How to get the car's blue (owner's) book?

[ACruise]

Hi, not sure this is the right forum, please move to the one appropriate if needed.

This is my story: I've been living in Thailand for a while, bought a new car and kept paying for it monthly until now. That was possible because I was working at that time, and I had a working permit. Wife's relatives guaranteed for it, no issues so far. This summer we will go back to TH for a short visit, mainly because it is the end of the contract and I want to finally get the owner's book (so far so good).

Meanwhile (and now the problems start), my Thai relatives called Honda Leasing and those buys told them that - at the end of the contract, and to get the blue book - I must also present either a work permit or some residency certificate/letter from either the embassy or the Thai immigration office. Neither of these will issue me one because I will be there only for a short visit, as a tourist (ie tourist visa).

Does anyone else have such issues before? I do hope there was a misunderstanding, I can't imagine I'll have paid the car in full and they'll not give me that book. What do you guys know about it?

[richard_smith237]

This is about registering the car in your name. 
You need a proof of address to do this.

Proof of address cones in the form of one of the following:

- Work Permit (older style had address in it) 

- Certificate of Address (from Immigration)

- Affirmation of Address (from embassy / consulate) 

- Yellow Tabien Baan (foreigner house book)

 

In your case you ‘may’ be able to get an ‘Affirmation of Residence’ letter from your Local Consulate.

 

Some do, some don’t, it depends on your visa status.

i.e. British Embassy only issue this letters to those with residency visa (non-imm) and not to those who have entered visa exempt or on Tourist Visas.  
 

Thus, if your local consulate is British or one of those who are particular then try to enter on a non-imm visa.

I.e. if you are married, enter Thailand on a Non-Imm-O (based on marriage) or Non-Imm based on retirement.

 

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by richard_smith237

[ACruise]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is about registering the car in your name. 
You need a proof of address to do this.

Proof of address cones in the form of one of the following:

- Work Permit (older style had address in it) 

- Certificate of Address (from Immigration)

- Affirmation of Address (from embassy / consulate) 

- Yellow Tabien Baan (foreigner house book)

 

None of these is possible, I'm afraid. I'll be there only for 3 weeks, on a tourist visa. My consul hates me (non-Brit) and I don't think the Thai Immigration will give me a Certificate of Address if I won't have a non-O at least.

But, excuse my ignorance, isn't the car already registered in my name? What I know (correct me if I'm wrong) is that the finance company (Honda Leasing in my case) holds on the blue book until all payments are done, but that book already has my name in it. Am I wrong? Shouldn't they just hand that to me after the last payment?

[ACruise]

ps is the Certificate of Address the same with the Residence Certificate described here https://www.thethailandlife.com/residence-certificate-thailand

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, ACruise said:

 

But, excuse my ignorance, isn't the car already registered in my name? What I know (correct me if I'm wrong) is that the finance company (Honda Leasing in my case) holds on the blue book until all payments are done, but that book already has my name in it. Am I wrong? Shouldn't they just hand that to me after the last payment?

They will have given you a copy of the book, what name is printed ?

 

Cars I have financed have always had the finance name on the copy they gave me.

[inThailand]

The registered name in the title book will be the bank who is financing the cars purchase. When you pay it off they will transfer the book to the person on the loan documents. As mentioned above you need an address certification for this to happen. Being LOL it would not surprise me for an envelope the bank could get the name change done without this.

 

If for what ever reason you are not ready to transfer the name after paying the car off you could get the LTD two documents signed by the bank undated, with these documents you can accomplish the transfer at any time without the banks further involvement. 

 

[Ralf001]

4 minutes ago, inThailand said:

The registered name in the title book will be the bank who is financing the cars purchase. When you pay it off they will transfer the book to the person on the loan documents. As mentioned above you need an address certification for this to happen. Being LOL it would not surprise me for an envelope the bank could get the name change done without this.

 

If for what ever reason you are not ready to transfer the name after paying the car off you could get the LTD two documents signed by the bank undated, with these documents you can accomplish the transfer at any time without the banks further involvement. 

 

The proof of address is an LTD requirement, not the bank.

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

6 hours ago, ACruise said:

I will be there only for a short visit, as a tourist

Over the years I've bought a dozen vehicles on a tourist visa. 

 

Go to your local immigration with your passport, photos, wife (spouse) house blue book, use this address for your CofR or if you have a Thai drivers license your address is shown on the back. The certificate costs should be free but expect to pay 300, 500 baht. 

 

Take the certificate, passport and final car payment to the leasing company and pick up your car book. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by SAFETY FIRST

[SAFETY FIRST]

43 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Over the years I've bought a dozen vehicles on a tourist visa. 

