The process of changing the ownership of a private car or vehicle in West Bengal has become easier. The state transport department has introduced new rules in this regard. Under the new rules, the ownership of a private vehicle can be changed from anywhere in West Bengal. The person buying the car does not have to depend on the address of his home. This step has been taken to simplify the process of selling or transferring the car.
In the past, both the person selling the car and the person buying the car had to appear before the registration authority. According to Section 50 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1998, personal ownership change is mandatory after the sale of a private vehicle. When a resident of one district sells his car to a resident of a distant district, the buyer and the seller have to face more difficulties due to the process of changing the ownership. For this reason, many people do not change the ownership even after selling the car. Although this is against the rules, many people do this to avoid this hassle. Officials from the state’s transportation department believe that such problems will be greatly reduced after the introduction of the new rules.
New Rules Make Car Ownership Transfer Easier
According to the new law, the seller of a car must appear in person before the registration authority to confirm the change of ownership. However, the seller does not need to visit the registration center nearest to their address—they can do this from any registration center in West Bengal. The buyer can also be present physically or complete the process virtually. This facility is available only if the car is sold within West Bengal.
The renewal of registration for a private car registered in West Bengal can now be done from any part of the state, without changing the address in the registration certificate. Digital verification is mandatory, and the vehicle’s photograph will be taken through the NIC app. This facility is also available for fitness certificates.
An official from the Department of Transport said, “This change has been made to bring transparency to the whole matter, prevent fraud, and make the process easier.” He added that this step will greatly benefit vehicle owners.