Quick overview
- A vehicle transfer power of attorney allows someone else to handle the change of ownership or operator for you.
- It must make it clear who is authorising who, which vehicle it relates to and exactly what the attorney at the office is allowed to do.
- The vehicle transfer is filed within 10 working days of the transfer of ownership.
- For a written power of attorney, count on a certified signature, or an electronic signature, or the recording of the power of attorney, depending on the current possibilities of the office.
Not sure if your power of attorney will be sufficient? Have a solicitor prepare one – we’ll check the details, scope of authority and wording so that a mistake in the document doesn’t tie up the car transcription unnecessarily.
When do you need a power of attorney to transfer a vehicle?
A power of attorney for vehicle reassignment is a document that gives another person the right to act for you when reassigning a car. This means that if you can’t or don’t want to attend the relevant office in person, an authorised person can do it for you. This situation is quite common. Most often people use a power of attorney to transfer a car in the following cases:
- For example, you are at work, sick or living in another city.
- If you are buying a car through a car dealership, they often offer to handle thetransfer for you. However, in this case, they need a power of attorney from you to arrange the car transfer.
- The seller and buyer cannot meet: If both parties cannot attend the transfer, it is possible for only one party to carry out the transfer, who has a power of attorney with a certified signature from the other party.
Remember that the transfer of the vehicle must be made within 10 working days of the conclusion of the contract of sale. Both the seller and the buyer are responsible for the overwriting, and if the overwriting is not done within 10 days, you can be fined up to CZK 50,000. The power of attorney is valid for the period for which it is set or for the performance of the specific act for which it was intended.
The obligation to deal with a change of vehicle owner is based on the Act on the Conditions of Vehicle Operation on Roads. The latter provides that an application for registration of a change of ownership shall be made within 10 working days of the transfer of ownership. In the case of a written power of attorney, it is also important that the representation is demonstrable – typically by a certified signature, an electronic signature with corresponding effects or the registration of the power of representation if the situation allows it.
How to write a power of attorney for car reassignment?
Don’t worry, you don’t need any complicated wording or a legal dictionary to write a car reassignment power of attorney. All you need is a power of attorney that includes the following:
- Identification of the principal (the one who gives the power of attorney): name, address, birth number or ID number.
- Identification of the attorney-in-fact (the one who executes the transcript): also name, address, birth number or ID number.
- Vehicle details: Make, model, color, VIN code, license plate number.
- A clear statement of authority: For example, “I authorize Mr. XY to transfer the vehicle from my name to the buyer’s name”.
- Date and place of signature.
- Authorizer’s signature (and if required, a certified one).
In practice, we most often encounter that the power of attorney is written too generally. It is not enough to simply state that someone “may act at the office”. In the case of a vehicle reassignment, it should be clear that the attorney may make an application for registration of a change of owner or operator of a particular vehicle, sign related documents and take delivery of a new registration certificate if this is to form part of his or her authority.
If you are hesitant about how to do this, leave the drafting of the power of attorney to us.
Are you solving a similar problem?
We'll draw up a power of attorney for you to transfer the vehicle
Do you need a buyer, seller, family member or car dealer to do the car transfer for you? We will prepare a power of attorney with the exact scope of authorisation so that it contains all the important details and does not cause unnecessary doubts at the vehicle registry. We will also advise you when signature verification is required and how to proceed if you are dealing with the transfer remotely.
I'm interested
- When you order, you know what you will get and how much it will cost.
- We handle everything online or in person at one of our 6 offices.
- We handle 8 out of 10 requests within 2 working days.
- We have specialists for every field of law.
Does the signature on the power of attorney for vehicle transfer have to be certified?
In practice, it is relatively straightforward to have a certified signature on a power of attorney for car transfer – most vehicle registers now require a certified signature at all times, even if it is a normal transfer between two individuals. Verification of the signature is the only reliable way for the authority to verify that the power of attorney was actually signed by the issuer. If the transfer is made on behalf of a legal person (for example, a company), a certified signature is an absolute necessity. Without a certified signature, the authority will not accept the power of attorney and will not carry out the transcription.
The recommendation is therefore clear: always sign the power of attorney with a certified signature – this will save you time and possible complications. Verification can be done at a notary, at Czech POINT (e.g. at the post office) or at the registry office.
Verification of the signature can be done at a notary, at a Czech POINT (post office) or at a registry office. The fee for signature verification is usually in the lower tens of crowns (CZK 30), but it may be slightly higher at a notary.
From our experience: the client sold a car to a friend and it was agreed that the buyer would handle the transfer himself. However, the power of attorney contained only a general sentence that the buyer “may handle matters related to the vehicle” and the signature was not notarized. The vehicle registry therefore did not accept the application and the seller had to prepare the document again. The problem was not the representation itself, but the inaccurate wording and lack of signature verification.
How is the transfer of a vehicle with power of attorney done?
Some of the actions related to the change of the owner or operator of a vehicle can now be handled electronically, especially through the Transport Portal. However, electronic submission does not mean that all other steps are eliminated in every case.
