Transfer to an indeterminate person: what to do if you sold a car or motorcycle and the transfer was never completed

Selling a motorcycle or car in Colombia with the promise of 'we'll handle the transfer next month' or under the poorly named 'open transfer' arrangement is one of the most expensive financial and legal mistakes a owner can make. Months go by, the buyer sells the vehicle to a third party without registering the transaction, and one day you wake up to a seizure notice in your bank account for accumulated photo-fines or overdue vehicle taxes on a car you haven't seen in years.

To solve this crisis, the Ministry of Transport kept the following mechanism enabled for several years: transfer to an indeterminate person. However, the regulatory framework recently changed, and it is key to understand where you stand today to avoid continuing to accumulate debt. If you want to see real options right now, you can view cars and motorcycles available on Colombia Move — posting is completely free.

1. The real risk of the 'open transfer' and the debts that chase you

In the Colombian legal system, ownership of a motor vehicle is not transferred by simply handing over the keys or signing a private sales contract at a notary office. Ownership is only solidified when the change is formally filed and registered with the Transit Authority where the car or motorcycle is registered, updating the traffic license in the RUNT.

If you hand over the vehicle without completing this step, the open transfer exposes you to charges and actions associated with that license plate. This implies serious risks:

• Coactive collection of vehicle taxes: Departmental or district treasury offices initiate collection processes that can end in the seizure of bank accounts and salaries.
• Photo-fines and SIMIT infractions: Traffic ticket notifications may continue to be directed to the owner registered in the RUNT.

To learn how to prepare clearance certificates before any negotiation, you can consult our guide on what to check in RUNT, SOAT, and fines before selling a motorcycle.

2. What happened with the transfer to an indeterminate person in 2026?

For a long time, Resolution 20223040045295 of 2022 allowed sellers who had been without possession of the vehicle for more than three years (and without knowing the buyer's whereabouts) to request a transfer to an indeterminate person from the corresponding transit authority.

However, the regulation set a clear limit: under Resolution 20253040049955 of the Ministry of Transport, the special window to file new applications for transfer to an indeterminate person officially ended on February 6, 2026.

What does this mean in practice?

• If you filed before February 6, 2026: The transit authority must continue evaluating your file. If you met the requirements (being up to date with taxes and SIMIT, proving the 3 years of loss of possession, and signing the sworn statement), the process will proceed until the status is recorded in the RUNT.
• If you did not manage to file in time: It is no longer possible to initiate an initial application for transfer to an indeterminate person under the previous transitional regime. The process is closed for new direct declarations from the seller at the counter.

According to active listings on Colombia Move (August 2026), the motorcycle category had 5 active listings and 5 recent posts. It is still a limited supply for those seeking to negotiate directly and clarify transfer conditions from the listing.

3. Suspension of the automotive register and 'registration in favor of the interested party'

For vehicles that have already been noted under the condition of indeterminate person in the RUNT, transit authorities proceed with the suspension of the automotive register once the legal deadlines have elapsed. This suspension brings immediate consequences for the vehicle:

1. The issuance or renewal of the SOAT and the Technical-Mechanical Review (RTM) is blocked.
2. The vehicle cannot legally circulate on the country's roads without being impounded by traffic authorities.

The only legal way to rehabilitate a vehicle in this situation is for the current possessor (the person currently holding the car or motorcycle) to proceed with the process known as registration in favor of the interested party. For this, the possessor must go to the transit authority, prove uninterrupted possession, sign an irrevocable commitment, and obtain authorization in the RUNT to purchase the SOAT and RTM within 5 business days before consolidating the property card in their name.

4. Summary of options based on your current situation

The following table summarizes the possible scenarios for owners and possessors in 2026:

User situation	Process status	Required action in 2026
Seller with filing before Feb-6-2026	Processing by Transit Authority	Monitor the file at the Transit Secretariat to verify final annotation in RUNT.
Seller who NEVER filed the process	Expired / Not available	Formally request the buyer if their whereabouts are known or seek legal counsel for prescription processes/lawsuits.
Current possessor of a vehicle with suspended registration	Pending legalization	Carry out 'registration in favor of the interested party' before the transit authority, paying processing fees and updating SOAT/RTM.

Remember that for any procedure before the RUNT, both the seller and buyer must have their active registration as a natural person in the RUNT.

5. How to prevent this problem in your future vehicle sales

The most important lesson from the 'transfer to an indeterminate person' mechanism is that prevention is infinitely cheaper and faster than correction. To ensure you never go through this uncertainty again, apply these inviolable rules when selling your used car or motorcycle:

• Never hand over the vehicle without filing the Single Application Form for Procedures: Go together to the transit authority or mobility window and complete the transfer process in person or digitally before handing over the keys.
• Sign a detailed sales contract: Keep explicit records of the time, date, mileage, and immediate transfer commitment, attaching copies of IDs.
• Calculate and agree on the source withholding tax: Know the tax costs of the transaction in advance. You can check the details in our article on how to sell a used car without intermediaries and calculate source withholding tax.
• Do not accept suspicious intermediaries: Avoid resellers who ask you to leave the transfer 'blank' to save on later paperwork.

Frequently asked questions

❓ What was the transfer to an undetermined person in Colombia?

It was a legal procedure that allowed a seller to disassociate themselves in the RUNT from a vehicle sold years ago, for which the buyer never registered the formal transfer and whose current whereabouts were unknown.

❓ Is it still possible to file for a transfer to an undetermined person in 2026?

No. The special window to file new applications ended on February 6, 2026, as provided in Resolution 20253040049955 of the Ministry of Transportation. Only applications filed before that date are being processed.

❓ What happens if I sold my vehicle and the buyer never did the transfer?

The vehicle remains in your name in the RUNT. Therefore, delinquent vehicle taxes, traffic camera fines, and collection proceedings can remain associated with the registered owner as long as the change is not formalized.

❓ What happens with vehicles that were registered to an undetermined person?

Transit authorities apply a suspension of the vehicle registration. With this measure, the vehicle cannot renew its SOAT or Technical-Mechanical Inspection until the current possessor legalizes the status.

❓ How can the current possessor put the vehicle in their name?

They must complete the registration process in favor of the interested party before the transit authority where the vehicle is registered, proving possession and meeting the requirements established by the regulation.

❓ What should I demand before handing over the keys to my vehicle in a sale?

You must demand the signature and formal filing of the Unique Procedure Application Form before the transit authority or RUNT, ensuring that the ownership officially changes before handing over physical possession.