Selling your vehicle involves more than handing over the keys and receiving payment. There is also a piece of paperwork that officially tells the authorities that the vehicle has been sold. That document is the NCO form. Short for Notification of Change of Ownership or Sale of Motor Vehicle, the NCO form records the sale and gives the registering authority notice that the vehicle has moved to a new owner.
The form is part of the vehicle administration system linked to NaTIS. It is not the document which registers the car in the buyer’s name. Instead, it records the seller’s notification of the sale or ownership transfer.
This is useful to know because the seller and buyer have separate responsibilities. Completing an NCO form does not mean the buyer can leave the rest of the paperwork for later.
Why do you need an NCO form?
When a vehicle leaves your ownership, the relevant vehicle records need to reflect the transaction. The NCO form gives the registering authority notice from the seller’s side.
The official form states that the seller must complete parts A and C, while the buyer completes part B. The seller must also give the current registration certificate to the buyer.
The seller must submit the NCO form to the appropriate registering authority within 21 days after the vehicle is sold. The buyer has 21 days from the date of purchase or acquisition to apply for registration in their own name using the RLV form.
This means the paperwork should not sit in a drawer while the new owner gets around to registration.
Getting your NCO form paperwork right
Key general instructions for completing the form:
- Change of Title Holder (Sale/Purchase): The seller completes Parts A and C, and the buyer completes Part B. The seller must hand over the registration certificate to the buyer and submit this form to their registering authority within 21 days of the sale.
- Change of Owner (No sale/Title remains same): The owner completes Parts A and C and delivers it within 21 days.
Part A: Particulars of Seller/Owner
- Identification Details: Select your ID type (Traffic Register No., RSA ID, Foreign ID, or Business Reg. No.) and provide the identification number. If using a foreign ID, indicate the country of issue.
- Personal/Entity Info: Provide your surname and initials or the registered name of the company/organisation, as well as an email address and daytime phone number.
- Executor/Proxy Details: If acting on behalf of a company or deceased estate, complete the representative’s ID details and full name in this subsection.
- Declaration: Select your role (seller, owner, proxy, representative, or executor), sign, state the location (place), and enter the date.
Part B: Particulars of Buyer
- Identification Details: Select the buyer’s ID type and enter the respective identification number (and country of issue if applicable).
- Personal/Entity Info: Enter the buyer’s full surname and initials or company name, email address, and daytime contact number.
- Addresses: Complete both the postal address and physical street address (including suburbs, cities/towns, and postal codes). Mark whether official notices should be served via the postal address or street address.
- Executor/Proxy Details: Complete this subsection if a proxy, legal representative, or executor is acting on behalf of the buyer.
- Declaration: Select the buyer’s capacity, sign, fill in the location, and specify the date.
Part C: Identification of Motor Vehicle
- Vehicle Identifiers: Provide the current licence plate number, vehicle register number (if available or check “not yet allocated”), VIN/Chassis number, and the vehicle make.
- Odometer Reading: Record the current mileage in kilometres (or check “no odometer”).
- Reason & Date: Indicate the reason for the change by checking the appropriate box (sold, repossessed, or deceased estate) and provide the exact date of change/sale.
For Office Use Only
- Leave this bottom section blank; it is strictly reserved for traffic official verification, authorisation, and data capturing.
Download the NCO Form
Where do you hand in an NCO form in Cape Town?
You submit the NCO form to the appropriate registering authority.
For motorists in Cape Town, this generally means a City of Cape Town motor vehicle registration office or MVR centre. The City states that a seller must complete the Notification of Change of Ownership form and submit it as part of the ownership transfer process.
Cape Town has several motor vehicle registration facilities, so the nearest MVR centre may be the most convenient place to start. The City also provides information on its vehicle registration services and appointments for selected branches.
Vehicle Registration Centres in Cape Town
Airport Industria Vehicle Registration Centre
3 Boston Circle, Airport Industria
Atlantis Vehicle Registration Centre
Avondale Housing Office, Avondale Centre, Grosvenor Drive, Atlantis
Bellville Vehicle Registration Centre
Reed Street, Bellville
Brackenfell Vehicle Registration Centre
Brackenfell Municipality, Paradys Street, Brackenfell
Civic Centre Vehicle Registration Centre
Hertzog Boulevard, Cape Town
Durbanville Vehicle Registration Centre
Durbanville Municipality, Cnr Oxford and Queen streets, Durbanville
Fezeka Vehicle Registration Centre
Cnr NY1 and Landsdowne Road, Gugulethu
Fish Hoek Vehicle Registration Centre
Central Circle, Fish Hoek
Goodwood Vehicle Registration Centre
Hugo Street, Goodwood
Khayelitsha Vehicle Registration Centre
Masibambane, Ncumo Road, Harare, Khayelitsha
Kraaifontein Vehicle Registration Centre
Kraaifontein Municipality, Brighton Way, Kraaifontein
Kuils River Vehicle Registration Centre
Kuils River Municipality, Van Riebeeck Street, Kuils River
Lansdowne Corner Vehicle Registration Centre
Cnr Govan Mbeki and Jan Smuts Drive, Lansdowne
Liberty Promenade Mall Vehicle Registration Centre
Shop 215 (Entrance 3), Liberty Promenade Shopping Centre, Cnr Morgenster Road and AZ Berman Drive, Mitchells Plain
Milnerton Vehicle Registration Centre
Municipal Building, Pienaar Street, Milnerton
Parow Vehicle Registration Centre
Parow Municipality, Voortrekker Road, Parow
Pinelands Vehicle Registration Centre
Central Square, St Stevens Road, Pinelands
Plumstead Vehicle Registration Centre
3 Victoria Road, Plumstead
Somerset West Vehicle Registration Centre
Cnr Andries Pretorius and Victoria streets, Somerset West
Strand Vehicle Registration Centre
Cnr Main Road and Fagan Street, Strand
Table Bay Mall Vehicle Registration Centre
Ground Floor, Table Bay Mall, Cnr West Coast Road and Berkshire Boulevard , Sunningdale, 7441
If you live elsewhere in the Western Cape, your appropriate registering authority may be a municipal licensing office or another designated registration facility.
What Happens After You Submit the NCO Form?
Submitting the NCO form does not mean the buyer’s registration is automatically complete.
The buyer still has to apply for registration in their name and provide the required supporting documents. The registering authority then processes the transaction and updates the vehicle records once the requirements have been met.
For the seller, the key task is to make sure the NCO form reaches the correct registering authority within the required period.
Keeping a copy of the completed form and any proof of submission is also sensible. Vehicle paperwork has a habit of becoming useful at precisely the point when you thought you had finished with it.
What Should You Check Before You Hand It In?
Before you submit an NCO form, take a moment to check the basics.
Make sure the vehicle registration number is correct. Check the buyer’s details and your own details. Confirm that the sale date is accurate and that all required sections have been completed and signed.
It is also worth checking that you have the supporting paperwork required by the registering authority. Requirements can vary according to the transaction, so relying on an old list of documents from a previous vehicle sale can lead to frustration.
If you are unsure about a requirement, contact the registering authority before your visit.
Author: Editorial Team
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