 

Go to your local immigration with your passport, photos, wife (spouse) house blue book, use this address for your CofR or if you have a Thai drivers license your address is shown on the back. The certificate costs should be free but expect to pay 300, 500 baht. 

 

Take the certificate, passport and final car payment to the leasing company and pick up your car book. 

 

 

 

 

 

Try an agency if you find it all too hard.

 

There's a few on Facebook, also you'll find a few around your DLT office. 

 

Since the chaos of covid I've been using an agent for my visa extensions. 

It's a little bit of money to skip the lengthy queues and anxiety relief.

 

 

[blackshadow]

3 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

The proof of address is an LTD requirement, not the bank.

 

 

correct ......

[ehs818]

All of the advice above is good! If you are stuck for any reasons, on paper SELL the car to your wife or In laws. Have the Bill of Sale arranged for and notarized by a local attorney. It won't cost much. Then they can prove their ownership as that last payment is finally made on the car. Take the paperwork to Honda Leasing prior to the last payment, so that they have time to prepare the names correctly on the Blue book. The cars Blue book can then be put into their name, and since you trust them all, there should be no issue. Especially since you plan to allow them to keep the car anyway!

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Over the years I've bought a dozen vehicles on a tourist visa. 

 

Go to your local immigration with your passport, photos, wife (spouse) house blue book, use this address for your CofR or if you have a Thai drivers license your address is shown on the back. The certificate costs should be free but expect to pay 300, 500 baht. 

 

Take the certificate, passport and final car payment to the leasing company and pick up your car book. 

 

 

 

 

Ive friends buy on a tourist visa without issue, have had some try to buy with a visa exempt entry and was a world of pain that ended up using expensive agents get the residence cert.

[NanLaew]

On 3/31/2022 at 8:59 AM, ehs818 said:

All of the advice above is good! If you are stuck for any reasons, on paper SELL the car to your wife or In laws. Have the Bill of Sale arranged for and notarized by a local attorney. It won't cost much. Then they can prove their ownership as that last payment is finally made on the car. Take the paperwork to Honda Leasing prior to the last payment, so that they have time to prepare the names correctly on the Blue book. The cars Blue book can then be put into their name, and since you trust them all, there should be no issue. Especially since you plan to allow them to keep the car anyway!

Not sure if the OP can "sell" the car he doesn't quite own yet so I understand the need for a local lawyer.

 

Can't the finance company just put the car in the OP's wife's name upon completion of financing? I am sure they would like this since dealing with a local, their paper trail may be much shorter. Right now the vehicle is in the finance company name, no?

 

If after all this the OP is still intent on having the car in his name, he can pop along to the transport office with his wife and the blue book and get her to gift the car to him. This avoids tax, paperwork, signatures and photocopies and incurs only the administrative cost.

[jvs]

18 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Not sure if the OP can "sell" the car he doesn't quite own yet so I understand the need for a local lawyer.

 

Can't the finance company just put the car in the OP's wife's name upon completion of financing? I am sure they would like this since dealing with a local, their paper trail may be much shorter. Right now the vehicle is in the finance company name, no?

 

If after all this the OP is still intent on having the car in his name, he can pop along to the transport office with his wife and the blue book and get her to gift the car to him. This avoids tax, paperwork, signatures and photocopies and incurs only the administrative cost.

Yes you are right,if the op is married it will not make a lot of difference anyway.

 

[Ralf001]

20 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Can't the finance company just put the car in the OP's wife's name upon completion of financing?

 

 

The finance company can do this, Tisco finance has done this for me when I sold a financed car.

 

Went to the Tisco office, buyer (Thai local) paid out loan and gave me the cash difference of the sale price.

I gave him both sets of keys and we parted ways, Took Tisco 2 weeks to have the book sorted into the new owners name.

 

 

[inThailand]

On 3/31/2022 at 5:26 AM, Ralf001 said:

The proof of address is an LTD requirement, not the bank.

 

 

I never said it was. 

 

What I did say was I wouldn't be surprised the bank could get it registered without it. Using their clout, money or a fake one. TIT! 

[Ralf001]

38 minutes ago, inThailand said:

I never said it was. 

 

What I did say was I wouldn't be surprised the bank could get it registered without it. Using their clout, money or a fake one. TIT! 

Why would the bank involve themselves in an illegal activity ?

Edited April 5, 2022 by Ralf001

[inThailand]

TIT! 

 

Maybe the bank employee making some baht on the side? Employees running an illegal business on the side is uncommon here?

 

The point I was making was it MAY be possible to get it done without all the needed documents.