The Form, The Fee And The Deadline
Ownership of a registered vehicle changes when the Road Transport Department (RTD) records the transfer, not when money changes hands. The application is form TOM 9; the edition currently distributed is TOM 9Γ (often written TOM 9G in English). Older copies marked TOM 9B circulate online: guides checked in October 2026 differ on whether an office will still accept one, so download the current form from the RTD or pick it up at the counter rather than reusing a saved file. RTD vehicle forms and procedures
The transfer fee is EUR 8.54, paid at the RTD or Citizen Service Centre counter. The figure comes from the RTD's English transfer page and was confirmed by three independent guides updated between April and September 2026; the RTD page itself could not be re-opened during our October 2026 check, so confirm the amount at the counter if it matters to you.
Both parties must notify the RTD within 30 days of the sale; missing the deadline is an offence. Until the transfer is recorded, the seller remains the registered owner, including for road tax and any fines.
Complete The Form Carefully
Fill in TOM 9 in capital letters, in blue or black ink. Offices reject forms with corrections or correction fluid, so print a fresh copy if you make a mistake. Both the seller and the buyer sign. If both attend an RTD office or a Citizen Service Centre (KEP) with identification, the officer certifies the signatures on the spot. If one party cannot attend, that person signs in advance before a community leader (mukhtar) or a certifying officer, who stamps the form for a small fee. A party abroad can act through an agent with a power of attorney certified by a Cyprus certifying officer or, from abroad, by a Cyprus embassy or consulate. Changing the ownership of a vehicle, cyprusdriving.net, updated April 2026
What To Bring
- The original registration certificate (the "logbook").
- The completed and signed TOM 9.
- Identification for both parties: ID card, or passport with a residence document for non-Cypriots.
- An insurance certificate or cover note in the buyer's name; offices ask for cover that runs more than three months past the transfer date. See car insurance.
- Evidence that road tax is current and a valid roadworthiness certificate; see road tax and MOT and roadworthiness.
- The recall paperwork described below.
- The fee, payable at the counter in cash or by card.
If the seller owns other vehicles, the office may ask to see their registration documents too.
Recall Declarations Since February 2025
Since 11 February 2025 a vehicle transfer can only be processed once the recall position of the car has been documented: for a used car the seller provides the recall exemption certificate or declaration, for a new car it comes from the importer or distributor. The rule was introduced during the Takata airbag recall and applies to every transfer, not only to recalled models.
In practice this means one of three RTD forms: a certificate of no pending recall from the official distributor (TOM 369), a declaration by the seller for imported vehicles or where no distributor certificate exists (TOM 371), or an acknowledgement signed by the buyer that a recall is pending and the transfer may still proceed (TOM 372). Ask the office which one applies to the car before the appointment, and treat a seller who cannot produce any of them as a reason to pause. Recall exemption certificates required for vehicle transfers, Cyprus Mail, February 2025
Cases That Need A Tailored Check
An inherited vehicle, a duty-relieved import, a jointly held vehicle, a regulated commercial class or a transaction through an agent may require additional evidence. Explain those circumstances before attending. A declaration about an expired MOT is not permission to drive a vehicle that cannot lawfully be used; arrange transport and read the roadworthiness guide.
Coordinate Completion
Buyer and seller should agree how payment, the official transfer and the handover fit together. Avoid blank signed forms or a promise to complete the paperwork at an unspecified later date. Keep the processing receipt, the signed agreement and payment evidence. Arrange the buyer's insurance for the agreed handover; the seller then deals with their own policy and any vehicle-linked accounts. See the buying checklist and the private-selling guide for the surrounding transaction.