The couple were heading to a wedding with their newly purchased vehicle. Except you were told, you may not be aware that the vehicle was not brand new. It was a fairly used vehicle in Nigeria. 

Mr. Samuel Okon was concerned that they were almost late while the wife could not wait for her friends and relatives to see them arrive in their latest ride.

Suddenly, there were screeching of tyres by an overtaking vehicle and they were intercepted by men of the arm forces that checked their vehicle papers some few minutes ago, their way diverted towards the Police station, to be a guest of the D.P.O. 

It was like a dream, a terrible nightmare, nonetheless a stark reality.

MORE SHOCKING AND COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED ACCUSATION

More shocking at the Police Station was the fact that the Chassis Number of their newly purchased used vehicle according to the security verifying system matches the License Plate (Registration Number) on a vehicle at a robbery scene captured by a security camera exactly 7 days ago.

They were at a loss, the License plate was indeed the one on the vehicle before they purchased the vehicle but the owner took it from them about six months ago. They processed Re-Registration (change of ownership) of the same vehicle five months ago with another License Plate (registration Number). Since then till date all their documents were bearing the new License Plate.

Why then was their vehicle implicated by the security camera and security verifying system?

Can they still make it to the Wedding programme?

AUTOVIN CERTIFICATE AND POSSIBLE INSIGHT IN THE COUPLE’S PLIGHT

A vehicle’s AutoVIN Certificate is an essential document bearing the Vehicle’s (unique) Identification Number (VIN) along with comprehensive details of the same vehicle including its history and present ownership.

Based on government policy prohibiting two or more vehicle owners from sharing the same electronic license plate, the registration number on that same license plate could not be retained by a vehicle when the ownership has been transferred to a new owner.

Meanwhile, transfer of ownership of a vehicle becomes necessary amongst others after the  existing owner had sold the vehicle (or had given it away as a gift) to a new owner.

Consequently, the new owner will then re-register the vehicle in one’s own name using another electronic License Plate with a different registration number.

The person that sold or has given away his / her vehicle as a gift should retrieve its License Plate for keep or for use on another vehicle whose registration documents are already bearing one’s name or should be in one’s name (ownership).

Note that a license plate is termed electronic when it is electronically verifiable (just like we have verifiable means of identification like Voters Card, Drivers Licence, International Passport, etc): The License Plate is verifiable as the registration number it bears has been keyed to a relevant database that makes its legitimacy verifiable. Therefore after the same License Plate is used for Auto Registration / Re-Registration, the vehicle details (particulars) it is registered with can also be easily verified through appropriate systems.

To be continued …

Click HERE or below To continue immediately at the part 2 of this article:

THE ESSENCE OF AUTOVIN CERTIFICATE IN EXISTING AND AUTO RE-REGISTRATION TRANSACTIONS … 2

P.S.

We are BEN’S AND BETHEL INTEGRATED CONCEPT (as well known as BBIC NG), a Corporate Client Representative, CR recognized and regulated by Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) of Lagos State Ministry of Transportation.

Click here to contact us for further enquiry or for your Auto Registration, Auto Re-registration, Vehicle Documents Renewals, Drivers Licence, and Motor Insurance needs.