What is the NCO form?

It is the Notification of Change of Ownership / Sale of Motor Vehicle, issued under the National Road Traffic Act, 1996. The seller uses it to tell their registering authority that a vehicle has changed hands. The buyer separately applies to register the vehicle in their own name on form RLV.

How long do I have to hand in the NCO?

Twenty-one days from the date the vehicle was sold. The buyer has their own 21-day deadline to apply for registration on form RLV. Both deadlines run from the date of the transaction, not from the day you get around to the paperwork.

What happens if I do not submit it?

The vehicle stays registered in your name. That means traffic fines, e-toll accounts and licence renewal obligations keep coming to you, and you remain the person the authorities hold responsible for the vehicle. Submitting the NCO is what ends that exposure.

Who completes which part of the form?

The seller completes part A (their own details) and part C (the vehicle). The buyer completes part B. The seller must also hand the buyer the current registration certificate. If ownership is changing without a sale, the owner completes parts A and C only.

Can I fill in the buyer’s section for them?

You can enter their details if you have them, but the buyer must sign part B themselves — it is their own declaration that they took delivery of the vehicle. If they are not with you, print the form and let them complete and sign their part.

What is the difference between the NCO and form RLV?

The NCO is the seller’s notification that they have disposed of the vehicle. The RLV is the buyer’s application to register and licence it in their name. Both are needed for a complete transfer: yours takes the car out of your name, theirs puts it into theirs.

Where do I hand in the NCO?

At your appropriate registering authority — the licensing office for the area where you live. Many municipal licensing offices handle it over the counter and will capture it on eNaTIS while you wait. Ask them to stamp your copy.

What if the buyer never registers the vehicle?

Your stamped NCO copy is what protects you. It is your evidence that you notified the authority of the sale on a specific date. Keep it — if fines or notices arrive afterwards, that copy is what you produce when disputing them.

What is a title holder, and how is it different from the owner?

The title holder is whoever has the financial interest in the vehicle — usually a bank while it is still financed. The owner is the person who possesses and uses it. If the vehicle is under finance, the change of title holder is handled by the bank; this form covers the change of owner.

Do I need the odometer reading?

Give it if the vehicle has an odometer, recorded as at the date of the sale rather than the day you fill the form in. Mark the "no odometer" option if the vehicle genuinely has none. The reading is recorded in kilometres for ordinary vehicles, or hours for certain machinery.

Can I sell a vehicle that is not licensed?

No. Regulation 53 prohibits buying, selling or trading in an unregistered or unlicensed motor vehicle, and the NCO says so on its face. Bring the licence up to date before the sale.

What if I am selling on behalf of a company?

The organisation’s name goes in the surname/name block, and the person signing identifies themselves in the proxy or representative block below it. Sign in the matching capacity — organisation’s proxy or organisation’s representative — rather than as the seller personally.

Is there a fee to hand in the NCO?

Registering authorities may charge a small administrative fee for processing a change of ownership, and fees differ between provinces and municipalities. Confirm the current amount with your licensing office before you go.

What if the vehicle was repossessed rather than sold?

The form has a "repossessed" option in part C for exactly that. Mark it instead of "sold" and give the date the vehicle was repossessed as the date of change.

NCO — Notification of Change of Ownership

Department of Transport (eNaTIS) · Verified 25 July 2026