How To Sell Your Car Without A Logbook In Kenya
There are two types of adults in the world. Those who still keep all their crucial documents with their parents, and those who believe they are old enough to keep their documents themselves. If you fall in the latter category, then you understand the pain of misplacing a document every now and then. One of… View Article
There are two types of adults in the world. Those who still keep all their crucial documents with their parents, and those who believe they are old enough to keep their documents themselves. If you fall in the latter category, then you understand the pain of misplacing a document every now and then.
One of the most important documents you can lose is your car’s logbook. It’s the only thing that proves your ownership of the car and losing it can affect a number of things, including selling your car. In this article, we’ll look at how you can sell your car even if you’ve lost its original logbook.
Can You Sell Your Car Without a Logbook in Kenya?
The short answer is NO!
The long answer? You can’t sell your car without a logbook in Kenya. You may initiate the sales process without the logbook, but you’ll still need to obtain a duplicate logbook at some point. It won’t be possible to transfer ownership of the vehicle to the new owner without the logbook.
Besides, potential buyers won’t be willing to purchase a car that doesn’t have a valid logbook. If you’re selling a car without a logbook, it can deter potential buyers because it’s one of the signs of a stolen vehicle. According to reports, about 1,300 cars are stolen in Kenya every year. No buyer wants to deal with the risk of buying a stolen vehicle. You wouldn’t want to spend millions, or even hundreds of thousands of shillings, just to end up with a court case.
A car without a logbook could also signal uncleared car loans, a written-off car, or the car is owned by someone else who may have not authorized the sale. All these are red flags to buyers!
If someone tells you they can sell your car without the logbook, they are either lying to you or trying to con you out of your car. Most likely the latter.
What To Do If You Lose Your Logbook
Now you know that you can’t sell your car without a logbook. So what should you do in case you lose your car’s logbook?
In the previous article, we discussed the importance of organizing your car’s paperwork if you’re looking to sell your car quickly. You don’t want to be scammed. Neither do the buyers. Have the logbook in order before you start looking for buyers. If you initiate the sales process without the logbook, ensure you inform the buyer that you don’t have the logbook at hand but you’ve applied for a replacement.
Here’s how to replace a lost logbook and obtain a duplicate from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA):
Step 1: Report to the Police
The first thing you need to do when you realize that your logbook is missing is to make a police report. Visit the nearest police station and file a report. At the police station, you’ll be given an Occurrence Book (OB) number and an abstract. You’ll need these for the next step.
Step 2: Swear an Affidavit with a Licensed Lawyer
After obtaining the abstract and OB number, you should visit your lawyer’s office to swear an Affidavit of Loss. This is a document that declares the loss of your logbook and contains information pertaining to the lost logbook. It is an oath swearing that, to the best of your knowledge, the logbook is lost and you’re unable to retrace or recover it.
Step 3: Get a Tape Lift Report
Third, you’ll need to get a tape lift report from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). What is a tape lift report? Tape lifting is the process of verifying the details of a vehicle to ensure they match the details on its registration documents. You need to show up with the car because the DCI officer will need to confirm the chassis number, engine number, and the car’s number plates. On completion, you will be issued with a tape lift report.
Besides a lost logbook, the tape lift report is also needed when:
- Replacing a lost number plate
- Replacing the car’s engine
- Conducting a forced transfer during an auction (by financial institutions or the police)
Tape lifting helps to curb fraud and logbook forgery cases. You’ll need all three documents (police abstract, sworn affidavit, and tape lift report) when applying for a duplicate logbook.
Step 4: Apply for a Duplicate Logbook
Once you have all the above documents, you can apply for a duplicate logbook. Simply log into your TIMS account and click on Vehicle Registration.
Under Vehicle Registration, click on Duplicate Registration Certificate and select “Apply for duplicate registration certificate.”
Fill out the details- chassis number and registration number then click on your car under the “List of Vehicles” and complete the application.
It can take between 14 and 30 days for you to have your duplicate logbook. You can initiate the sales process and do a logbook transfer to the new owner immediately after receiving the new logbook.
Here’s our guide on how to sell your car in Nairobi- the Peach Way.
Sell Your Car Through Peach Cars
Selling your car yourself will require some work, so you must be willing to put in the effort to succeed. We can make it much easier, more convenient, and more secure for you. We’ll take care of the entire process, including the paperwork, so only serious buyers get through to you.
Let us help you sell your car in Nairobi.