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How to Transfer Car Ownership in Egypt, Step by Step

A simple guide to transferring car ownership in Egypt: sale contract or power of attorney, traffic department, inspection, papers and common mistakes.

How to Transfer Car Ownership in Egypt, Step by Step

Paying for a car and taking the keys does not make it officially yours. As long as the licence is in the seller's name, violations, taxes and legal obligations stay tied to that name. So transfer protects both sides: the buyer gets a car in their name, the seller ends their responsibility.

This guide covers the usual steps. Procedures differ between traffic units and change over time, so ask the unit and the Real Estate Registry (الشهر العقاري) first.

Before You Sign: 3 Things to Confirm

  • Car details: the chassis number, engine number, plates and model must match the licence.
  • The seller: they must be the owner named on the licence, or hold a valid power of attorney that explicitly allows sale and ownership transfer.
  • What the car owes: violations, taxes, remaining instalments, or any court ruling or sale ban.

Sale Contract or Sale Power of Attorney?

There are two common routes:

A sale contract notarised at the Real Estate Registry: both parties notarise the sale there, then the buyer continues at traffic. You fill in the form, pay at the cashier, sign and fingerprint at the records desk, and the office manager stamps the contract.

A sale power of attorney (توكيل بيع): the owner authorises someone to sell the car on their behalf, and this is often made out to the buyer. This is not an ownership transfer: the car stays in the owner's name until traffic is finished. It can be revoked, and it can end if the owner dies. Confirm with the Registry that it is valid and that its wording covers sale and transfer.

Older sources say an agent must get an administrative power of attorney from the Registry to complete the traffic stage.

The Steps at the Traffic Department

The order of steps differs between sources. The usual pattern is as follows:

  1. Identify the competent unit: the one where the car is registered, or the one covering the buyer's address.
  2. Get the traffic violations certificate. Sources differ on how long it stays valid, so ask before you issue it.
  3. Take the car to the technical inspection section, where they check it against the licence and take an imprint of the chassis and engine numbers.
  4. Arrange compulsory insurance with the new details.
  5. Pay any violations, taxes and fees due.
  6. Submit the file at the ownership transfer office, review the details with the clerk, and pay the fees.
  7. Collect the new licence, and new plates if they are changing.

One older source also mentions a fire extinguisher, an environmental inspection form and removing the plates before submitting. Confirm these at your unit.

Fees vary with the car's type, model year and engine size, so we give no figures here. Ask the Registry and traffic department at the time.

Required Documents

Compiled from the sources; the competent authority decides what is actually required:

  • The original licence and a copy.
  • National ID cards of seller and buyer, with copies.
  • The notarised sale contract, or the power of attorney with the document proving the sale.
  • The violations certificate or clearance certificate.
  • The compulsory insurance policy.
  • The technical inspection report.
  • A vehicle data certificate from traffic if the licence has expired.
  • A security inquiry certificate showing the car has not been reported stolen.

Special Cases

Expired licence: one older source says the steps are nearly the same, but you need extra certificates from traffic and must sort out the licence first.

Company-owned car: we found no reliable source with a document list. Confirm who may sell on the company's behalf, and ask the Registry and traffic which company documents they require.

Inherited car: again, we found no reliable source for these steps. Expect to need proof of heirs, such as an inheritance declaration (إعلام وراثة), with all heirs party to the sale or authorising someone. If there is a minor heir or a dispute between heirs, speak to a lawyer before you pay anything.

Car with instalments: if the licence carries a sale ban in favour of a bank or finance company, the transfer will not go through until the ban is lifted.

Common Mistakes

  • Settling for a preliminary contract and never going to the traffic department.
  • Paying in full before checking the papers and numbers.
  • Buying on an old power of attorney without confirming it is still valid.
  • Relying on the seller's word that there are no violations.
  • Leaving originals at the office. Submit copies, and show the original only when the clerk asks to see it.
  • Collecting the new licence without checking the name, address and numbers.
  • The seller forgetting to keep proof of transfer, or to cancel insurance and subscriptions linked to the car.

FAQ

Must the seller and buyer go together?

Sources differ. Some say both parties must attend, others that an agent can complete it with a power of attorney.

Can I transfer ownership online?

Sources differ: one says in person, another mentions electronic submission. Ask the authority.

How long does it take?

One source says a few hours depending on how busy the office is, but there is no confirmed official timeframe.

Is a power of attorney enough without a transfer?

It lets you act on the car, but the car stays in the original owner's name. It is safer to complete the transfer and get a licence in your own name.

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