Can you sell a car if the owner is deceased?

Can you sell a car if the owner is deceased?

If you have been left an asset such as a car from a deceased family member and you do not want to keep the vehicle, or the vehicle needs to be sold and the proceeds split amongst the heirs, there is quite a procedure that needs to be followed for the sale to be legal.

Related: What are my rights if I get stopped at a roadblock?

The e-Natis system does make allowance for this and you will need to transfer the vehicle into your name before proceeding with the sale. For everything you need to know about the ownership certificate click here.

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Paperwork

To transfer the vehicle into your name you will need a host of documents to set the transfer into motion:

1. MVR1A or RLV change of ownership form;

2. RSA ID or Passport (if foreign national);

3. Letter of Executorship - this document is a letter from the executor of the estate, detailing the circumstances under which the vehicle came into your ownership;

4. Death Certificate – In the absence of an executor’s letter.

Once the vehicle has been transferred into your name, you can then proceed with a sale as per normal.

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Finally

Remember that whenever a change of ownership occurs, the e-Natis system will require a roadworthy certificate to finalise the change and issue you with a new license disk.

The only time a roadworthy certificate (RWC) is not needed is if the heir is the deceased person’s spouse.

Buying a car from a private seller: paperwork explained

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