How to Re-Register a Used Car in Your Name After Buying It in Ukraine

How long do you have to re-register a car after buying it?

Ukraine's vehicle registration rules require the new owner to register or re-register a vehicle within 10 days after acquisition.

The rule applies when ownership changes and the registration record must be updated to show the new owner. Do not leave the vehicle registered indefinitely in the seller's name after completing the purchase.

Where do you re-register the car?

You can complete an ordinary ownership-transfer re-registration at any territorial service centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, regardless of your registered place of residence.

The Main Service Center confirms that the owner or an authorized representative may apply. Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1388 also provides for vehicle registration services through Centres for Administrative Services where the relevant service is available.

Current service information is published on the Main Service Center vehicle registration service page.

What documents do you need to re-register a used car?

For a standard purchase involving an already registered vehicle, prepare the documents that establish your identity and your legal ownership of the vehicle.

• An accepted identity document.
• Your RNOCPP taxpayer registration number if it is not already available in the MIA databases, unless you have a legally recognized exemption.
• A document proving lawful acquisition of the vehicle, such as a valid purchase and sale agreement.
• The existing vehicle registration certificate.
• A document establishing the representative's authority if someone applies on your behalf.
• Payment information for the applicable registration charges.

The exact document establishing ownership depends on how the vehicle was acquired. This guide focuses on a normal purchase rather than inheritance, court transfer, donation or another separate legal basis.

Can you sign the sale agreement at the service centre?

Yes. When a vehicle is sold between individuals, the purchase and sale agreement can be concluded directly at an MIA service centre. The ownership transfer and re-registration can then be completed as part of the same visit.

This route is useful when the seller and buyer have not already completed another legally valid ownership-transfer document.

How much does car re-registration cost in 2026?

The Main Service Center states that the approximate 2026 cost for re-registering a vehicle with a registration certificate and new standard number plate is UAH 1,306.

• UAH 350 for the registration service.
• UAH 606 for the physical registration certificate.
• UAH 350 for the number plate.

Bank charges may be added depending on the payment method. The final amount can also change if you keep an existing number plate, choose another plate option or use a different registration-certificate format.

The mandatory Pension Fund charge associated with the first state registration of certain passenger cars is a separate first-registration rule and should not be confused with the ordinary re-registration of a vehicle that is already registered in Ukraine.

How long does re-registration take at the service centre?

The official Main Service Center service page gives a processing period of within the working day from receipt of the application.

This assumes that the required documents are complete and the official register checks do not reveal a legal restriction or another problem that prevents the transfer.

Do you have to bring the car to the service centre?

For most ordinary ownership changes, you do not need to bring the vehicle itself to the MIA service centre.

The Main Service Center clarified in July 2026 that expert examination is optional for ordinary re-registration connected with a sale, donation, exchange or other common ownership transfer.

There are exceptions. An inspection or other examination can be necessary when the vehicle has undergone structural changes, conversion, replacement of the body or other numbered components. Expert examination is also mandatory for the first state registration of a used vehicle imported from abroad, which is a different procedure.

Is an expert vehicle examination required?

No, not for an ordinary ownership-transfer re-registration of a vehicle already registered in Ukraine. The current MIA rules make expert examination optional at the owner's request.

A buyer may still choose an expert examination for additional assurance about vehicle identification numbers. That optional check is separate from the standard re-registration fee.

Does the seller have to deregister the car first?

No. When a vehicle is re-registered because its owner changes, separate deregistration is not required.

The ownership change is handled through the re-registration procedure, after which the vehicle is recorded in the new owner's name.

Can the buyer keep the car's current number plate?

Yes. During ownership-transfer re-registration, the buyer can generally choose to keep the standard number plate already assigned to the vehicle.

The Main Service Center states that an ordinary state-standard plate, other than a paid number combination, can remain with the vehicle without an additional plate charge when the buyer chooses to retain it.

Paid number combinations and individual plates follow additional rules. A buyer who wants to retain a paid combination may have to pay the applicable value of that combination unless a specific exemption applies.

Can you re-register a purchased car online through Diia?

