Registering your car in Vietnam

The entire process of registering your new car can take between two and four weeks so you have to be patient during the process. If you buy your car from a dealer and complete all the necessary documentation, the dealership should handle all the registration requirements. However if you purchase a car from a private sale, you will have to register the car yourself.

Here are the documents that you will need to purchase a vehicle in Vietnam:

• A valid passport

• A valid visa

• A valid work permit certificate

• The notarised purchase agreement

• The completed Vehicle Registration Declaration

• The Certificate of Vehicle Inspection

• Proof of insurance

You should have these documents notarized. Expats are usually required to have documents notarized by their embassy or consulate. However, if your embassy or consulate is not within the city limits you may be allowed to use a private notary service.

SEE ALSO: Embassies and consulates

Once the documents have been notarized, the buyer and the seller will head off to the police traffic team office and present the required documents. Note that the starr at the office may not be English speaking, it is a good idea to take a translator with you to make the registration procedure as painless as possible.

The police will examine all the documents and verify that the certificate of vehicle inspection matches the car. They will ten charge the fees, you, as the buyer, will have to pay the registration and license plate fees, which usually amount to around 10% of the cost of the vehicle.

SEE ALSO: Buying and Selling a car in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City
There are three traffic team offices that provide vehicle registration services for residents of Ho Chi Minh City. 

Residents of Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Binh Thanh, Tan Phu, Binh Tan and District 12 register with:
An Suong Police Traffic Team (Doi canh sat giao thong An Suong)
Location: 1509 Nguyen Anh Thu, Trung My Tay Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: (08) 38833087

Residents of Districts 2, 7, and 9, as well as Nha Be, Can Gio and Thu Duc districts register with:
Rach Chiec Police Traffic Team (Doi canh sat giao thong Rach Chiec)
Location: 212 Quoc Lo 1A, Tan Phu ward, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: (08) 38931789

Residents of Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Binh Chanh, Tan Phu and Binh Tan Districts, and District 12 register with:
Road Transport Management Office (Doi dang ky, quan ly phuong tien giao thong co gioi duong bo)
Location: 282 No Trang Long, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: (08) 38432444

Hanoi
In Hanoi, residents may submit their registration papers and other required paperwork to one of the following traffic stations:

Residents of Gia Lam, Thanh Tri, Hoan Kiem, Long Bien and Hoang Mai Districts register with:
Police Traffic Station Number 1 (Co so dang ky xe so 1)
Location: 86 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Tel: (04) 39396393

Residents of Tu Liem, Hai Ba Trung, Dong Da, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay Districts register with:
Police Traffic Station Number 2 (Co so dang ky xe so 2)
Location: 611 Nguyen Trai, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Tel: (04) 38543020

Residents of Dong Anh, Soc Son, Ba Dinh, and Tay Ho Districts register with:
Police Traffic Station Number 3 (Co so dang ky xe so 3)
Location: 1234 Duong Lang, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Tel: (04) 38342678