an off road notification is made for a vehicle in conjunction with a change of ownership, this tax will be refunded to the new owner.

An off road notification is counted from the day on which the Swedish Transport Agency received a complete notification. Please note that this may mean that the vehicle is licensed for use from the date of the change of ownership (according to the notification) and until such time as an off road notification is made for the vehicle (the date on which the notification was received). This means that the new owner is the tax subject during this period.
More information about making an off road notification for a vehicle

Leased vehicles

If the vehicle is covered by a leasing agreement for at a minimum of one year, this must be registered. This should then be stated on the registration certificate and a copy of the leasing agreement attached to it. If you sell a leased vehicle, we will only approve the notification if the lessor has approved the transfer or if the notification is made directly by the lessor.

Vehicles bought on credit

When a business owner sells a vehicle on credit (credit purchases with a reservation regarding the right of repossession) in the course of their operation, details of this should be registered in conjunction with the change of ownership. If you buy a used vehicle, you will always be responsible for checking the background of the vehicle before completing the transaction. If the previous owner has not fulfilled their credit obligations, there is a risk that you may have to pay for the vehicle twice.

When the buyer is a person without a Swedish personal identity (ID) number

The new owner must have a Swedish personal identity (ID) number if a change of ownership is to be registered. The new owner can apply for a 'coordination number' if they do not have a Swedish personal identity number. It is possible to apply for this number in conjunction with a change of ownership; in this case, you should attach a written request together with details of the person's address in Sweden. A copy of the person's identity documents should be attached to the notification of a change of ownership. (Please note that an 'LMA card' is not a valid identity document.)

For further information, please contact Vehicle Enquiries on +46 (0)771-14 15 16.
You can find out more about coordination numbers on the Swedish Swedish Tax Agency's website.

When the seller is the estate of a deceased person

If you buy or sell a vehicle from the estate of a deceased person, the change of ownership is notified in the normal way. A part-owner of the estate, estate administrator or other representative of the estate must sign the notification.

Tractors and off-road vehicles

A notification of a change of ownership relating to a tractor or an off-road vehicle must include details of how the vehicle is used. The Swedish Transport Agency must be able to assess how the vehicle is to be taxed and for this reason the notification requires a description of its use. Please note that 'Class 2' or 'agricultural tractor' does not comprise sufficient information.

Taxis and other commercial transport

When a change of ownership is notified for a vehicle used as a taxi and which is also going to be used as a taxi in the future, this should be noted in the notification. If the vehicle is no longer going to be used as a taxi, the taxi plates must be handed in to the Swedish Transport Agency or county administrative board before the change of ownership can be made. Bear in mind that a vehicle that is no longer to be used for a taxi service must have a registration inspection conducted within one month of this use ceasing.

Is the vehicle going to be used as another form of commercial transport? If this is the case, this must be stated in the notification. We will pass on your notification to the county administrative board.

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