Authorised traders and processes

Owner name and address

Introduction

The correct owner name and address information must be declared to Revenue at the time of registration of motor vehicles.

The name declared is the name that will appear on the Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC). This is the person responsible in law for that vehicle.

There is a legal responsibility on motor dealers not to enter owner details that they know to be wrong or misleading.

Ownership details

The owner to be named at registration is:

• the person, or the legally accountable entity by whom the vehicle is to be kept, or
• if a vehicle is the subject of a hire-purchase agreement or a lease, the person or the legally accountable entity in possession of the vehicle under the agreement or lease.

Legally accountable entity

This phrase includes:

• all businesses incorporated under the Companies Acts, and
• other entities, for example, Local Authorities, partnerships and suchlike.

While it is not possible to give an exhaustive list of acceptable legal entities, as a general rule, the name under which the declared owner is registered for tax purposes should be acceptable.

'Trading as' or 't/a' names

A 'trading as' or 't/a'' name is not acceptable as an owner as it is not a legal entity.

However, where the name of a legal entity has already been entered, the trading name with 't/a' may also be entered in the space provided for first names on the VRT declarations.

Joint names

Only one person can be declared as the owner of a vehicle. The declaration of ownership of vehicles in joint names is not acceptable.

Address

The address required to be entered is the address in the State at which the owner ordinarily resides at the time of registration.

This address:

• determines the county identifier on the registration plate
• determines the address to which the vehicle registration certificate will be posted, and
• can also be used for legal purposes.

The declaration of some other address, for example, the motor dealer's or a relative of the owner, is not permitted. In particular 'care of' addresses are not to be used.