Guide8 min read5 views
Updated 8 November 2026 · Written by the Wahanaya.lk team
Yes, you can sell your car to a registered company in Sri Lanka, but the transfer needs company papers, not just an NIC. You'll need the company's registration copy, an embossed seal or letterhead letter, a certified no-objection letter, and both parties' TIN.
Yes. A registered Sri Lankan company, whether a private limited company, a partnership, or a sole proprietorship, can legally buy and be registered as the owner of a vehicle at the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT). The process is the same ownership transfer used for any private sale, but the DMT asks for extra company paperwork in place of (or alongside) the usual NIC copies, because a company cannot sign a form by itself — a human has to sign and stamp on its behalf.
The buyer's company needs to supply its registration document, an authorised signatory, and proof it is who it says it is. In practice, ask the buyer for a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation (for a private limited company registered under the Companies Act) or the Business Registration Certificate (for a sole proprietorship or partnership registered under the Business Names Ordinance), the company's postal address, and the NIC of the person signing on its behalf. If more than one director usually signs, ask who is authorised to sign vehicle transfer papers — some companies require two directors' signatures with the embossed seal.
Yes, if it has one. The DMT's rule for registration of ownership transfer states that where the transferor or transferee is a limited liability company, the MTA 6 and MTA 8 applications "shall be signed and stamped with an embossed seal." If the company genuinely has no embossed seal, it must state this clearly in a letter on its own letterhead instead. Without either the seal or that letter, the DMT can reject the application, so confirm this with the buyer before you both travel to the RMV office.
It's a short letter from you, the seller, confirming you have no objection to the vehicle being transferred to the named buyer (here, the company). This letter, together with a copy of your NIC, must be certified with an official stamp by a Grama Niladhari of your area, a Justice of Peace, a commissioner for oaths, an attorney-at-law, or a staff-grade government officer. One practical catch to know: a Justice of Peace based near the RMV office that will process your transfer cannot certify it — applications certified this way get sent back, so use a JP, lawyer, or Grama Niladhari from your own area instead.
Yes. As of November 2026, the DMT has required a valid TIN for both the seller and the buyer on vehicle registrations and ownership transfers since 5 January 2026, according to Ada Derana and Daily News reporting. For a company buyer, this means the company's own TIN (not just the signing director's personal TIN) needs to be on record with the Inland Revenue Department before the transfer can be completed. The transaction cannot go through at the counter without it, so ask the buyer to confirm their company's TIN is active before you set a transfer date. This rule does not apply to motorcycles, hand tractors, tractors, tractor trailers, or three-wheelers, but it does apply to cars, vans, and most other classes companies typically buy. Rules like this can change, so confirm the current position with your nearest DMT/RMV office before you go.
The forms themselves don't change, only how they're signed. You, the seller, complete your side of MTA 6 and MTA 8 as usual with your NIC and signature. On the buyer's side, instead of an individual's signature alone, the company's authorised signatory signs and the embossed seal (or the no-seal letter) is attached. The company's registration number and address go where an individual's NIC and address would normally go. If you're unsure how a particular field should be filled for a corporate buyer, ask the RMV counter staff when you submit, or check with the buyer's company secretary beforehand so you don't make a second trip.
The embossed seal rule only strictly applies to limited liability companies. If the buyer is a partnership, the DMT asks for written consent from all the other partners before the transfer goes through. If it's a sole proprietorship (a one-person business registered under a trade name), the DMT asks for the owner's written consent in addition to a copy of the business registration. In both cases, the individual signing still needs to show their own NIC, since a partnership or sole proprietorship isn't a separate legal person the way a limited company is.
The same safety rules apply as with any buyer, if not more. Prefer a bank transfer or a cheque you can verify has cleared, ideally paid from the company's own bank account rather than a director's personal account, since that makes the paper trail match the buyer named on the CR book. Avoid releasing the vehicle or signing any transfer document until the funds are confirmed. For more on handling this safely, see our safety tips page, and post questions about a specific situation on the Wahanaya forum.
Before you commit, it's worth checking the company isn't a shell with no real assets or track record, since that matters if a cheque bounces or a transfer stalls halfway. A quick way to sanity-check the deal is to compare your asking price against similar listings using price check, and if you haven't listed the car yet, you can do so on post ad and browse comparable vehicles under vehicles. If the company buyer mentions financing the purchase through a lease, note that the monthly repayment and total cost are theirs to manage, but you can point them to the leasing calculator if they ask how the numbers work out.
When a buyer pays through a lease or bank loan, their finance company sends an approved valuer to inspect your car and registers itself as absolute owner on the CR book before you get paid, so expect extra paperwork and a short delay versus a cash sale.
Wahanaya.lk team8 min read
The safest payment is a bank transfer or bank draft you verify yourself by checking your own banking app or calling your bank — never a screenshot the buyer sends you. Don't hand over the CR book, keys or signed MTA 6 form until the money has actually settled in your account.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
Yes — the DMT's ownership-transfer system checks that your vehicle's VET (emission test) certificate and revenue licence are both in date before it lets the transfer go through, so renew an expired VET before you sell, unless your vehicle is exempt.
Wahanaya.lk team7 min read
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