What Document Does A Foreiner Nee To Sell A Motorcycle?

[BKKluke]

I purchased a motorcycle in my name and everything is legal and up to date, I am now selling it. What documents do I need to transfer ownership to the new buyer? Do I need the same letter from my embassy that is required to buy a new motorcycle? Are there any other documents that will be good enough? (work permit?)

What can pass as proof of residency?

[Richard-BKK]

You need the same documents as you needed to register the bike.

[katabeachbum]

In Phuket you do not need proof of recidense document, the one you got from your embassy. So the answer depends on which province your vehicle is registered in

[Kimera]

I purchased a motorcycle in my name and everything is legal and up to date, I am now selling it. What documents do I need to transfer ownership to the new buyer? Do I need the same letter from my embassy that is required to buy a new motorcycle? Are there any other documents that will be good enough? (work permit?)

What can pass as proof of residency?

Best thing is to go and ask your local government office, they will tell you what you need and give you the papers they will need you to fill in and give to the purchaser if you dont go in person with him/her

[BKKluke]

I am working this out with a Thai guy that buys and sells motorcycles for profit. He will figure out the lowest cost way to do this and I will update the post. Usually, when a foreigner is told that you need to buy the proof of residency from your embassy, it is possible to get a much cheaper document that will suffice. I have done this a for my 5 year license and post-pay DTAC phone plans.

[PeaceBlondie]

When I sold my 2003 CBR150 a year ago to a Thai reseller in Chiang Mai, I did not need a residency letter.

[LivinLOS]

In Phuket you do not need proof of recidense document, the one you got from your embassy. So the answer depends on which province your vehicle is registered in

Confirmed.. Last time I sold a bike it was passport (back page and visa page), the 2 forms for power of attorney and transfer, and the book.. No residence paper for seller but was needed for the buyer.

The last sale I made tho was probably 18 months to 2 years ago.

Edited May 7, 2009 by LivinLOS

[LivinLOS]

I am working this out with a Thai guy that buys and sells motorcycles for profit. He will figure out the lowest cost way to do this and I will update the post. Usually, when a foreigner is told that you need to buy the proof of residency from your embassy, it is possible to get a much cheaper document that will suffice. I have done this a for my 5 year license and post-pay DTAC phone plans.

Letter from embassy

Proof from immigration

Work permit

Sometimes accept yellow house book.

[katabeachbum]

Confirmed.. Last time I sold a bike it was passport (back page and visa page), the 2 forms for power of attorney and transfer, and the book.. No residence paper for seller but was needed for the buyer.

The last sale I made tho was probably 18 months to 2 years ago.

3 weeks ago in Phuket. sold/transfered 2 bikes. No recidense document for seller only for buyers.

[LivinLOS]

Has anyone ever managed to get a sale completed when the current owner was not in the country. Hence had no current entry stamp ??

The passport and sale docs can all be signed, and be current, but the seller isnt incountry.. Seems thats a dead end ??

[Richard-BKK]

He LivingLOS,

If you have all documents and just not the person, you can do, what is called a Floating Transfer, most registration offices do know what this is and have no problem with it. More info can be found here

[katabeachbum]

He LivingLOS,

If you have all documents and just not the person, you can do, what is called a Floating Transfer, most registration offices do know what this is and have no problem with it. More info can be found here

A Floating Transfer from farang will normally only be accepted with entry stamp and only as long as permitted to stay. If farang has left the country before permit to stay expires, its still accepted because nobody knows he has left. If farang is still here on overstay, it will normally not be accepted.

[Richard-BKK]

If the previous owner, was a farang, who has no exit stamp, or is still in the country on overstay, this has little to do with the registering the bike on another name. Just fill-in the papers make copies of the passport of the previous owner and let him sign (even a good looking look-a-like signature works).

