How To Buy A 2Nd Hand Bike

[mja1906]

I am a farang who wants to buy a 2nd hand bike. I believe I need the ‘green book’ (so name can be transferred). What other paperwork should I request from the seller? Also how do I actually transfer the name over? And does both the seller and buyer need to go to the govt office together to transfer name? Or can just buyer go with the green book? Does it matter if the seller is also a farang? I’m confused about the procedure Theres a Honda Dream going for 14,500bt, 9yrs old, 18,000km, elec start. Sound like a good deal?? Many thanks in advance,

[BillR]

you need a proof of address or a work permit, proof of address you get at immigration. You need to go with the owner to vehicle department and he has to sign some documents.

I think you can pay a service to do this for you, so you dont waste a whole day.

I had a situation where I could get the green book, but the seller was no longer in Thailand. I was unable to transfer the name, but so long as you have the book you can pay the tax etc and the bike is legal. Not the best route, but because of this I was able to bargain the price.

[LivinginKata]

Yes, agree with the previous poster. You need a paper from immigration, certificate of residence, so you need to provide some paperwork from your land lord to proof your address in Thailand.

Best if you go with the owner to the Vehicle registration office, if not then you need the present owner to sign the transfer paper, with copies of owner's ID/tabian baan or passport, and also have 2 witnesses confirm the owner signature in a mandate form. Much easier if the owner accompanies you. You will also need copies of your passport, plus display your original passport for inspection.

It's simple enough, but needs a lot of paperwork to support the transfer.

[katabeachbum]

Yes, agree with the previous poster. You need a paper from immigration, certificate of residence, so you need to provide some paperwork from your land lord to proof your address in Thailand.

Best if you go with the owner to the Vehicle registration office, if not then you need the present owner to sign the transfer paper, with copies of owner's ID/tabian baan or passport, and also have 2 witnesses confirm the owner signature in a mandate form. Much easier if the owner accompanies you. You will also need copies of your passport, plus display your original passport for inspection.

It's simple enough, but needs a lot of paperwork to support the transfer.

if owner is foreign, he/she must have valid permit to stay in Thailand

and you need to bring bike to be inspected before transfer is accepted

usually I say, pay when inspected and transfer is accepted by DLT

all done in 2 hours, closed 12-1pm

[LivinginKata]

I forget to mention that there a transfer fee to be paid based on the value of the bike, as assessed by the DVLC people. It's not so much, not sure but I think 0.5% of the bike value, so just a few hundred baht for a second hand bike.

[NamKangMan]

Do you need another Certificate of Residence (I think they only last 3 months) from the immigration office if you have a Thai licence and how does the process for buying a secondhand bike differ from that of buying a new bike? Thanks.

[katabeachbum]

Do you need another Certificate of Residence (I think they only last 3 months) from the immigration office if you have a Thai licence and how does the process for buying a secondhand bike differ from that of buying a new bike? Thanks.

Certificate of residense issued by Immigration is valid as long as your permit to stay in passport, one day to one year. Phuket DLT accepts copy of this doc.

Thai drivers lisence is not accepted as proof of adress by Phuket DLT, yellow housebook is.

same requirement for new and used bike, usually dealer handles all docs for new

some dealers are very slow in reg of new bikes, so point out the date on adress doc to make sure they register in time. New law states max 30 days from new purchase/1st insurance to register and mount white plates

[NamKangMan]

Do you need another Certificate of Residence (I think they only last 3 months) from the immigration office if you have a Thai licence and how does the process for buying a secondhand bike differ from that of buying a new bike? Thanks.

Certificate of residense issued by Immigration is valid as long as your permit to stay in passport, one day to one year. Phuket DLT accepts copy of this doc.

Thai drivers lisence is not accepted as proof of adress by Phuket DLT, yellow housebook is.

same requirement for new and used bike, usually dealer handles all docs for new

some dealers are very slow in reg of new bikes, so point out the date on adress doc to make sure they register in time. New law states max 30 days from new purchase/1st insurance to register and mount white plates

"Dealer handles all doc for new."

Do you go to the DLT with the dealer? I'm not keen on giving the dealer my passport. Can you ride the bike during the transfer process? What documents do you need 1 year later when insurance is due again?

[katabeachbum]

"Dealer handles all doc for new."

Do you go to the DLT with the dealer? I'm not keen on giving the dealer my passport. Can you ride the bike during the transfer process? What documents do you need 1 year later when insurance is due again?

bike dealers need to bring original passport to DLT to have copy verified, done in 30 minutes while you wait for bike to be serviced etc

you can ride the bike on red plates/dealer plates while waiting for reg/white plates for max 30 days.

next time your passport is needed for this bike, is when you sell it again

to get/renew insurance and annual road tax, only bikes reg book and a few hundred baht is needed

[ScubaBuddha]

Welcome to Phuket mja,

No one has mentioned the power of attorney form if seller is not able to or will not go to LTD (Department of Land Transport). Has the law changed? In the past, as recently as a few months ago, when I have bought and sold bikes the owner (seller) was not required to be present at the DLT for transfer of ownership as long as the buyer had:

1) Green Book.