If a power of attorney is presented, it must comply with legal requirements – for example, it must have a certified signature, be converted by authorised conversion, be attached as a copy or be dealt with in another recognised way depending on the specific situation.
It is therefore a good idea to check in advance what procedure is required by the relevant vehicle registry and whether the original or a documentary output will subsequently be required.
What to prepare for a car transfer with power of attorney
To ensure that the attorney does not have to go to the vehicle registry again, prepare complete documents in advance. Most often this will be:
- power of attorney to reassign the vehicle with a certified signature, if needed,
- a contract of sale or other document transferring the ownership,
- the vehicle registration certificate,
- proof of the identity of the agent,
- a green card, i.e. proof of liability insurance,
- vehicle details, in particular the VIN, registration number and details of the new owner or operator.
In practice, we recommend that the agent is also provided with a copy of the contract of sale and the contact details of the other party. If the officer encounters a discrepancy in the data, the error can be explained or completed more quickly.
The actual process of reassigning a car consists of several steps. First, the authorised person must arrive at the relevant vehicle registry with all the documentation.
In addition to the power of attorney, he or she must also take with him or her the contract of sale, a large technical certificate, a small technical certificate, a valid green card (proof of insurance for the vehicle) and the authorised person’s ID card. The registration check report is already looked up in the system.
In addition, please note that you must pay an administrative fee for the transcription. The amount is typically CZK 800 for passenger cars, but it may vary (for example, when changing the operator or transferring a motorcycle).
An official at the vehicle registry will check all the documents and if everything is in order, the vehicle will be transferred to the new owner. Complications usually only arise if, for example, you are missing a document or the vehicle is blocked due to a repossession. In this case, the authority may refuse the transfer. Therefore, always check everything thoroughly beforehand.
Tip for article
Tip: The transfer of energy to the tenant is one of the administrative issues that will be faced by anyone who wants to rent out their apartment or house. Often it is an unpleasant paperwork. We will advise you how to deal with it in the best possible way.
How long does it take to transcribe a vehicle?
The transcription itself can take just a few tens of minutes. However, if there is a queue at the office, as there often is, be prepared for a martyrdom lasting a couple of hours. But the transcription process itself is a formality that takes no more than a few minutes. If you want to avoid a lengthy wait, we recommend booking an appointment with the office online, if the office allows it.
When is a power of attorney for vehicle transfer most useful?
If you’ re selling or buying a car and can’t arrange the transfer yourself, a vehicle transfer power of attorney is the best solution. It will save you time, nerves and maybe even one unnecessary trip to the office. Just fill it in properly, sign it and hand it over to a trusted person who will handle the transfer for you.
Always give power of attorney only to a person you really trust. A power of attorney will act for you in any official action that affects the ownership or operation of the vehicle. If you are unsure, you may prefer to word the scope of the power of attorney to be specific to a particular car title and not leave general wording in the document that could be interpreted too broadly.
If you want to make sure that your power of attorney for car reassignment is properly drafted, leave the drafting to us. Just use our online legal advice service and let us know what kind of power of attorney you need.
Summary
A power of attorney for car reassignment allows you to authorise another person to handle the car reassignment for you at the relevant authority. This is useful if you are unable or unwilling to attend in person, for example due to workload, illness or when buying a car through a car dealership. The transfer must be made within 10 working days of the purchase contract being signed or you could be fined. The power of attorney must include details of the principal, agent, vehicle and clearly stated authority to overwrite. Verification of signature is usually required, especially for legal persons. The transcription can be done in person at the vehicle registry or, for the most part, online via a data mailbox, and the agent must provide all the necessary documents, including the technical certificates, the purchase contract and the green card. The fee for the transcription is typically CZK 800. The process can take just a few minutes, but can drag on for several hours due to queues. A power of attorney for vehicle transcription can save you time and hassle.
Frequently Asked Questions
By when do I have to transfer the car after purchase?
The vehicle must be transferred within 10 working days of the transfer of ownership. Failure to do so may result in a fine of up to CZK 50,000.
Is it necessary to have a certified signature on the power of attorney?
Yes, most authorities require a certified signature – they often won’t accept a power of attorney without one. Verification can be done at the post office, Czech POINT, registry office or notary.
Can the vehicle be transferred online?
To a large extent, yes. You can send the documents electronically, for example, by data mail, but the transcription itself must be completed in person – either by the owner of the vehicle or by an agent with power of attorney.
Can only the seller sign the power of attorney for the car?
Yes, often a power of attorney from a person who cannot attend the transcription is sufficient. However, it always depends on who has to act for whom and how the particular transfer is set up.
Does the vehicle VIN have to be on the power of attorney?
We recommend that you always include it. The VIN uniquely identifies the vehicle and reduces the risk of the authorities being in doubt as to which car the power of attorney relates to.
Is a general power of attorney sufficient to represent me at the authorities?
For car re-writes, a special power of attorney for a specific vehicle is safer. General wording may be insufficient or unnecessarily broad for the vehicle registry.
