Power of attorney for the transfer of vehicle registration
What the power of attorney must contain
Above all, the power of attorney must sufficiently identify the principal, meaning the person who consents to another person acting on their behalf, and identify the attorney-in-fact, meaning the person to whom the authority is granted. First name, surname, date of birth, permanent address and nationality are sufficient for identification.
It cannot be a general power of attorney that does not specify the act for which the person is authorised. We therefore recommend expressly stating that the attorney-in-fact is authorised to transfer the registration of a specific motor vehicle, preferably identifying the vehicle by its registration number and, where appropriate, its vehicle identification number.
Both parties sign the power of attorney, because authority to act cannot be conferred on another person without that person’s prior consent. Accepting the power of attorney is therefore not a mere formality, but an expression of the attorney-in-fact’s intent.
Whose signature must be certified
Precision is essential here, as this is where mistakes most often occur in practice. Section 116(4) of Act No. 8/2009 Z. z. on Road Traffic requires the submission of a written power of attorney bearing the certified signature of the person to whom the vehicle registration is being transferred. It is therefore the acquirer’s signature that is certified, not that of the current registered holder.
The reason is straightforward. Registering a new holder creates obligations — insurance premiums, motor vehicle tax and liability for traffic offences — and the Police Force authority must be certain that the person becoming the registered holder actually knows about and agrees to this. Without a certified signature, the power of attorney cannot be used at the vehicle registration authority. An identity card is sufficient for a notary to certify the signature; the person may sign directly before the notary or acknowledge a signature already on the document as their own.
When signature certification is not required
The law provides for three situations in which a power of attorney with a certified signature is not required. The first is the acquirer’s personal attendance at the Police Force authority — if present, they express their consent directly and a power of attorney is unnecessary.
The second is a transfer to a close person of the current registered holder. The Civil Code defines this group as relatives in the direct line, namely parents, grandparents and descendants, as well as siblings and spouses. More distant relationships — a cousin, a brother-in-law or an unmarried partner — do not fall within this group, although they are often assumed to in practice.
The third option, which did not exist when this article was originally written, is electronic submission. If the acquirer submits a declaration of consent through the designated electronic service and signs it with a qualified electronic signature, signature certification is not required. For people with an activated identity card containing an electronic chip, this is now the quickest option.
The attorney-in-fact’s signature does not need to be certified. The procedure described above can be used both when the person removing the vehicle from the register cannot attend the transfer and when the person registering it cannot attend.
Deadline
The transfer of vehicle registration must be reported to the Police Force authority within the time limit set by the Road Traffic Act. Missing that deadline has consequences — late registration requires an expert report on the vehicle’s originality, and after a further deadline has passed, the documents and registration plates are recorded as stolen. We therefore recommend arranging the power of attorney in advance, rather than waiting until the final days of the deadline.
Vehicle purchased on credit
If you purchase a vehicle on credit and the bank or another financing institution requires it as collateral, a pledge over the vehicle must be established. A pledge over movable property arises upon its registration in the Notarial Central Register of Pledges, maintained by the Notary Chamber of the Slovak Republic; we can complete the registration while you wait and issue confirmation of it, which the financing institution usually requires.
The pledge agreement and proof of identity are sufficient for registration. If the pledgor is a legal entity, proof of its entry in the Commercial Register must also be provided; we can issue an extract from the Commercial Register while you wait. The registration fee depends on the value of the secured claim — current fees are listed in the office’s price list.
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We certify signatures while you wait If you need a power of attorney for transferring vehicle registration or registration of a pledge over a vehicle, simply visit us during office hours. If you are unsure whether signature certification is needed in your case, we will be happy to tell you in advance by phone. Notary Office, Stará Vajnorská 8, Bratislava III. |
Legislation cited in this article
Act No. 8/2009 Z. z. on Road Traffic — § 116 (changes in vehicle registration reported to the Police Force authority), particularly subsections 3 and 4
Act No. 40/1964 Zb., the Civil Code — § 116 (close person), § 151a et seq. (pledge)
Act No. 323/1992 Zb. on Notaries and Notarial Activities (Notarial Code) — § 58 et seq. (certification of signature authenticity), § 73d et seq. (Notarial Central Register of Pledges)
This text reflects the law as at 30 September 2026. It is for information only and does not replace legal advice on a specific matter. Current fees are listed in the office’s price list.
JUDr. Martin Vlha, PhD., notary · Notary Office, Stará Vajnorská 8, Bratislava III