2) Bike

3) Signed copy of sellers passport and signed copy of sellers current/valid visa or visa exempt entry stamp (if seller is foreigner. Remember the visa/visa exempt entry stamp must be current when transferring ownership even if the owner is no longer in Thailand!) or signed copy of Thai ID (if seller is Thai.)

4) Signed copy and original passport and visa/visa exempt stamp. (Visa obviously needs to be current/valid)

5) A completed title transfer form signed by both parties.

6) Power of attorney form signed by seller. (Thai or farang, it doesn't matter)

7) Some form of evidence of residency. Both a signed copy and the original. This can be any one of the following:

a ) letter from Embassy (hard to get and can be expensive),

b ) letter from immigration (used to be free, they usually won't do anymore, but my 90 day reporting receipt which had my address on it was accepted on one occasion),

c ) Work permit. (Must be issued in same province as residency is claimed)

d ) House book "tambien baan" along with rental contract. (This is the most common and easiest)

Or, as already mentioned, just avoid the hassle and leave the bike in the old owners name. As mentioned you can still road tax it every year. (100B) They don't care whose name is in it. It's not illegal and many people do this. I have done it this way before as well.

And to answer the other question, I think a 9 year old Dream for 14,500 seems high to me, but I am biased since you are looking at a couple bikes I am selling. .

And remember what I said about the odometer not meaning much in Thailand. They can be disconnected/rolled back too easy, which is why no one lists KM's when a car or motorcycle is for sale. The Thai's know it doesn't matter.

Good Luck!

SB

Edited January 5, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[katabeachbum]

Yepp, owner does not need to go to DLT.

Owner can sign Power of Atterney form and transfer docs. Supported by owners Passport copy, this is sufficient to transfer ownership

[LivinLOS]

Certificate of residense issued by Immigration is valid as long as your permit to stay in passport, one day to one year. Phuket DLT accepts copy of this doc.

Really ?? I was told 2 weeks..

I am not 100% but I think I even had one refused on this basis a few years ago.. And had to go get a fresh one and it was only a month or so old.

[katabeachbum]

Certificate of residense issued by Immigration is valid as long as your permit to stay in passport, one day to one year. Phuket DLT accepts copy of this doc.

Really ?? I was told 2 weeks..

I am not 100% but I think I even had one refused on this basis a few years ago.. And had to go get a fresh one and it was only a month or so old.

well I get a new one every 90 days, and its valid for 90 days

however my friend has a one year permit to stay, so his is valid for............one year

a few years ago it was rather different, each certificate was written in pc with photo and only original accepted. Now your name and adress is filled into a form done in 3 minutes, and copy accepted. Things change

[Kernow86]

Having just bought a new bike my brother is using my old one. Is he insured to drive it on the insurance i paid for the bike?

or is the bike insured or the driver?

[Kernow86]

I just got anew bike and my brother is using mine while he is here. Is he insured to drive it or should i transfer the bike into his name?

OR

Is the bike insured or the driver?

It is a big pain to transfer ownership of the bike as i have to take time off work to do this! Would have to 'sick' time too or else salary deduction!

[katabeachbum]

I just got anew bike and my brother is using mine while he is here. Is he insured to drive it or should i transfer the bike into his name?

OR

Is the bike insured or the driver?

It is a big pain to transfer ownership of the bike as i have to take time off work to do this! Would have to 'sick' time too or else salary deduction!

the compulsory Insurance covers anyone riding the bike legally, IOW have legal DL and is sober. Coverage is extremely limited tho, bike is not covered, 3rd party medical is peanutmoney, and 3rd partys car/bike is nothing. To be payed by rider.

[Kernow86]

the compulsory Insurance covers anyone riding the bike legally, IOW have legal DL and is sober. Coverage is extremely limited tho, bike is not covered, 3rd party medical is peanutmoney, and 3rd partys car/bike is nothing. To be payed by rider.

Thanks for that Kata,

Did you see the post in cbr250 re: insurance. Someone had posted TV quotes for 3rd class i think. Can you recommend any other better/alternative insurances?

It seems it could be worth investing a bit more than the least coverage.

[katabeachbum]

Thanks for that Kata,

Did you see the post in cbr250 re: insurance. Someone had posted TV quotes for 3rd class i think. Can you recommend any other better/alternative insurances?

It seems it could be worth investing a bit more than the least coverage.

The first year with my Ninja650R I had 1st class with Falcon at 7800 baht covering 200k baht bike as I recall, and 10mill 3rd party, and 200k bailbond (in case of accident with fatality, all involved must make bail). This year I havent bothered. New bike on delivery, easy. 2nd year and further they need to inspect bike, photos, phone calls, blablabla etc

was offreed 2nd year at 6200 as I recall.

[kennalder]

I just got a certificate of residency from Chiang Mai immigration. It is good for 30 days only. Same as I was told the last 3 times I got one. Maybe it varies from place to place.