in oregon, transferring ownership of a vehicle is pretty simple. you need one document: the title. i've always used a bill of sale in addition to this, but according to the dmv's website, that part is optional. i think the bill of sale for the first car i bought (1975 volvo 244, green) was handwritten on notebook paper. anyway, the person selling the car releases their ownership to the person buying it by filling in his or her name and address and signing the appropriate place on the title, and also on the bill of sale if there is one. the person buying the vehicle does the same, and then takes these documents to the dmv or, if they can't get there in person (even though they are open on saturdays), they can mail the documents. the dmv will issue a new title reflecting the changed owner.
simple.
in japan, transferring ownership of a vehicle is anything but.
you have to go the department of transportation in person, or you can pay someone to go for you. they close early and they are not open on saturdays.
but let's back up. there were a lot of things i could do before i went to the department of transportation (for which i had to take a vacation day). the documents required are a bit of a blur, but let's see if i can get a list together.
first, you need a document certifying that you have a place to park the vehicle. to get this document, you need :
- car inspection certificate (equivalent to a title, but much more expensive due to the biennial inspection fees)
- parking space application form (four pages)
- permission form from your landlord (with appropriate formal stamp)
- map of the general area where you live with your building and parking area marked
- map of your parking space with width and length measurements
- payment stamps
documents in order, i drove them back to the police station the next business day to turn them in. then i drove back a week later to pick them up and give them some more money.
still with me? that was all to get the parking certificate, which is one of the twelve pieces of paper i ended up taking to the department of transportation.
here are the other eleven:
- the aforementioned car inspection certificate (title)
- a transfer form
- a certificate for my seal (they use seals instead of signatures here) -- acquired at the city office, also only open during regular business hours.
- a certificate of residency (also acquired at the city office)
- a certificate for the seller's seal (a hassle for him, because the city where his seal was registered is far away)
- a certificate of residency for the seller
- a "permission form"
- a form for attaching payment stamps to
- some other application form
- a form detailing the seller's residency history (because he moved twice after getting the car -- this was also a big hassle, requiring him to come to the city office in the last city he lived in during business hours)
- i don't remember what number 11 was.
aside: one of those restaurants had tomato ice cream. it is as weird as it sounds.
so, when you get to the department of transportation, you give them your documents and wait a half an hour. then you go to the building next door and buy some payment stamps and bring them back to the first building and wait a little longer. then they give you your paperwork and you go next door again and give them some more money and they give you new license plates. good thing i brought my screwdriver.
luckily for me, the person who gave me the car has a host brother who used to work at a honda shop near where i live. i took my car there for it's biennial (one thousand dollar!) inspection and the people there helped me through this complicated process for free -- their normal fee is about $300.
finally, i own the car. now i just have to get a japanese driver's license before august.
