Transferring vehicle registration in practice
One-step transfer
Until the end of 2022, transferring a vehicle’s registration involved two steps. The previous registered keeper deregistered the vehicle at the traffic police inspectorate responsible for their place of residence, and the new keeper then registered it at the inspectorate responsible for their place of residence. If the parties came from different districts, this meant two trips to two different places.
Since 1 January 2023, the entire procedure has been completed in one visit at any traffic police inspectorate in the Slovak Republic, regardless of where either party resides. Deregistration and registration are handled in a single procedure, and the new keeper receives documents issued in their name.
The same change also ended the link between the registration number and the keeper’s district: the number now stays with the vehicle. Registration plates therefore do not change when the keeper changes, even if the new keeper lives in another district. The previous keeper may also retain the registration number and, within the statutory period, apply to have it assigned to another vehicle they own — an option used particularly by those who value a specific registration number.
When the transfer must be completed
The vehicle owner must notify the Police Force of the transfer of the vehicle’s registered keepership to another person within the statutory time limit, and the new owner must likewise apply for the new keeper to be entered in the register. This obligation is often underestimated.
The consequences of missing the deadline can be significant. Late registration requires an expert report verifying the vehicle’s authenticity, which means another procedure and additional costs; once a further time limit has expired, the registration certificate and registration plates are recorded as stolen. For the seller, a delay carries a separate risk — while they remain listed as the keeper in the register, they are subject to obligations associated with the vehicle, including strict liability for certain offences.
Required documents
To transfer a vehicle’s registered keepership, you must present an identity document, an application to transfer the vehicle’s registered keepership to another person and an application to register the new keeper, the registration certificate Part I and, where applicable, Part II, and proof of compulsory third-party liability insurance for damage caused by the operation of a motor vehicle taken out by the new keeper. If the vehicle’s keeper is a business operator, a document proving their authorisation to conduct business must also be presented. Finally, the administrative fee must be paid.
If either party cannot attend in person, a power of attorney is used. Under Section 116(4) of Act No. 8/2009 Coll., a written power of attorney bearing the certified signature of the person to whom the vehicle’s registered keepership is being transferred — that is, the acquirer — is required. Certification is not required if the acquirer is present in person, if the transfer is to a person close to the current keeper, or if the acquirer has submitted a declaration of consent through an electronic service with a qualified electronic signature. We discuss this matter in more detail in a separate article on powers of attorney.
Administrative fee
The method for calculating the administrative fee for registering a vehicle keeper changed fundamentally on 1 July 2023. Until then, the fee depended on engine power and the age of the vehicle, with older vehicles benefiting from a residual-value coefficient.
Today, the fee is calculated by multiplying a rate based on the engine’s maximum power by the vehicle’s environmental coefficient. The environmental coefficient depends on the emissions standard or, where applicable, the date of first registration, and reduces the resulting amount — vehicles meeting newer emissions standards, alternatively powered vehicles and historic vehicles receive more favourable treatment. The aim of the change was to stop favouring old vehicles solely because of their age and to link the fee to their actual environmental impact.
In practice, this means that the final fee can differ substantially for two vehicles with the same engine power. The fee is reduced if the application is submitted electronically. The specific rates are set out in the schedule of administrative fees and are worth checking in advance, as the amount is not negligible for more powerful engines.
Changes from 1 September 2026
The Road Traffic Act was extensively amended with effect from 1 September 2026. The changes primarily concern penalties for speeding, the extension of the vehicle keeper’s strict liability to additional types of offences, the status of scooters as small electric vehicles, and the protection of pedestrians.
This amendment did not affect the rules on transferring a vehicle’s registered keepership or the requirements for a power of attorney. However, the extension of the keeper’s strict liability indirectly makes timely completion of the transfer more important — liability is imposed on the person registered as the keeper, not on the actual driver.
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If you need a signature certified The vehicle registration transfer itself is handled at a traffic police inspectorate. If you need a power of attorney with an officially certified signature or an extract from the Commercial Register for the transfer, visit us — we can provide both while you wait. Notary Office, Stará Vajnorská 8, Bratislava III. |
Legislation cited in this article
Act No. 8/2009 Coll. on Road Traffic, as amended by Act No. 131/2026 Coll. — Section 116 (changes in vehicle registration reported to the Police Force)
Act No. 145/1995 Coll. on Administrative Fees — item concerning the registration of a motor vehicle keeper (rate based on engine power and environmental coefficient)
Act No. 40/1964 Coll., the Civil Code — Section 116 (close person)
Act No. 381/2001 Coll. on Compulsory Contractual Liability Insurance for Damage Caused by the Operation of a Motor Vehicle
This text reflects the legal position as at 30 September 2026. It is for information purposes and does not replace legal advice on a specific matter. Current prices are listed in the office’s price list.
JUDr. Martin Vlha, PhD., notary · Notary Office, Stará Vajnorská 8, Bratislava III
