The Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam has taken a major step to streamline the vehicle registration process through the implementation of Circular 13/2025/TT-BCA. This circular, effective from March 1, 2025, amends existing regulations to ease the burdens faced by citizens when registering their vehicles. These changes are particularly beneficial for individuals living in areas without direct access to district-level police units.
According to the new regulations, communal police branches, which were allocated to register motorcycles before January 1, 2025, will also have the authority to register cars and specialized motorcycles for domestic organizations and citizens residing locally. This is expected to significantly improve the accessibility of vehicle registration services, especially for those who previously struggled with administrative hurdles.
One of the most notable updates is the shift to online vehicle registration, as outlined by Decision 1383/QD-BCA. Vehicle owners will now be able to register their vehicles via the public service portal by logging in with a level 2 account. They must accurately complete the required fields on the digital registration form. Once submitted, the vehicle owner receives an online registration code via SMS or email, streamlining the entire process. "The new circulars aim to ease the burdens associated with vehicle registration, making it more accessible for citizens," said officials from the Ministry of Public Security.
Once the registration declaration is successfully submitted, the registration authority checks the hồ sơ (documents) for validity. If everything is satisfactory, the authority will send the necessary data back to the public service portal. The owner is notified to proceed with fee payment, after which they can print the temporary registration certificate directly from the portal. Remarkably, the certificate can be issued within eight working hours upon receiving complete hồ sơ.
The registration documents required for this process include the vehicle registration declaration, the owner’s documents connected to their level 2 account, and the vehicle origin certificate. This thorough yet swift verification aims to facilitate vehicle owners' ability to get on the road legally and without delay.
The new circulars not only clarify the process for registering vehicles but also extend responsibilities to communal police across various localities. For regions where vehicle registration capacity is exceeded, communal police where the registration has been allocated can assist neighboring units to manage the workload effectively. This means communal locations with high vehicle registrations will not be overwhelmed, and citizens can expect reasonable turnaround times.
For districts lacking communal administrative units, direct oversight by the police station or Traffic Police Department will occur, ensuring no area is left behind. The Ministry has emphasized the importance of adapting to the geographical and administrative realities on the ground, aiming to optimize vehicle registration processes nationwide.
With these new measures, registrations for test vehicles associated with research and development projects can also be managed efficiently. Temporary registration certificates can be issued for these vehicles, allowing participation on public roads for urgent needs, such as trials within defined scopes.
This policy adjustment leads to significant improvements, especially as citizens may not always have direct access to district administrative resources. The allocation of 35 administrative procedures—from vehicle registration to issuing citizen identification—now assigned to the communal police level accelerates the process, placing power back with the local authorities and relieving the burden on higher-level institutions.
Although the changes bring about many benefits, the Ministry has also stated they would continue to allocate resources and training to local police to prepare them for the added responsibilities. The aim is to complete the phase of granting full registration responsibilities to local police units by June 30, 2026.
The small-town communities and suburban areas can expect substantial gains from quick responses and reduced need to travel to centralized registration offices located far from their homes. These efforts symbolize the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing the efficiency of public services, thereby improving citizens' quality of life.