If the stamps do not fit, just back date the bike purchase. Make a little sales contract... with something like "hereby I Mr. Farang X sell the Motorcycle Honda Wave X with chassis nr.... and engine nr. xxxx with book nr...... to Mr. Farnang Z, I hereby provide all papers to transfer ownership... attached signed copy passport and signed copy of my last resident certificate.."

This works, did it several times.....

[Richard-BKK]

As alternative option, you can contact a motorcycle dealer, one who sells a lot secondhand bikes, traders like this have often problems with changing registering and have often special contacts which help to keep transfers smooth. Sure this people don't help for free, but it would also not be that expensive.

[katabeachbum]

As alternative option, you can contact a motorcycle dealer, one who sells a lot secondhand bikes, traders like this have often problems with changing registering and have often special contacts which help to keep transfers smooth. Sure this people don't help for free, but it would also not be that expensive.

Dear Richard-BKK

I said "normally will not be accepted". With "look-a-like signatures" and tea money everything can pass. Those signatures and passport copies are filed for 20 years..... I am planning on 35 more years in LOS

[Richard-BKK]

I'm not talking about tea money, it is just that you need to pay somebody with more experience and friends then yourself. There is nothing wrong with this.

This cost probably a few hundred baht. You recognize this motorcycle traders easy, they come with stacks of books and are mostly faster finished then a person with one book.

[katabeachbum]

I'm not talking about tea money, it is just that you need to pay somebody with more experience and friends then yourself. There is nothing wrong with this.

This cost probably a few hundred baht. You recognize this motorcycle traders easy, they come with stacks of books and are mostly faster finished then a person with one book.

Actually I use one sometimes, if I m too lazy to go myself. 500 baht each, including tape and pencil on the vin code. its very convinient for me not to bring several vehicles for vin check same day.

They can also make impossible things happen (like ignoring missing permit to stay stamps), but I m not really interested in that. Dislike those files in the future.

[LivinLOS]

If the previous owner, was a farang, who has no exit stamp, or is still in the country on overstay, this has little to do with the registering the bike on another name. Just fill-in the papers make copies of the passport of the previous owner and let him sign (even a good looking look-a-like signature works).

If the stamps do not fit, just back date the bike purchase. Make a little sales contract... with something like "hereby I Mr. Farang X sell the Motorcycle Honda Wave X with chassis nr.... and engine nr. xxxx with book nr...... to Mr. Farnang Z, I hereby provide all papers to transfer ownership... attached signed copy passport and signed copy of my last resident certificate.."

This works, did it several times.....

My understanding is.. If the farang has gone.. The sale cant happen.. They need a entry stamp that is current.. An expired one isnt accepted. They dont (here) backdate a sale I am told.

I was recently offered a bike.. And the owner has left the country, all transfer forms have been signed and owner will help in any way, but a current stamp is impossible to obtain. Hence bike cannot be legally transfered..

Now if someone knows different.. great..

Personally I fail to understand why the entry stamp has to be current if the power of attorney forms are all done.. What difference would it make if hes in the country or out of the country.. but well TiT.

[Richard-BKK]

Yes not understand, I cannot figure out why it is different everywhere...

[katabeachbum]

Yes not understand, I cannot figure out why it is different everywhere...

Living in Paradise is not understanding. It is accepting and providing what is required Yes smiling while providing it smooths things out

[BKKluke]

I purchased a motorcycle in my name and everything is legal and up to date, I am now selling it. What documents do I need to transfer ownership to the new buyer? Do I need the same letter from my embassy that is required to buy a new motorcycle? Are there any other documents that will be good enough? (work permit?)

What can pass as proof of residency?

OK, its finished now.

I did not need to buy the certificate of residency from the embassy.

I needed a copy of front page and visa page from my passport and any document verifying that I live in Thailand. I used a document from a university, but a work permit would probably work too.

I gave the document and passport copies to the Thai man that bought my motorcycle and he went and transferred the ownership for a very low price. He paid, not me, so I don't know exactly how much it cost.