Selling UK vehicle in SA - what to do with carnet/ownership papers
 

Hi all,

We're hoping to sell our UK reg cruiser in SA to a traveller heading north. Just wondering what to do about the carnet? We are heading into Lesotho tomorrow so wondered whether we could come back into South Africa on a Temporary Import Permit instead of using the carnet? Would that make things easier ?

If that is not an option is the only way for the new owner to get their own carnet and accompany them to the nearest border to stamp out our carnet? Once it's been stamped out will we get our deposit back, even though we've sold the vehicle?

Finally what do we do about transfer of ownership? Do we do that via the DVLA? Is there any other paperwork we need to be aware of?

Many thanks in advance for your help!!

Cheers

Probably depends on many things, including what your carnet issuing AA will require for returning the bond. I hope I´m wrong, but if the vehicle stays in RSA, and you go back home, then you might have some trouble getting the bond back (...I´m really not sure, if I´d try this in my country!)

At the very least, your carnet needs to be stamped out by the customs of every carnet country, that it has visited.

The carnet system exists, because some countries do not want to you to bring your vehicle there permanently (without paying their considerable taxes & duties). And if they think, that this has happened, they´ll make a claim for all these to your carnet issuing AA, who will then need to be able to prove, that the vehicle is not in that country, that made the claim. So if you return without the vehicle, expect your AA to be very suspicious.

But maybe somebody will have better info on if there is a way around this, or if it makes any difference if you´re selling it to another person, who does not plan to keep it there.

Here might be something useful:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-canada-59268

Are you on a UK carnet? I thought the whole idea of this was to stop you selling the vehicle outside the UK without paying the necessary duties etc in the country of import. I guess these would probably make it uneconomic to sell it at all given that you have to stump up 1.5 to 2 x the value of the vehicle to cover the fees. I don't think you'll be able to sell it if it's on a TIP - or at least not without factoring in the import duties someone else will have to pay.

If it's a UK carnet speak to Paul Gowen at the RAC. He will set you straight. Wahtever you do don't risk losing your bond.

Good Question
 

I'm hoping that you could change ownership by sending in the V5, new owners could get a carnet in their name, then if all parties are present at the border crossing you could check out on one carnet and into the next country on the new carnet. Hence the original carnet has all the in and out stamps to get the deposit back.

Of course if the second country does not require a carnet than that simplifies things for the new owner.

Note that this is pure speculation and I have not checked with Paul in Bristol.

J