Paid Off Your Car in Thailand? How Many Days You Have to Transfer Ownership

Once the last instalment is paid, Thai law gives you 15 days from the date of transfer to register the change of ownership at the Department of Land Transport (DLT). Miss it and the fine can reach THB 2,000. The rule is the same for cars and motorbikes. Talata, a marketplace for used cars and second-hand goods across Thailand, put together what happens next: the transfer pack from your finance company, the documents foreigners need, the fees, and how long it takes to get the registration book back in your name.

How many days do you have to transfer ownership after paying off your car?

Fifteen. Section 17 of the Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 (1979) says that when a registered vehicle changes hands, both the transferor and the transferee must notify the registrar within fifteen days of the transfer. Section 60 sets the penalty for not doing so at a fine of up to THB 2,000.

With hire purchase, the transferor is the finance company, which is listed as the legal owner in the registration book. You, the hirer who just finished paying, are the transferee. The law puts the duty on both sides. In practice, if the finance company files the transfer for you, your job is to sign and return its paperwork on time. If you choose to do it yourself, you are the one going to the DLT office.

When does the 15-day clock start?

The Act says "from the date of transfer", not from the date of your last payment or the day the documents arrive. You cannot file anything until the finance company's transfer pack is in your hands, so the safest approach is simple: file as soon as you receive the pack, or, if the finance company is handling it, send the signed papers back before the final instalment is due. Leave yourself a buffer in case something is missing.

What happens if you transfer late, or never transfer at all?

You can still transfer after the 15 days. You do not lose any rights to the car; the risk is the Section 60 fine, capped by law at THB 2,000.

The bigger problem shows up later. People who pay off a car and leave the book in the finance company's name for years find they cannot sell it or use it as loan collateral straight away, because they are still not the legal owner. They have to go back to the finance company, and if the papers in the original transfer pack have expired, request a new set.

Is the car yours once the last instalment is paid?

Not fully, until the transfer is done. A Thai registration book has two names. The owner is the person or company with legal title to the vehicle. The possessor is the person who uses the car and is responsible for it. While you are paying, the owner is the finance company and the possessor is you.

Paying the last instalment clears your debt, but the book still shows the finance company as owner. The ownership transfer is the step that puts your name in that field. For a page-by-page walk-through of what the book contains, see our guide to the Thai vehicle registration book.

How long until you get the registration book back?

If the finance company handles the transfer, most send the book in your name by post within about 15 business days of receiving your final payment, the transfer fee and complete documents. Toyota Leasing, Nissan Leasing and ttb all state this timeframe on their websites (checked 6 October 2026). Policies can change, so confirm when you make the last payment.

Many lenders do not wait until you have finished paying. Toyota Leasing posts the transfer documents 30 days before the final instalment is due, and Nissan Leasing sends them 60 days ahead. You sign, attach copies of your documents and return everything before the due date. If the final instalment is close and nothing has arrived, call your finance company.

If you plan to transfer at the DLT yourself, the timing depends on how quickly the lender releases the book and transfer pack, and when you can get to the office.

What is in the transfer pack, and does it expire?

A typical transfer pack contains a power of attorney from the finance company, the transfer and acceptance application form, copies of the company's documents and proof that the hire purchase has been paid in full. If you are doing the transfer yourself, the registration book comes with it. If the lender is doing it, the book stays with them until the transfer is complete.

Paperwork errors are the most common cause of delays. Toyota Leasing tells customers to sign only where an X is marked, using the same signature as on the hire purchase contract, and not to fill in the other forms themselves, because the DLT will reject a transfer with wrong entries. Some documents in the pack, such as the power of attorney, may carry an expiry date. If it lapses before you file, ask the finance company for a new set and whether there is a fee for reissuing it.

Documents for transferring a car after paying off finance

The DLT lists the evidence needed to transfer a vehicle bought on hire purchase. It splits neatly into what the finance company provides and what you bring.

