Car sellers warned to ensure ownership transfer

| 23/10/2018 | 24 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing are warning owners who sell their vehicles that they are responsible for ensuring the transfer of ownership to the buyer, otherwise they could still be liable for any criminal or traffic offences associated with their former property. Acting Chief Inspector Everton Spence noted that transferring ownership after they sell the vehicle protects the seller.

“If a vehicle you have sold is still registered in your name, and then used in the commission of a crime, you could be contacted in the context of the enquiry into that crime,” he warned. “This is certainly something that most people would want to avoid, so please make sure a vehicle you no longer own or control is no longer in your name.”

When a person sells a vehicle both the seller and the buyer should ideally attend the DVDL and ensure the transfer is complete before leaving DVDL. Officials said that if the transfer does not take place, the seller could be liable for violations of the law with respect to the vehicle, such as the use of the vehicle by a disqualified driver, excessive tint, or the recovery of illegal drugs in the vehicle.

Failing to transfer the vehicle in and of itself is a violation of section 9 of the Traffic Law (2011 Revision) and a criminal offence.

Transfer of ownership can be witnessed by a notary public or justice of peace but the onus is still with the registered owner to see that is completed. If the buyer fails to attend the DVDL and turn in the transfer documents, the car will remain in the seller’s name, which also leaves them vulnerable to accumulating fees. Risks to the seller, should the car not be properly transferred, are even greater if the car is used to commit a crime, officials warned.

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Category: Crime, Local News, Police

Comments (24)

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  1. chick fil-a says:

    This is one of the worst Government departments existing. When someone is selling a vehicle and goes to the department for their signature to be witnessed on the transfer document, it should be a requirement that ALL fees are up to date prior to the document being validated. I fully understand that, on occasion, when a vehicle has back taxes, those back fees can be used in the purchase negotiations. This process will certainly eliminate what recently happened with me.
    I purchased a vehicle that had a sticker showing the license was due in 2 months. the owner was leaving the island and I had to wait 2 days to get the money from the bank. In the meantime, we agreed for him to get the document witnessed, which he did at the Red Bay office, and he could leave with his co-worker for me to collect the documents and pay the balance at the same time.. I did so and when I went to transfer the vehicle in my name it was 4 years past due!!! the owner had his money and I had to come up with another 1300+ dollars. When I brought this to the attention of the supervisor, I was told basically it was MY fault.. I either pay or don’t have the truck transferred/licensed!!
    Policy needs to be updated !!!!!! Start doing the job which you are employed to do instead of eating oreos and attending to facebook on your phones.. Most of us have 1 hour for lunch. Come on Deputy Governor.. –This is not “World Class Customer Service”

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  2. Anonymous says:

    It is the inane demand for notarisation that should be abolished. Notarisation is largely foreign requirement, somewhat over-enthusiastically used in some American states, that has no benefit or place in most of the matters in which the CIG slavishly demands it.

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  3. Cheese Face says:

    Is there an email address you can contact them on, to find out if the new owner has transferred it out of your name and into theirs?

    I mean I know everyone@gov.ky doesn’t answer emails, but it would at least make me feel like I tried to find out.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    The RCIPS and DVDL should join forces, and their acronym should read JOKE!

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  5. Jimbo J. says:

    This is all fine & dandy, but the system is obviously flawed to begin with.

    I sold a car back in 2010, and when renewing my current car’s license just last year, I found out that my old car from 8 years ago was still in my name!!

    When i sold it, I went to the DVDL office (back when it was on Walker’s Road – which is now the RCIPS police criminal records office) with the person who bought the car from me and did the transfer in person with them, just as they recommend you do.

    I did everything ‘by the book’, and for some odd reason, the car is still in my name!? And they told me I owed $1500 in back fees…for a car that I sold, and transferred in the DVDL office, in person!

    I told the manager this information, and they basically said that I should not pay it if I feel that way, but that I’m liable if the car is used in a crime or gets in an accident.

    Seeing as this was 8+ years ago and it was a bit of a rusty junker when I sold it, I’m pretty confident that it won’t be used in any crime. It’s probably in pieces!

    The point: DVDL has more issues than Time Magazine.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I got asked a few years ago about renewing plates for a car lost years ago in Ivan (whereafter plates were surrendered to DVDL for a 10% duty break)…unrecorded!

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Cayman – The Kingdom of Unnecessary Red Tape.
    Because it makes them feel important….

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Maybe if ALL the customer service windows were open at DVDL instead of a couple, people would wait knowing that they will be seen far quicker. Most people can’t take 3 or 4 hours off work waiting there to be served.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yep and let us not forget to mention their poor attitude. They would do well to all go through a customer service training session especially as the Deputy Governor keeps repeating the “world class civil service” mantra.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Yeah, I don’t think it would be reasonable or enforceable with a bill of sale to “Company or Person B”, a cleared payment reflecting sale of vehicle, and a retained copy of the signed and stamped transfer docs from DVDL. After accumulating evidence of intent to lawfully change ownership, how is it productive to make a past owner culpable for whatever the new owner does or does not do after that? eg. We traded-in our car to a dealership, but we don’t who they will sell the car on to…if at all…until they list the car and actually sell it! Is it better to surrender the plates every time for a pro-rata refund on annual couponing? How complex do we need to make this?

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  9. Tom says:

    It all need two photocopy of buyer and seller driving license and staple to the transfer form with new owner details. DVDL runs by people with low IQ.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Yeah…or just change this dumb system.

    Like the previous poster mentions, a massive wait at the DVDL is not worth the hassle.

    If the buyer cannot be bothered to transfer it into their name, it isn’t my problem. End of.

    Fix the system.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Especially when you sell your car because you’re leaving the Island. Lets see RCIPS hold those sellers responsible. I am sure a warrant will go out for their arrest even though the person will most likely not be on the Islands when said offence was committed.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    And if, as often happens, someone sells their car before moving off the island but doesn’t bother to do all that what will RCIPS do?

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  12. Anonymous says:

    This is a stupid way to do it. Why is Cayman so fascinated with legal rigamarole. Only in the third world do you have to jump through all these hoops, and of course many of the natives just ignore the whole thing including insurance and drivers licenses.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Insurance don’t ignore such a thing. For you to receive your full documents of insurance the vehicle must be transferred to owner. That is the whole point of insurance. You cannot insure something which you do not own. Thanks

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      • Anonymous says:

        You need to read the comment again. People who blow off the transfer also dont buy insurance and dont have licenses. They are driving around right now.

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    • Anonymous says:

      “Why is Cayman so fascinated with legal rigamarole”

      Because it’s the best kind of rigamarole!

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Who is going to warn the DVDL that two people should not have to come and wait a minimum of 6 hours to transfer ownership of a vehicle?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly…what kind of 3rd world BS requires 2 people to attend the DVL for at least 1.5 hours each to transfer a car… this is 2018 Cayman

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