In recent years, the number of new vehicles registered in Lithuania has been steadily increasing and there are fewer and fewer used vehicles being imported and registered.

 

    According to data of the Register of Road Vehicles of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter – the Register) managed by State Enterprise Regitra (hereinafter – the Enterprise), a total of 30,725 new vehicles were registered in Lithuania last year, which is 20.8 per cent more than in 2014 (25,438).

 

    Last year, the data of 171,004 used vehicles were also added to the Register, which was 14.3 per cent less than in 2014 (199,552).

 

    At the request of the applicants, the majority of the used vehicles were issued general usage number plates. Most of them were previously registered in Germany (44 per cent), France (17 per cent), Belgium (7 per cent) and Italy (7 per cent).

   

    After purchasing an imported, used vehicle

     

    When registering a used, imported vehicle that has not yet been registered in Lithuania, the applicant must present Regitra with the registration certificate issued abroad for this vehicle as well as a document confirming the purchase thereof (contract of sale, invoice, etc.); the applicant must also present a personal identification document (and, if representing another person, a document confirming this).

        

    Only vehicles that have passed mandatory technical inspection are registered, so new owners must refer to a company which performs mandatory technical inspection prior to registration (Regitra does not carry out mandatory technical inspection). The vehicle being registered must be covered by compulsory motor third party liability insurance.  

 

    In order to ascertain whether the vehicle was purchased legally, Regitra specialists carry out identity checks during registration. The Enterprise notes that when a vehicle (or documents thereof) that is being looked for by the police or which has evidence of forgery is submitted for registration, information is handed over to the Lithuanian police. The police may detain the vehicle and keep it until the end of the investigation.

 

    If you purchase a new vehicle

 

    When registering a new vehicle, the applicant has to submit the purchase document and a certificate of conformity (this document should be given to the purchaser by the company that sold the vehicle). The applicant must also present a personal identification document (and, if representing another person, a document confirming this).

 

    When registering new vehicles, their identity is not checked, so they can be registered online via e-services or at any Regitra branch which registers vehicles. New vehicles are not required to pass mandatory technical inspection, but they do have to be covered by compulsory motor third party liability insurance. 

 

    Newly registered vehicles are issued new number plates or – if the applicant so requests – old number plates from another vehicle owned by the applicant.