From the finance company

• The vehicle registration book
• A copy of the hire purchase contract
• The receipt and tax invoice for the final instalment
• A letter from the lender confirming that the hire purchase and VAT have been paid in full
• A power of attorney and a copy of the lender's company registration certificate
• The transfer and acceptance application, signed on the transferor's side

What you prepare yourself

• Thai nationals: national ID card (valid) with a copy, and a copy of the house registration (Tabien Baan)
• A copy of the current annual road tax disc (most lenders ask for it)
• Your signature in the transferee section of the application form
• A power of attorney with a copy of the representative's ID, if someone files on your behalf

If your name or title changed while you were paying, include the name-change certificate or marriage certificate so your ID can be matched to the contract. Sign every copy with the same signature as on the contract.

Extra documents for foreign hirers

Foreigners use a passport in place of the Thai ID card. On the finance side, Nissan Leasing asks foreign customers for a copy of the passport and visa (including every page showing an extension), a copy of the work permit and a copy of the current road tax disc. Other lenders publish their own lists, so check with yours.

If you are filing at the DLT yourself, foreigners usually do not have a Tabien Baan, so the office will want some proof of a Thai address. Call the DLT office before you go and ask which document it accepts.

Step-by-step: transferring ownership after the final instalment

1. Check that the road tax is current, there are no unpaid traffic fines and the vehicle is not under a hold.
2. Request the payoff amount and make the final payment, then ask whether the lender will transfer for you or send the book and transfer pack so you can do it.
3. When the pack arrives, check the expiry date on the power of attorney straight away.
4. Make sure the name, chassis number and engine number in the book match every document.
5. File the transfer at the DLT office where the vehicle is registered and pay the fees.
6. Collect the registration book and confirm that the owner field now shows your name.

When the finance company transfers a paid-off vehicle to the hirer, no vehicle inspection is required, because the hirer is already the registered possessor. If the car is registered in another province and you now live elsewhere, read how to transfer a car across provinces before you travel.

Can you transfer with expired road tax or unpaid fines?

Both can stall the transfer. Toyota Leasing warns customers that if the road tax disc expires during the process, the DLT cannot complete the ownership transfer. Nissan Leasing asks customers to renew the tax if it has less than two months left, and to pay any traffic fines and clear any hold on the vehicle before the transfer starts.

Check both before your last payment. If you are not sure whether you have outstanding tickets, you can check Thai traffic fines online by licence plate.

Let the finance company handle it, or do it yourself at the DLT?

Many Thai car lenders transfer for you by default: you sign the pack, send it back with the transfer fee and wait for the book by post. Some also give you the option of doing it yourself. SCB, for example, closed its vehicle registration counter on 1 April 2025; individual customers can now either let the bank handle the transfer or pay a deposit to have the book posted to them and transfer it themselves. Krungsri Auto lets customers who have paid in full request the ownership transfer in the GO by Krungsri Auto app and receive the book by post.

Handling fees vary between lenders and most do not publish them online, so ask for the exact figure before you choose.

How much does the transfer cost?

The DLT charges very little in this case. Under its fee schedule, the application costs THB 5 and the registration transfer THB 100, the same for cars and motorbikes. Because a hirer taking ownership of their own paid-off vehicle does not need an inspection, there is no inspection fee (if one is needed, it is THB 50 for a car and THB 10 for a motorbike).

If the lender handles it, add their handling fee. Stamp duty and other costs can vary by case, so ask at the counter. For the full fee table and worked examples, see our guide to car ownership transfer fees in Thailand.

Paid off a motorbike? What is different

The 15-day rule and the THB 2,000 maximum fine apply to motorbikes too, since they fall under the same Motor Vehicle Act. The process is similar: get the transfer pack, prepare your ID and address documents, and file at the DLT, or let the lender do it.

