Many motor vehicle owners fail to update their change of address in the driving licence, vehicle registration certificate and permits for transport vehicles.

The Motor Vehicle Act and Motor Vehicle Rules clearly define the need to update address records.

Similarly, when used vehicles are sold, very few buyers get the title papers transferred in the names of buyers while the rest keep the transfer of ownership forms No 29 and 30 signed by the previous owner ready. This was done to avoid recording the transfer of ownership on the registration certificate. Frequent transfer of ownership of the same vehicle was bound to bring down the re-sale value of the vehicle.

The buyer of the vehicle benefits by not recording the transfer of ownership but the seller continues to be accountable in terms of all responsibilities arising out of the sold vehicle.

In the event of a sold vehicle getting involved in an accident, or being used for smuggling or any other clandestine activity and deaths caused due to accidents involve the sold vehicle, all the liabilities will vest with the original owner. In such cases, the original owner will have to go through the trouble of locating the buyer/ present user of the vehicle to get rid of the risks.

While selling the vehicle, the owner should not be satisfied with the transaction receipts and delivery notes that come with the form numbers 29 and 30.

Within 14 days, the seller should ensure that the buyer submits the forms to the registering authority for getting the title transferred to his name.

Similarly, the Central Motor Vehicle Act, Rules and the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Rules contain provisions warranting the change of address on driving licence, registration certificate and permits. It also has compounding fee recommendations for such offences (see info graphics).

However, in the event of the failure to notify the change of address will also lead to invoking provisions of Indian Penal Code for intentional suppression of information with intent to escape from legal action, say officers in Coimbatore.

Officials also point out that, in all these cases, failure to notify the address could also result in inconvenience to the licence holder, vehicle owner or the permit holder in terms of timely information not reaching the family, friends or relatives in the event of an accident or when the person is in peril.

Police or passers-by look for an address to inform the family in the event of distress or accident,

Absence of updated records would only end in delayed transmission of information and subsequent assistance.

Failure to update records after sale of vehicle invites penalty, writes

V.S. Palaniappan