Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 and shall come into force on 15th June 2000.

Amendment of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973

2. The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973(2) shall be amended as follows:-

(a)for regulation 13 (notification of change of ownership) substitute:-

"Notification of change of ownership

13.-(1) On the change of owner of a vehicle, any current vehicle licence issued in respect of the vehicle may be delivered to the new owner.

(2) On the change of owner of a vehicle, the registered owner of the vehicle-

(a)if the registration book issued in respect of the vehicle is in his possession, shall deliver it to the new owner; and

(b)shall forthwith notify the change of owner to the Secretary of State in writing, stating the registration mark of the vehicle, its make and class and the name and address of the new owner.

(3) Upon acquiring the vehicle, the new owner shall notify the Secretary of State in writing of his name and address and that he is the owner of the vehicle and, if the registration book issued in respect of the vehicle is in his possession, deliver it to the Secretary of State-

(a)forthwith, if he intends to use or keep the vehicle upon public roads otherwise than under a trade licence or he does not intend to use or keep the vehicle on public roads; or

(b)at the expiration of three months from the date when he became the owner of the vehicle or, if a further change of owner occurs, on the date of that change (whichever is the soonest) if he intends to use the vehicle upon public roads solely under a trade licence.";

(b)for regulation 14 (notification of change of address of owner) substitute-

"Notification of change of name or address of owner

14.-(1) If the registered owner of a vehicle changes his name or his address, he shall forthwith notify the Secretary of State of the change and, except where the registration book has been lost, stolen or destroyed, shall deliver it to him.

(2) On the notification in accordance with paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall-

(a)record the alteration in the register; and

(b)send a registration book showing the new name or address, as the case may be, to the registered owner.".

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973 in order to take account of the introduction of computerised registration books.

Regulation 13 (notification of change of ownership) is replaced by a regulation which omits the requirement that a new owner himself insert his name and address in the registration book before he delivers the book to the Secretary of State, and also the requirement that, if a new owner does not intend to use or keep the vehicle on public roads, he state this in his notification to the Secretary of State together with details of the vehicle and its previous owner.

For regulation 14 (notification of change of address of owner) is substituted a new regulation which omits the requirement that an owner who changes his address himself enter that change in the book. An owner should now forthwith notify the Secretary of State if he changes his name or address and, unless the book has been lost, destroyed or stolen, deliver it to him for the change to be recorded and for a revised book to be sent to him.