Proper term for vehicle owner?

Irish registration certificates specify the person listed in the document as "Registered Owner".

Interesting fact though is, that Irish registration certificates, according to EU law shown in Directive 1999/37/EC does not prove ownership of the vehicle...

In other words, some EU countries do issue registration certificates which are a proof of vehicle ownership. Ireland is not one of them even though person listed there is listed under the section "Registered owner" (mistakenly I assume).

To expand this subject you can notice that person details are listed under C.1.1, C.1.2, and C.1.3 fields which are described in above directive as follows:

(C) personal data

(C.1) holder of the registration certificate:

(C.1.1) surname or business name

(C.1.2) other name(s) or initial(s) (where appropriate)

(C.1.3) address in the Member State of registration on the date of issue of the document

That is the holder of registration certificate.
If person was meant to be presented there as vehicle owner, it would be under C.2 section:

(C) personal data

(C.2) owner of the vehicle

(C.2.1) surname or business name

(C.2.2) other name(s) or initial(s) (where appropriate)

(C.2.3) address in the Member State of registration, on the date of issue of the document

Nothing like that though as C.2 section on Irish logbooks.


Also even the wording "Úinéir Cláraithe - Registered Owner" is listed under section C.4.C which section (C.4) could possibly also be a proof that person listed in C.1 is also the vehicle owner. Unfortunately it would have to be C.4.A instead of C.4.C which is used on Irish registration certs.

(C.4) Where the particulars specified in VI, code C.2 are not included in the registration certificate, reference to the fact that the holder of the registration certificate:

(a) is the vehicle owner

(b) is not the vehicle owner

(c) is not identified by the registration certificate as being the vehicle owner

This might be bit offtopic to OP's question, but I though it might be useful for someone.
Cost me lots of nerves when I was trying to register my Irish car abroad, and I had no document to proof that I'm the owner.

Victor wrote: »

Is there a specific legal term for the owner of a vehicle? I've heard something along the lines of "registered keeper", but I don't know where it comes from.

What act does the term come from?

There are two definitions in Irish law, "owner" and "registered owner".

Owner is the person who keeps a vehicle or in relation to a HP/lease agreement takes possession of a vehicle.

Registered owner is the person who's names is most recently entered in the joint licensing records.

Essentially though they are both the same.

How does it work for companies with hundreds or thousands of vehicles - e.g. Gardai, HSE, An Post, Dublin Bus etc.

Does there have to be a named person registered as the owner?

CiniO wrote: »

Does being "Registered owner" and being entered in the joint licensing records, and being listed as "Registered Owner" on registration certificate prove that person actually owns that vehicle according to Irish law ?

Yes, because in law "ownership" is essentially the right of possession or control over something, the person who is in possession or keeps the vehicle is the "owner", and the person who keeps the vehicle is supposed to have their name on the VLC, that is why for example garages are supposed to temporarily change ownership of vehicles into their own names between sales.

GM228 wrote: »

Yes, because in law "ownership" is essentially the right of possession or control over something, the person who is in possession or keeps the vehicle is the "owner", and the person who keeps the vehicle is supposed to have their name on the VLC, that is why for example garages are supposed to temporarily change ownership of vehicles into their own names between sales.

Thanks for reply.

That makes it interesting, why Irish registration certificates don't follow EU directive rules, and list the person as "holder of the registration certificate" under section C.1 instead of listing that person as "owner of the vehicle" under section C.2.
Even more strange why wording "Registered owner" on the registration cert is listed under C.4.C which confirms that person listed under section C.1 is not identified by the registration certificate as being the vehicle owner, while it could be just C.4.A which would confirm that holder of the registration certificate is the vehicle owner.
Would you know for a reason for that?


(all above in relation to my post earlier in this thread).