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In light of the following statement on the NZTA website "The Certificate of registration isn’t legal title for the vehicle – it is simply a record of who is responsible for the vehicle." [Source : http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/heavy-vehicle-road-code/about-driver-responsibility/ownership-responsibilities/ ], can you please advise which documents constitute evidence of ownership of a car in New Zealand?
Thank you.
Anand
Hi there,
A sales contract and purchase receipt are proof of the sale transaction and evidence of vehicle ownership.
Anyone can be in charge of a vehicle, receive tickets, fines, ect but the same person may not necessarily be the one who purchased the vehicle.
Thank you, Cade. So when someone advertises a vehicle on say, TradeMe Motors, offering to sell a vehicle, should one ask the person for a copy of their sales contract and purchase receipt to be satisfied of their ownership of the vehicle?
On a related note, how would a potential buyer know whether the vehicle has changed owners between the time that the purchase receipt was issued and the vehicle was offered for sale again - particularly when the History Report does not reveal the identity of the current owner?
Shouldn't a History Report provide the identity of the current owner, so that potential buyers can request the seller for proof of photo identification (such as a Driver's Licence) and be satisfied that they are dealing with the bona fide owner of the vehicle? How else would potential buyers come to know if they are dealing with a genuine owner of the vehicle?
Hi there,
Due to the privacy act, private individual details can't be given out or obtained, so it will just give a time-frame of ownership change, or it will display a dealer/ business name.
One of the things you can id when creating a contract or purchase receipt, is include a statement that the seller would sign saying that they are legally entitled to sell the vehicle. Most people would not keep a document from when they purchased the vehicle, but the law says that the seller must be legally entitled to sell the vehicle, whether they own it or are selling on behalf.
That's good to know. Thank you, Cade; much appreciated.