“Ho Chi Minh City Pioneers Online Used-Car Title Transfers via VNeID, Doing Away with Notarization”

Previously, this model was applied in Ha Nam province from the beginning of April 2025, opening a new direction in the digitization of procedures related to vehicles.

The elimination of the traditional notarization step is considered to shorten administrative procedures, reduce fake paperwork, and increase reliability through national population data authentication. The transaction is confirmed by the public security agency, giving peace of mind to both the buyer and the seller.

Used car dealers in Ho Chi Minh City expressed high expectations for this new model. The application of digital technology can bring remarkable efficiency in terms of processing speed and legal safety compared to paper notarization.

However, the initial implementation experience in Ha Nam showed some less-than-optimal points. Many car brokers felt that the processing time was not significantly reduced compared to the traditional notarization process. This poses a requirement for further system improvement in the coming time, especially when applied in a large city like Ho Chi Minh City.

To transfer ownership of a used car through VNeID, both the buyer and the seller must have a level 2 electronic identification account and be registered as permanent residents in Ho Chi Minh City. The procedure must be carried out by the owner in person. In the case of a married seller, the law requires confirmation from both spouses through their VNeID accounts, based on the 2014 Law on Marriage and Family.

The transaction procedure is divided into four main steps:

Step 1: The vehicle owner logs into the Ministry of Public Security’s Public Service Portal with their level 2 VNeID account and selects the “Transfer Vehicle Ownership” option. Information about the vehicle, the buyer, and the co-owner (if any) will be declared and sent for system verification.

Step 2: If the information is valid, the Public Service Portal will send a transaction confirmation request to the VNeID accounts of all parties involved. The confirmation will be accompanied by a digital signature. The transaction will be automatically canceled if one of the parties does not complete the confirmation within 30 days.

Step 3: Upon successful confirmation by all parties, the system will proceed to recall the vehicle’s identification number and automatically generate the necessary paperwork without requiring re-declaration from the citizens.

Step 4: The buyer fulfills the obligation to pay the registration fee through the electronic tax system. Once completed, the system will generate the registration declaration and notify the completion of the used car ownership transfer procedure.

Since the beginning of 2025, a series of administrative procedures in the field of traffic have been integrated onto the digital platform, including new vehicle registration (cars and motorcycles), and upgrading a driver’s license from B1, B2 to C1… Online implementation through the Public Service Portal and the VNeID application not only brings convenience to the people but also helps reduce the burden on the traditional administrative apparatus.

The Ministry of Public Security is also researching and developing a feature to allow the receipt of applications for international driver’s licenses through electronic platforms, which is expected to be officially deployed in June 2025.

Bringing the procedure for transferring ownership of used cars online is not only a technological advancement but also reflects the government’s determination to reform administrative procedures. With the pilot in Ho Chi Minh City, the effectiveness of this model will be an important test for its potential nationwide expansion in the future.

TH (Tuoitrethudo)

Illustrative image: Internet