Here is how to transfer motor vehicle change of ownership in Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) licensing office. Find out how long the process takes, associated transfer fees, required documents, and how to generate the car transfer forms.
If you just sold off your motor vehicle, and or bought a brand new or used car in Uganda, and wondering how to go about the vehicle transfer process, this post will help you out. Whether the registered vehicle owner as per the logbook is available, or untraceable, I will show you how to become the legitimate owner by change of ownership.
A motor vehicle change of ownership refers to the transfer of a car from the current registered owner to the new owner aka buyer. The process involves generating the vehicle transfer forms, signing the application, attaching the ID of both the buyer and seller, and submitting the documents to the licensing section, the Ministry of Works and Transport by either the seller, buyer, or a representative who has the Powers of Attorney (POA).
According to MoWT, it takes 1-3 working days for the vehicle transfer to be approved assuming the registered owner as per the logbook is available to generate the change of ownership application for vehicles that are already on the system.
In cases where the current registered owner is missing, untraceable, dead, completely;y refuses, or unable to provide the car registration forms for transfer, then the longer it takes varies. For forced transfers, it can be anywhere between 2-3 weeks upon submission of all relevant documents, and anywhere between 1-3 months for manual transfers.
Whether you want to perform an absentee motor vehicle transfer (with no trace of the current owner), and or a direct transfer when the owner is around or is in touch with you, follow the instructions below to instantly do a vehicle transfer of ownership in Uganda.
As a legal requirement, one is supposed to do the transfer of ownership upon selling / buying the vehicle. This helps in easy management of anything else to do with the said vehicle using the rightful owner. In situations where both the seller and or the buyer are stranded not knowing what to do next, this guide helps you to do it by yourself and instantly.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has a set of rules and procedures, which must be fulfilled in order for a motor vehicle absentee transfer to happen. By Absentee transfer, I am referring to that transfer which occurs when the person in the logbook aka registered owner is not traceable, meaning that he or she or they can’t sign for your the transfer forms.
You will be told when to check on and you should so as to know what is next. If your way in the new logbook type, it will be automatically added to your TIN once the application is approved. And if it was the old logbook type, you will be required to validate the vehicle particulars into your TIN and print the logbook after. Refer here for more details about the absentee transfer.
Either party submits the application form together with all attachments as selected to MoWT licensing Nakawa. After two to three working days, the application will be rejected or approved. Once approved, new owners can print logbooks from their TIN or collect it from Nakawa offices.
