The Rose Training Scandal: Who Owns the Quintuple-Nine License Plate?

According to lawyer Truong Van Tuan, as of August 15, 2023, the issuance and retrieval of registration and license plates for motor vehicles will be governed by Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA. This means that when selling a vehicle, the seller must retain the registration papers and license plates, refraining from handing them over to the new owner. It is the responsibility of the previous owner to submit the registration and license plates to the police for retrieval procedures.

In cases where the issuance, retrieval, and registration of license plates for motor vehicles were conducted before the effective date of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA, the provisions of Article 39 of this Circular shall apply. Specifically, for vehicles registered with a five-digit license plate before August 15, 2023, which have not undergone retrieval procedures, that license plate number is recognized as the owner’s designated plate.

Regarding vehicles registered with a five-digit license plate, if the previous owner completed the retrieval procedures before this Circular came into force, that license plate number will be returned to the inventory for future allocation as per regulations.

For vehicles registered with a five-digit license plate bearing the codes “LD,” “DA,” “MD,” or “R,” they are permitted to continue operating with the same license plate, even when applying for a replacement or reissue, unless the owner wishes to obtain a new license plate as outlined in this Circular.

As for vehicles registered with a three- or four-digit license plate, they are also allowed to continue operating with the existing plate, unless the owner requests a change to a designated plate or initiates procedures for re-registration, replacement, or reissue of the registration certificate or license plate, or for a change of ownership or vehicle relocation as stipulated in this Circular. In such cases, the three- or four-digit license plate will be retrieved and replaced with a designated plate as per the regulations.

Consequently, for vehicles registered with a five-digit license plate before August 15, 2023, which have not undergone retrieval procedures, that license plate number is acknowledged as the previous owner’s designated plate. If the retrieval process has been completed, the license plate number is returned to the inventory for future allocation in accordance with the regulations.

Hence, in the case of Huyen Hoa Hong, it is essential to ascertain the terms of the sales agreement regarding the vehicle and its license plate. It is also crucial to determine whether the necessary registration and ownership transfer procedures have been followed. If these processes were executed correctly and in compliance with the law prior to August 15, 2023, the license plate would rightfully belong to the new owner, Huyen Hoa Hong, and be designated in accordance with legal requirements. However, if these procedures were not properly carried out, and the registration remains under the previous owner’s name, it implies that the authorities have not acknowledged the change of ownership, and thus, the license plate is considered the designated plate of the previous owner.

Previously, Mr. Huyen had posted a “cry for help” regarding legal complications associated with a motorcycle bearing the license plate 97xx-999.99, which he purchased approximately a year ago.

According to Mr. Huyen, the motorcycle with the quintuple-nine license plate was bought from a man in Bac Kan on July 14, 2023, for VND 490 million. The payment was transferred to the account of the previous owner, Mr. N.T.Q. However, when Mr. Huyen recently contacted the previous owner to facilitate the transfer of the quintuple-nine license plate to another vehicle, Mr. Q. refused to cooperate, stating that he had only sold the vehicle and not the license plate. Additionally, Mr. Huyen mentioned that Mr. Q. had already registered and affixed the quintuple-nine license plate to another motorcycle, a Honda Dream.

Mr. Huyen further explained that at the time of purchasing the Honda SH with the license plate 97xx-999.99, he only received the necessary documents. His relatives have attempted to resolve the issue by contacting the previous owner, but to no avail.

In relation to this incident, the representative of the Traffic Police – Order Team of the Bac Kan City Police (Bac Kan province) stated that as of August 15, 2023, the motorcycle bearing the license plate 97xx-999.99 was registered under the name of Mr. N.T.Q. In July 2024, when Mr. Q. applied for vehicle registration, the Traffic Police – Order Team of the Bac Kan City Police checked the system and found that the license plate met the conditions for reissuance to another vehicle owned by Mr. Q., in accordance with the regulations on designated license plates (Circular 24/2023 of the Ministry of Public Security). The documents provided by the vehicle owner were also found to be in compliance with legal requirements.

On August 22, the leadership of the Bac Kan Provincial Police stated that they had assigned specialized departments to inspect and clarify information related to the dispute over the motorcycle license plate 97xx-999.99 between Mr. Bui Xuan Huyen (Huyen Hoa Hong) and an individual in the province. This includes examining matters such as price declaration and tax payment in the vehicle sale, and the authorities assured that they would strictly handle any violations discovered during the investigation.

According to the leader, the individual involved in the license plate dispute with Mr. Bui Xuan Huyen is Mr. N.T.Q., a resident of Bac Kan city. The police will provide official information once the verification process is completed.