The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002

Change of keeper: registration document issued in Northern Ireland

25.—(1) Where there is a change in the keeper of a vehicle for which the registration document was issued in Northern Ireland—

(a) the disposing keeper shall forthwith deliver the registration document to the new keeper if it is in his possession and, unless both the disposing keeper and the new keeper are vehicle traders and the three months period of grace has not expired, shall forthwith notify the change of keeper to the Secretary of State, stating the registration mark of the vehicle, its make and class and the name and address of the new keeper; and

(b) the new keeper—

(i) if he is not a vehicle trader, shall forthwith notify the Secretary of State of the transfer of the vehicle to him, stating his name and address and, if the registration document is in his possession, deliver it to the Secretary of State; or

(ii) if he is a vehicle trader, shall comply with the requirements of paragraph (2).

(2) A vehicle trader who becomes the keeper of a vehicle for which the registration document was issued in Northern Ireland shall, on or before the appropriate date, deliver the registration document to the Secretary of State and notify him of—

(a) the transfer of the vehicle to him; and

(b) the date on which he became the keeper of the vehicle.

(3) In this regulation—

(a) “the appropriate date” in relation to a vehicle trader means whichever is the earliest of—

(i) the day on which the vehicle trader first uses, or permits the use of, the vehicle on a public road otherwise than under a trade licence;

(ii) the day on which he first keeps the vehicle on such a road;

(iii) the day immediately following the expiration of the three months period of grace; and

(b) “the three months period of grace” in relation to a vehicle means the period of three months beginning with the day after the date on which the vehicle was last kept by a person who was not a vehicle trader.