Advice9 min read2 views
Updated 27 October 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
You transfer ownership by filling MTA 6 and MTA 8 forms, handing over the CR book and NIC copies, and the buyer lodging these at the DMT within 14 days of the sale, paying the class fee, service charge and 1% stamp duty.
To transfer vehicle ownership in Sri Lanka, the buyer and seller fill in MTA 6 and MTA 8 forms at the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT, also called RMV), hand over the original CR book, revenue licence and certified NIC copies, and the buyer lodges everything within 14 days of the sale. You then pay a transfer fee by vehicle class, a DMT service charge, and 1% stamp duty on the declared sale value. Skip this step and you, not the new driver, stay legally responsible for the vehicle.
Transferring ownership means the DMT updates its register to show the buyer, not the seller, as the legal owner — it's the single most important paperwork step in any sale. Everything else (price, condition, test drive) is between you and the other party, but the transfer is the part the state cares about, because the registered owner is who the law, the police, and your insurer will come looking for if something goes wrong with that vehicle.
In practice, the seller fills and signs their side of the MTA 6 and MTA 8 forms, the buyer fills theirs, and the completed set goes to the DMT along with the CR book, NIC copies, revenue licence, and the buyer's photographs. The seller is also expected to post Copy "C" of the MTA 8 form to the RMV by registered post, separately notifying them that the vehicle has changed hands. Once the DMT processes it, you get a CMT 52 receipt as proof, and a new CR book is issued in the buyer's name.
You need the original vehicle book (CR book), the seller's and buyer's certified NIC copies, a valid revenue licence, and the completed MTA 6 and MTA 8 forms. Add to that two photographs of the buyer (around 2 x 2.5 inches), with one photo certified by a Justice of the Peace, a Grama Niladhari, or another authorised staff officer.
If the vehicle attracted luxury tax or diesel tax at some point, bring the receipts and photocopies, since the DMT may ask for proof these were paid. If your address doesn't match your NIC, carry a Grama Niladhari certificate confirming your current address; married women who changed their surname should bring a certified marriage certificate. All of these forms are free from any DMT office, a District Secretariat, or a Divisional Secretariat — nobody should be charging you for the blank forms themselves.
Before you even get to this stage, make sure you've seen every document a legitimate seller should have. Our guide on safety tips covers how to spot a vehicle with problems before you commit to buying it.
You have 14 days from the date of sale to lodge the transfer documents with the DMT. This isn't a soft guideline — it's the rule the DMT is now actively tightening. As of October 2026, Commissioner General Thushara Fernando has stated that these timelines will be strictly enforced from 1 December 2026 onward, so leaving the paperwork "for later" is going to cost more going forward, not less.
Submissions are normally accepted at DMT transfer counters, your district Motor Traffic office, or the relevant Divisional Secretariat, usually on weekdays between 9.00 am and 2.00 pm. Some offices (such as Narahenpita and Werahera in the Colombo area) offer a one-day service for an extra charge if you need the new book faster; the normal service can take a few weeks, with the book arriving by registered post.
The DMT is moving vehicle transfers onto a mandatory online system during 2026, designed to close the loophole that let people drive on undated "open papers" for years without ever registering the sale. Under the new system, both buyer and seller are expected to register with their NIC, phone number and email, complete a one-time biometric verification at a Divisional Secretariat or DMT office, and then upload documents and pay transfer-related fees online, with approvals and a new registration sent out digitally.
This matters for you as a seller especially: if your buyer never transfers the vehicle into their name and it's later involved in an accident, a crime, or unpaid fines, the vehicle is still legally yours until the transfer goes through — you, not them, could be the one answering questions. That's the exact problem the online system and the renewed 14-day enforcement are aimed at fixing.
"Open papers" means you hand over an undated or incomplete transfer form instead of actually registering the sale — and it leaves the seller exposed. The vehicle stays registered in the seller's name, so any revenue licence issue, accident, or offence involving that vehicle is, on paper, still their problem. Buyers lose out too: without a completed transfer, you can't easily prove you own the vehicle, which complicates insurance claims, resale, or using the vehicle as security for a loan.
This practice has existed for years because it's faster and avoids the fee, but it's exactly what the DMT's 2026 enforcement push and the new online system are targeting. If you're selling, don't hand over the vehicle until the transfer forms are signed and on their way to the DMT; if you're buying, don't take "open papers" as a shortcut — insist on a proper transfer.
Expect three components: a class transfer fee that depends on the vehicle type, a flat DMT service charge, and 1% stamp duty calculated on the declared sale value. Fee tables published by fee-calculator sites put the class fee lowest for motorcycles and highest for lorries and buses, with cars, jeeps and dual-purpose vehicles in between — but these numbers do change, so treat any figure you read online, including this one, as a starting point and confirm the exact current amount at your DMT office or district Motor Traffic office before you budget for it. If you miss the 14-day window, expect an additional late fee on top of the standard charge.
Before you even get to the transfer fee, make sure the sale price itself is fair. Our price check tool helps you sanity-check what a vehicle should cost against similar listings in Sri Lanka.
You cannot transfer a vehicle that's still under an active lease or loan without a release letter and seal from the finance company confirming the facility has been settled. If you're buying a vehicle that's still being paid off by the seller, do not pay the full amount until you've seen proof the lease is cleared and the release letter is in hand — otherwise you risk paying for a vehicle the finance company can still repossess.
If you're financing your own purchase instead, our leasing calculator can help you work out a realistic monthly payment before you commit to a price with the seller.
Once the paperwork side is sorted, you can browse verified listings on Wahanaya's vehicles page, or if you're the one selling, list your vehicle on Wahanaya and mention clearly in the ad that the ownership transfer is ready to go — buyers trust that. If you hit a situation this guide doesn't cover, like a disputed lease release or a vehicle with a police entry, ask around in the Wahanaya forum, where other buyers and sellers share what worked for them at their local DMT office.
Price the car firmly, screen buyers on the phone before you agree to a viewing, and take a refundable deposit once someone says yes. Anyone who won't commit to any of these three steps is a time-waster, not a buyer.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
You can sell it, but the leasing company is the legal owner until the facility is settled. Clear the lease (or get the finance company's written release) before any transfer at the DMT, or the buyer's money won't get them a clean CR.
Wahanaya.lk team8 min read
Compare 8-10 similar ads for the same make, model, year and mileage, then adjust for condition, service history and documents. Price slightly above your target so you have room to negotiate, and confirm the transfer fees and stamp duty before you settle on a final figure.
Wahanaya.lk team6 min read
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