Can a Vehicle Be Transferred Without the Green Book?
4 Answers
The vehicle cannot be transferred without the Green Book. The transfer can only proceed after the "Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate" is reissued and all transfer conditions are met. Conditions for reissuing the Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate: 1. If the Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate is lost, missing, or damaged, the vehicle owner must apply for a replacement at the vehicle management office of the registration location. 2. Vehicle owners may authorize an agent to handle various motor vehicle registration and related matters, except for applying for a replacement of the Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate. If the vehicle owner cannot apply in person due to reasons such as death, overseas travel, serious illness, disability, or force majeure, an agent may apply on their behalf with relevant proof. Required application materials for reissuing the Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate: 1. "Motor Vehicle License Plate Application Form." 2. Original and photocopy of the vehicle owner's identity proof. 3. Vehicle inspection record form (processed on-site). To apply for a replacement of the Motor Vehicle Registration Certificate, the vehicle owner must bring the vehicle to the vehicle management office. If the vehicle owner is a natural person applying for a replacement, they must appear in person and cannot authorize an agent. If the vehicle owner cannot appear due to death, overseas travel, serious illness, disability, or force majeure, relevant proof must be provided.
I've helped a friend with a similar issue before. His vehicle title (the big green book) was lost, and when he wanted to transfer ownership, he found out that going directly to the DMV wasn't possible. He had to first apply for a replacement of that certificate, otherwise the transfer process would be stuck. I accompanied him to apply for it, preparing his ID card, vehicle registration, and filling out a lost declaration form, then waiting in line for approval. The replacement process took over a week, but once he got the new title, the ownership transfer went much smoother. It really was time-consuming but unavoidable. I suggest all car owners keep a backup copy in a safe place to avoid the hassle when it's urgently needed. This incident reminded me to regularly check vehicle documents and not regret only after losing them.
If you encounter a situation where the big green book (vehicle registration certificate) is lost and you need to transfer ownership, don't rush to proceed. You must follow the reissuance process. I understand that you need to bring the owner's ID and vehicle documents to the local DMV, and during the application, there may be a requirement to publish a notice in the newspaper for a few days to prevent fraud. Once the new certificate is reissued, you can directly submit it for the ownership transfer. The entire process may take around ten days to half a month, with low costs but some hassle. To prevent this, it's best to take photos and keep an electronic copy. Remember, the big green book is essential for ownership transfer—it's the vehicle's ID card. Without it, no one can proceed, so being careful can save you a lot of trouble.
Transferring a vehicle without the original registration certificate (big green book) is impossible; you must first apply for a replacement. I went through this once—the DMV conducts strict checks during the replacement process to prevent fraud, as the certificate is crucial for confirming ownership during transfer. The steps to replace it are straightforward: just bring the required documents to apply for a new one. If everything goes smoothly, it can be done in a few days, but delays might affect the transfer timeline. In short, don’t procrastinate—handle it promptly, safety first.