Two things differ. A motorbike registration book is green rather than blue, and many motorbike lenders are manufacturer-linked finance arms or the dealers who sold the bike on instalments, so the way you receive the pack may differ from a bank. Ask on the day you pay the last instalment when the documents will be ready and where to collect them.

If you plan to sell once the transfer is done, our guide on how to sell a used motorbike in Thailand covers the paperwork and pricing.

Selling right after paying off: transfer to yourself first?

You have two options. The first is to transfer the car into your own name, then sell. Buyers see that the seller's name matches the book, which makes checks and price talks easier, and on the day of sale you sign a car sale agreement and transfer again in the normal way. The downside is two transfers.

The second is to have the finance company transfer directly to the buyer, saving one step. Some lenders allow this: Nissan Leasing says customers who have paid in full can choose to transfer to someone else. Not every lender does, and because the new owner is not the original hirer, the inspection exemption no longer applies and the car must be inspected. Ask your lender whether it offers this and what it charges.

If you are the buyer and a seller says the car is paid off but the book is still in the lender's name, ask to see the final instalment receipt or the lender's confirmation of full payment before you hand over any money. A car that is still under finance is a different process; see how to sell a financed car in Thailand. For the wider picture from pricing to handover, read our guide to selling a used car privately in Thailand.

Before you buy or sell, check the book and paperwork carefully and compare a few cars before you commit. When you find the right one, contact the seller through Talata to talk through the details.

Why Buy or Sell a Used Car on Talata?

For buyers, Talata brings used car listings from owners and sellers across Thailand into one place, so you can search and compare prices on a single page and contact the seller directly. Ask to see the registration book and proof that the finance has been paid off when you first get in touch, and you will not waste a trip on a car whose papers are not ready.

For sellers, once the book is in your name, listing the car is easy. Add photos from every angle and state the year, mileage and book status clearly so buyers can decide faster. When you are ready, start on Talata.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I go to transfer the car after paying it off?

Go to the DLT office responsible for the area where the vehicle is registered, as shown in the registration book. If you cannot go yourself, a representative can file for you with a power of attorney and their ID card, or you can let the finance company handle the transfer and skip the visit.

Do I need to take the car for inspection?

No, not when the finance company transfers a paid-off vehicle to the hirer. The DLT exempts this case from inspection because the hirer is already the registered possessor. The exemption does not cover a transfer to someone else.

Can a foreigner transfer a paid-off car into their own name?

Yes. Foreigners who bought a car on hire purchase can take ownership once it is paid off, using a passport in place of the Thai ID card. Lenders typically ask for passport and visa copies and a work permit, and if you file at the DLT yourself, call ahead to confirm which proof of address the office accepts.

Can I use the registration book as loan collateral straight after paying off?

Not yet. Transfer ownership into your name first, because lenders check the owner's name in the book. While it still shows the finance company, you cannot apply.

Who gets fined if the transfer is more than 15 days late?

Section 17 puts the duty to notify on both the transferor and the transferee, so it is not tied to one side. In practice the person filing is either the hirer or the finance company acting for them; if you are late, ask at the counter what fine applies.

What if I lose the transfer pack?

Ask the finance company to issue a new set. It can reissue its own documents, such as the power of attorney. If the registration book is also lost, you will need to apply for a replacement book at the DLT.

Can the finance company transfer the car to someone else's name?

Some can. Nissan Leasing, for example, says customers who have paid in full can choose to transfer to another person. Check the conditions and fees with your lender first, and note that the new owner will need to bring their own ID and address documents and have the car inspected.

I am still paying. Can I put the contract in someone else's name?

Yes, through a transfer of the hire purchase agreement. The new hirer has to be approved by the finance company and fees apply. See our guide to transferring a hire purchase agreement in Thailand for the full process.

I am buying a car that is paid off but still in the lender's name. What should I check?

Ask for the final instalment receipt or the lender's confirmation of full payment before you pay. Agree with the seller whether they will transfer it into their name first or have the lender transfer it straight to you, and put that in the sale agreement.