Yes. The Main Service Center confirmed in August 2026 that individuals can complete qualifying purchase and sale transactions for passenger cars, motorcycles and mopeds entirely through the Diia app.

Both parties create and sign the application and purchase and sale agreement electronically using Diia.Signature. The system automatically checks the transaction against the Unified State Register of Vehicles and other relevant government data.

The current Diia service is subject to eligibility restrictions. Diia's 2026 guidance states that the electronic purchase and sale service is available to individuals and is used once per year under the service's qualifying sale rules.

What must be available in Diia for the online transaction?

Current Diia guidance requires the seller to have the necessary electronic records available in the application, including:

• An ID card, international passport or qualifying residence permit displayed in Diia.
• RNOCPP taxpayer registration information.
• The vehicle registration certificate displayed in Diia.
• Registered place-of-residence information.
• An activated Diia.Signature.

Diia also requires the buyer to have the identity and taxpayer information needed by the service and an activated Diia.Signature. If the necessary electronic records are missing, use an MIA service centre instead.

What if the seller's registration certificate is missing from Diia?

The Main Service Center notes that some registration certificates issued before 2013 may not appear in electronic services. If the vehicle or ownership information cannot be retrieved electronically, the online sale may be unavailable.

In that situation, the owner should use an MIA service centre. After an updated registration certificate is issued, the current-format document can also appear in the Driver's Cabinet and Diia.

How does the buyer complete a Diia car purchase?

For an eligible online transaction, the seller initiates the sale in Diia and shares the transaction with the buyer. The buyer then reviews the agreement and vehicle information.

The buyer can choose whether to retain the existing eligible number plate or obtain a new one and can select the available registration-certificate format. Both parties sign the transaction using Diia.Signature.

If a physical registration certificate or new number plate is ordered, it can be delivered through the postal delivery options provided by the service. The Main Service Center also confirms that online registration documents and plates can be ordered for postal-branch or courier delivery.

When can you drive the car after a Diia purchase?

Diia states that if the buyer keeps the existing number plate, the vehicle can be used after the new electronic registration certificate appears in Diia.

If a new DI-series number plate has been ordered, Diia states that the vehicle should be used only after the new number plate has been received.

What does the MIA check before approving the transfer?

Vehicle re-registration is not simply a document-printing process. The authorities check information contained in several official databases and registers.

These checks can include the Unified State Register of Vehicles, databases of wanted vehicles, Interpol information, restrictions recorded in the State Register of Encumbrances over Movable Property, identity information and other registers required by Resolution No. 1388.

The same concept applies to a Diia sale: the electronic service performs automated checks before the transaction can proceed.

Why can a vehicle re-registration be refused?

Common official grounds include an incomplete document package, mismatched vehicle identification numbers, a wanted-vehicle record or a legal restriction preventing re-registration.

If the State Register of Encumbrances over Movable Property contains an alienation restriction, re-registration to a new owner generally requires the written consent of the encumbrancer or pledgee with notarized signature, except in the specific cases provided by law.

Diia also checks for problems automatically. Current Diia guidance says the electronic transaction will not be confirmed if, for example, the vehicle is wanted, under arrest or another restriction affecting the vehicle or seller prevents the transfer.

What should you check before paying for a used car?

Make sure the seller is the person legally entitled to transfer the vehicle and that the registration certificate matches the vehicle being purchased. Check the vehicle identification number carefully against the documents.

If you are completing the agreement at an MIA service centre, the administrator performs the mandatory government-register checks as part of the re-registration process. If you use Diia, those checks are performed automatically before the transaction can be completed.

An expert vehicle examination is not mandatory for an ordinary ownership transfer, but the current rules allow you to request one voluntarily if you want an additional identification check.

What do you receive after the car is re-registered?

After successful re-registration, a new registration certificate is issued in the buyer's name. Depending on the chosen route and available options, the certificate may be issued on a physical blank and reflected electronically, or an electronic registration-document option may be selected where the service permits it.

If you chose a new number plate, the new plate is assigned during the registration process. If you retained an eligible existing standard plate, it remains assigned to the vehicle under the current rules.

Once the ownership change is completed, the vehicle is recorded in the Unified State Register of Vehicles under the new owner.