What to do after selling or deregistering your car
Published · Updated · 5 min read · PaperValue.sg
After handing over your car, confirm ownership, payment and account changes. The refunds you can receive depend on whether you sold the vehicle or deregistered it.
A normal sale transfers the car and its remaining entitlements to the buyer. Deregistration can release eligible rebates to the registered owner. Do not count both a sale price and those same rebates as separate proceeds.
1. Confirm payment and ownership transfer
For a normal private transfer, the seller initiates and the buyer confirms through OneMotoring. LTA requires transfer within seven days of the buyer taking physical possession and lists a $25 transfer fee. Arrange completion together at handover where possible. LTA’s transfer procedure.
Check the completed status yourself and retain the confirmation. A dealer’s promise to handle it is not proof of completion. Match the payment in your bank account to the agreed settlement; do not rely on a screenshot alone.
If a loan was settled from the proceeds, confirm discharge directly with the finance company. Use its settlement quotation, including any fees or interest adjustments.
2. Notify your insurer
Request cancellation or a change of insured vehicle, and obtain the effective date in writing. Keep the sale or deregistration confirmation for the insurer.
Refunds depend on policy terms and claims. The insurance guide sets out sourced examples, including 80% of unused premium for several policies and Income’s different replacement-policy terms.
Ask how your NCD will be recorded and how long it remains usable if you are taking a break.
3. Know which rebates are yours
| Item | You sell to another owner | You deregister as owner |
|---|---|---|
| Remaining road tax | Transfers with the car | Check any unused-tax refund |
| PARF entitlement | Transfers with the car | Rebate if the vehicle is eligible |
| Unused COE entitlement | Transfers with the car | Eligible prorated rebate |
| Body or export value | Reflected in the agreed sale price | Separately agreed with the disposal buyer |
For PARF, use the applicable COE cohort and vehicle age. The February 2026 revision does not change the schedule of an older car. See the PARF guide.
For a standard ten-year COE, an illustration is $80,000 × 60/120 = $40,000 with exactly 60 months left. LTA also includes remaining days as a partial month; it does not simply discard them. Different tenure, Category E and other special cases need the relevant calculation.
4. If deregistering, redeem rebates before they expire
You have 12 months from deregistration to redeem eligible PARF/COE rebates. You do not need to wait 12 months to encash them.
First satisfy the disposal, financing and outstanding-matter requirements. You can then apply to encash, use or transfer the rebates. For online encashment, LTA uses a valid GIRO refund account if provided; otherwise it states payment by NRIC/FIN/UEN-linked PayNow within 14 working days. LTA’s rebate and encashment rules.
The earlier version of this guide incorrectly described the 12 months as a waiting period. It is a redemption deadline.
Follow LTA’s disposal procedure, including its documentation deadlines. A deregistered car cannot be driven to a scrapyard; arrange the sequence or towing before deregistering.
5. Close parking and vehicle-linked accounts
If you no longer need HDB season parking, request termination and check refund eligibility. HDB calculates eligible unused charges from the day after the request and states payment within two weeks; some newly purchased prorated parking is excluded from termination. HDB termination guidance, season-parking terms.
Also update condo or office parking, vehicle-linked payment services, charging subscriptions and manufacturer apps. Remove your stored cards, paired phones, addresses and personal items. The installed IU or OBU stays with the car; take your own payment card.
Keeping your registration number
Arrange retention before transferring the vehicle. Costs depend on how the number will be used:
- Using it to register a new vehicle generally costs $100 net.
- Retaining it separately before transfer can require $1,300 upfront, with $1,200 refunded when correctly used for new registration.
- Using it on an already registered vehicle generally costs $1,300, without that refund.
The retained number is valid for 12 months. A six-month extension costs $1,000 plus $42.51 administration, including GST. Deregistered vehicles have a separate retention procedure. LTA’s registration-number rules.
The completion checklist
- Payment received and lender settlement confirmed.
- Ownership transfer or deregistration completed and saved.
- Insurance cancellation or vehicle change confirmed.
- Parking, apps and payment accounts updated.
- Personal items and data removed.
- Any refund status and applicable deadlines recorded.
- PARF/COE rebates redeemed before expiry, if deregistering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does selling my car release PARF or COE cash?
No. On an ordinary sale, those entitlements pass with the car and are reflected in its price.
Must I wait a year to cash out rebates?
No. Apply after eligibility requirements are met and before the 12-month redemption deadline.
What if the transfer is still pending?
Contact the buyer or dealer promptly and check the status with LTA. A signed handover form does not itself change the registered owner.