NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form (Kenya)

A NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form in Kenya records the assignment of rights, obligations or property from one party to another.

Section 15 of the Traffic Act Cap. 403 requires that whenever ownership of a registered motor vehicle changes — whether by sale, gift, inheritance, court order, or any other means — both the transferor (the person giving up the vehicle) and the transferee (the person receiving it) must jointly complete and submit a prescribed transfer form to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (now NTSA) within fourteen days of the date of transfer. Failure to notify NTSA of a transfer within the prescribed period is an offence under Section 15(4) of the Traffic Act Cap. 403, attracting a fine not exceeding KES 20,000.

The NTSA processes vehicle transfer applications through the Transport Integrated Management System (TIMS) accessible via the NTSA eCitizen portal. The transfer workflow on TIMS requires the seller to initiate the transfer request, the buyer to accept and complete their details, and both parties to submit supporting documentation electronically. NTSA then updates the Motor Vehicle Register and generates a new Registration Certificate (logbook) in the buyer's name, endorsed with the transfer date.

A key practical concern in vehicle transfers in Kenya is the prevalence of logbook fraud — the use of forged, cloned, or altered logbooks to misrepresent ownership. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) under the National Police Service Act No. 11 of 2011 regularly investigates logbook fraud cases, and buyers are strongly advised to verify vehicle details through the NTSA TIMS portal before completing payment. The NTSA TIMS portal allows any member of the public to verify the registered owner, encumbrances (such as chattel mortgages, hire purchase interests, and court orders), and inspection status of a vehicle using the registration number or chassis number.

The transfer of a motor vehicle subject to a hire purchase agreement or chattel mortgage must be preceded by the written consent of the financier (typically a bank, microfinance institution, or SACCO). Under the Hire Purchase Act Cap. 507 and the Movable Property Security Rights Act No. 13 of 2017, the lender has a registered security interest over the vehicle, which must be discharged before the NTSA can process a transfer. The Movable Property Security Rights Act No. 13 of 2017 established the Collateral Registry administered by the Registrar of the High Court, and buyers should search the Collateral Registry as well as the NTSA TIMS portal before completing a vehicle purchase.

For inherited vehicles — where the registered owner has died — the transfer process requires a grant of probate or letters of administration issued by the High Court of Kenya under the Law of Succession Act Cap. 160, or a Succession Certificate from the Chief Magistrate's Court, before NTSA will process a transfer out of the deceased's name. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Probate and Administration Practice Direction 2022 guides practitioners on the documentation required for deceased estate transfers.

An NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form in Kenya is required in all circumstances where the ownership of a registered motor vehicle changes, and several distinct situations trigger the immediate obligation to file the form under Section 15 of the Traffic Act Cap. 403.

An NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form is needed immediately after the sale of a motor vehicle between private parties. Section 15 of the Traffic Act Cap. 403 requires both seller and buyer to submit the transfer form within 14 days of the date of the sale. Delay exposes both parties to criminal liability and leaves the seller legally responsible as the registered owner for any traffic offences, accidents, or liabilities incurred by the buyer after the sale.

An NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form is needed when a motor vehicle is given as a gift — for example, by a parent to a child or by a company to a director. Even where no money changes hands, a change of ownership is a transfer under Section 15 of the Traffic Act Cap. 403, and the recipient must apply for a new logbook in their name.

An NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form is required when a vehicle is repossessed by a bank, SACCO, or other financier following default on a hire purchase agreement or loan secured under the Movable Property Security Rights Act No. 13 of 2017. The financier, having exercised its enforcement rights, must file a transfer notice with NTSA to record the change from the debtor's name to the financier's name or to a purchaser at a realisation sale.

An NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form is needed when a vehicle is transferred as part of a business sale or asset purchase under the Law of Contract Act Cap. 23, where the vehicles form part of the assets being transferred to the buyer of the business.

An NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form is required when a vehicle passes to a beneficiary under the estate of a deceased person, following the grant of probate or letters of administration by the High Court of Kenya under the Law of Succession Act Cap. 160.

An NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form is needed when a court order directs the transfer of a vehicle — for example, in matrimonial property proceedings under the Matrimonial Property Act No. 49 of 2013, or in judgment enforcement proceedings under the Civil Procedure Act Cap. 21.

A valid and complete NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form in Kenya under Section 15 of the Traffic Act Cap. 403 must include the following essential elements.

Seller (Transferor) Details: Full legal name of the registered owner as it appears on the current vehicle logbook and the NTSA Motor Vehicle Register, national identity card number or passport number, KRA PIN issued by the Kenya Revenue Authority under the Tax Procedures Act No. 29 of 2015, physical address, telephone number, and email address. Where the seller is a company, the company name, Companies Act No. 17 of 2015 registration number, and the name and identity number of the authorised signatory must be provided.

Buyer (Transferee) Details: Full legal name, national identity card number or passport number, KRA PIN, physical address, telephone number, and email address of the new owner. The buyer's KRA PIN is required because NTSA reports vehicle transfers to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for purposes of Capital Gains Tax assessment under the Income Tax Act (Cap. 470) where applicable, and for Stamp Duty assessment by the Commissioner of Domestic Taxes.

Vehicle Identification: Registration number (number plate), chassis number (VIN), engine number, make, model, year of manufacture, colour, and body type of the vehicle being transferred. These must exactly match the current logbook and NTSA Motor Vehicle Register. Any discrepancy must be corrected through an NTSA logbook amendment procedure before the transfer can proceed.

Transfer Consideration: The agreed purchase price in Kenya Shillings (KES) or a statement that the transfer is by way of gift, court order, inheritance, or other non-monetary mechanism. The consideration is relevant for Stamp Duty calculation under the Stamp Duty Act Cap. 480, which imposes duty on instruments of transfer at rates prescribed by the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury.

Logbook (Registration Certificate): The original current logbook must be surrendered to NTSA with the transfer form. NTSA cancels the seller's logbook and issues a new Registration Certificate in the buyer's name upon completion of the transfer. Where the original logbook has been lost, the seller must first obtain a Duplicate Registration Certificate from NTSA before the transfer can proceed.

Insurance Confirmation: Confirmation that the vehicle is covered by a valid motor vehicle insurance policy under the Motor Vehicle (Third Party Insurance) Act Cap. 405. The buyer must arrange their own insurance policy before the vehicle is driven in their name, and the seller's policy does not automatically transfer to the buyer.

Discharge of Encumbrances: Where the vehicle is subject to a registered security interest under the Movable Property Security Rights Act No. 13 of 2017 or a hire purchase agreement under the Hire Purchase Act Cap. 507, written confirmation of discharge from the financier must accompany the transfer form. NTSA will not process the transfer without proof that all registered encumbrances have been released.

Joint Signatures and Declaration: The transfer form must be signed by both the seller and the buyer (or their authorised agents with written authority) confirming that the particulars are true and accurate, and that the transfer is made freely and voluntarily under the Traffic Act Cap. 403.

Forms-legal.com provides this Kenya NTSA Vehicle Transfer Form template as a practical guide for buyers and sellers of motor vehicles in Kenya. Disputes about vehicle ownership, logbook fraud, and encumbrance disclosure frequently arise before the Magistrates Courts and the High Court of Kenya under the Civil Procedure Act Cap. 21, and parties are encouraged to seek legal advice from an advocate enrolled with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) for complex transactions.