Vehicle ownership transfer in Bhutan

Start with the current BCTA rules

BCTA announced that the Road Safety and Transport Rules and Regulations 2026 took effect on 1 July 2026. Its separate ownership-transfer facilitation notice said the final extension ended on 31 July 2026, with regular procedures applying from 1 August. Do not assume an older amnesty notice still applies to your sale.

Read the 2026 rules announcement and the final facilitation-period notice. Confirm the current deadline, charges and application route with BCTA before signing. This preparation guide does not set the legal requirements or calculate the tax due.

Prepare the ownership documents

BCTA’s published vehicle-transfer checklist identifies a sale deed showing the price, signatures of both parties across a legal stamp and a witness from each side; the vehicle registration certificate; and financial clearance covering any loan. It also identifies court clearance where the vehicle is in a legal dispute. Check this list against the current 2026 requirements with the office handling your case.

• Compare the registration record with the vehicle you inspected.
• Check the names and vehicle identifiers carefully before signing.
• Ask BCTA what identity documents, forms and originals each party must bring.
• Keep legible copies of documents and receipts for both buyer and seller.

Resolve a vehicle loan before the handover

If the seller says a loan is still running, ask the lender how it will be settled or whether a transfer can be approved. Get the required clearance through the relevant institution. A verbal promise that the loan will be cleared later is not the same as the lender’s written position.

Agree a documented payment sequence with the seller and lender before sending money. If the registered owner cannot be contacted, or the seller is acting for somebody else, ask BCTA what evidence and authority are needed for that situation before proceeding.

Confirm where to apply and what to pay

Use the official BCTA website to reach its online services or locate a regional or base office. Ask whether your particular transfer can be submitted online, whether either party must attend, and how the current valuation, tax and fees will be assessed.

Write down who will submit the application, who will pay each charge and how you will track completion. Keep the application reference and official payment receipts. Submitting an application and receiving an updated registration record are different milestones; check which one you have reached.

Check completion, then close the sale

Verify the new owner’s details on the updated registration record. Ask the insurer what must happen to the insurance when ownership changes. Keep the sale documents, agreed handover record and transfer confirmation together.

As a buyer, finish your vehicle inspection and buying checklist before payment. As a seller, update your Drukwheels listing once the car has sold so other buyers are not contacting you about an unavailable car.