How to Buy and Register a Motorbike in Your Name in Nha Trang

https://www.webike.vn/en
https://muaban.net/
https://xe.chotot.com/

Unfortunately, the last two websites do not have an English version, but it is still easy to find the right model using the Vietnamese version of the site.
You can also purchase a motorbike at a nearby shop, as there are many of them here.
Another good option is Facebook Marketplace, as well as classified listings in Russian-language Telegram chats.
After the purchase, you will receive a motorbike registration card (blue for bikes registered before 2020, and orange for bikes registered later). However, the card will list the previous owner’s name, not yours.

What are the risks?
This situation involves certain risks when you need to prove that you are indeed the owner of the motorbike:
 • loss of the parking ticket
 • confiscation of the bike by the police
 • loss of the motorbike documents

We have never heard of a case where the owner listed in the documents disputed the sale and demanded the bike back based on the registration papers, but this possibility cannot be completely ruled out.
In addition, recently the traffic police have been increasingly insisting that the registration card show the name of the actual owner.

How to register a motorbike in your own name?
Only a motorbike that has a registration card listing the engine VIN, the chassis number, and your name as the owner is considered your full legal property.

First, prepare the following documents:
• Your passport
• Temporary Residence Card (TRC)
• Local address registration

If you do not have a TRC, the only available option is to purchase the motorbike in the name of a Vietnamese citizen you trust.

When buying a new motorbike from a dealership, you will need a red invoice. In addition, by law, the dealership must provide you with a VAT invoice. Even if you do not plan to register the motorbike in your own name, having this invoice can help resolve disputes and serve as proof of a legal purchase.

Instead of a red invoice, when purchasing a used motorbike, you must sign a notarized motorbike sale and purchase agreement. When signing the contract, notaries require the presence of a certified translator, who also certifies the agreement.

Important note! You can register a motorbike only at the police office corresponding to your place of residence, and this same address must be stated in the sale and purchase agreement. This means that even if you buy a motorbike in Saigon but are registered in Nha Trang, the motorbike can only be registered in Nha Trang.
The place where your TRC was issued does not affect the place of motorbike registration.

After you receive the notarized contract, go to the police office indicated on the old registration card to deregister the motorbike from the current owner. Ideally, the seller should go with you, as the police do not always accept deregistration requests submitted by the buyer alone.
The deregistration procedure is free of charge and takes from 5 to 15 days.
You must submit the old registration card and the license plate.

So, you now have a deregistration certificate and a notarized sale and purchase agreement. With these documents—and making sure you also have your local address registration, your TRC, and a passport valid for at least one year—you must apply to the provincial traffic police office.
(The city-level police office does not register motorbikes for foreigners.)
In Nha Trang, it is located here — Khánh Hòa Provincial Police
At the police office, you will be issued a document for tax assessment. With this document, you need to go to the tax office (ask for the address at the police station), and then you can pay the fee at the nearest bank.
Depending on the province and the engine capacity of the motorbike, the tax ranges from 1% to 5% of the price stated in the contract.

After adding the bank payment receipt to your document package, submit the application to register the motorbike in your name.
The application is submitted in Vietnamese, but staff will assist you in filling it out.

According to Regulation No. 36/2010/TT-BCA on vehicle registration, you do not need a driver’s license to register a motorcycle in your own name. Do not listen to anyone who claims otherwise.

The registration process takes approximately one month.
After registration, you will be issued a license plate starting with the letters ‘NN,’ which stand for ‘Nước Ngoài’ (foreigner)

We went through this process ourselves and found that it is not as complicated as it may seem at first glance. However, if this procedure feels challenging for you, our company, Motorbike Rental Nha Trang, will be happy to offer long-term rental options. In addition, starting in 2026, we will be launching a service that allows you to purchase a brand-new motorbike from an authorized dealership, in the exact model you need, under a long-term rental contract.