Circular No. 14/2023/TT-BGTVT on registering railway transport vehicles and moving such vehicles in special cases.

CIRCULAR
Regulations on registering railway traffic vehicles,
moving railway traffic vehicles in special cases

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Pursuant to the Railway Law dated June 16, 2017;

BASED ON THE DECREE NO. 56/2022/ND-CP dated August 24, 2022 of THE GOVERNMENT stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT;

At the proposal of the Director of the Transport Department and the Director of the Vietnam Railway Administration;

The Minister of Transport issues this Circular regulating the registration of railway traffic vehicles, and the movement of railway traffic vehicles in special cases.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates the issuance, reissuance, revocation, and cancellation of the Certificate of Registration for Railway Traffic Vehicles (hereinafter referred to as the Certificate of Registration) operating on national railways, dedicated railways, urban railways, and the movement of railway traffic vehicles (hereinafter referred to as vehicles) in special cases.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to organizations and individuals related to the issuance, reissuance, revocation, and cancellation of the Certificate of Registration and the movement of vehicles in special cases.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Special-purpose vehicle moving on railway tracks These are vehicles used for transporting people, materials, and equipment for purposes such as rescue; accident rescue on railway traffic; inspection, construction, maintenance, and repair of railway works.

2. Changing the purpose of use or changing the main technical parameters of railway traffic vehicles refers to changing the type of engine, changing the engine power, changing the drive system, changing the gauge for locomotives; changing the type, changing the load capacity, changing the steering angle of a different type, changing the gauge for carriages; changing the type, changing the gauge for specialized vehicles; changing the type, engine power, and drive system for urban rail motor cars.

Chapter II
REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

Section 1 ISSUANCE, REISSUANCE, REVOCATION, AND CANCELLATION
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION FOR VEHICLES

Article 4. General Provisions

1. Imported, domestically produced, or assembled vehicles must be issued a Certificate of Registration for Vehicles by the competent state authority before being put into operation on railways in accordance with the provisions of this Circular.

2. The owner of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the owner) must submit an application to the competent state authority for the reissuance of the Certificate of Registration for Vehicles in accordance with the provisions of this Circular in the cases specified in Clause 2 and Clause 3 of Article 31 of the Railway Law or when the Certificate of Registration for Vehicles is damaged or lost.

3. The owner must submit an application to the competent state authority for the revocation and cancellation of the Certificate of Registration for Vehicles in accordance with the provisions of this Circular in the cases specified in Clause 4 of Article 31 of the Railway Law.

4. The format of the Certificate of Registration for Vehicles is prescribed in Appendix I of this Circular. In the case of reissuance, the Certificate of Registration for Vehicles will have additional wording such as "Reissued first time, Reissued second time... ".

1. The Vietnam Railway Administration organizes the issuance, reissuance, revocation, and cancellation of the Certificate of Registration for Vehicles on national railways, urban railways, and dedicated railways, except for the cases specified in Clause 2 of this Article.

2. The People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city having dedicated railways and urban railways listed in Appendix II attached to this Circular (hereinafter referred to as the Provincial People's Committee) shall organize the issuance, reissuance, revocation, and cancellation of the Certificate of Registration for Vehicles on dedicated railways and urban railways in accordance with the provisions of this Circular.

Article 6. Documents for Issuing Vehicle Registration Certificate

1. The original paper document or electronic version of the application form for issuing a Vehicle Registration Certificate submitted by the owner according to the model specified in Appendix III of this Circular.

Purchase, gift, or donation contracts; proof of payment of stamp duty (if applicable); decision on vehicle transfer; invoice issued by the organization or individual selling the vehicle (if the vehicle has been transferred through multiple organizations or individuals, only the invoice from the last seller needs to be provided when applying for the Vehicle Registration Certificate); Vehicle Quality, Technical Safety, and Environmental Protection Certificate issued by the Vietnamese Inspection Organization or foreign inspection organization authorized by the Minister of Transport which remains valid. For documents in a foreign language, a Vietnamese translation certified by a notary must be attached.

3. In cases where a single purchase, gift, or donation contract includes multiple vehicles listed in the invoice or customs declaration, the owner shall provide a detailed declaration for each vehicle requesting issuance of the Vehicle Registration Certificate or separate documents for each vehicle as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article.

4. For imported vehicles, in addition to the documents required under Clause 2 of this Article, there must also be the original paper document or certified copy or electronic version or certified electronic copy of the customs declaration for imported vehicles or the customs declaration that has been cleared.

5. If the vehicle does not have a separate purchase contract or invoice (because the sale of vehicles is part of a tender package and cannot be separated), then the original paper document or certified copy or electronic version or certified electronic copy of the tender contract or tender component showing the provision of the vehicle, along with the handover record of the vehicle to the owner, must be provided.

Article 7. Documents for Reissuing Vehicle Registration Certificate

1. In case of ownership transfer

a) Application for recognition of equivalence of notary vocational training (Form TP-CC-01);

a) The original paper document or electronic version of the application form for reissuing a Vehicle Registration Certificate submitted by the owner according to the model specified in Appendix IV of this Circular; the original or electronic version of the previously issued Vehicle Registration Certificate;

b) The original paper document or certified copy or electronic version or certified electronic copy of the documents proving ownership of the vehicle: Gift, donation, purchase contract, purchase invoice, proof of payment of stamp duty (if applicable), decision on vehicle transfer, business registration certificate (if the owner changes name), asset handover record accompanied by a list of vehicles.

c) The original paper document or certified copy or electronic version or certified electronic copy of the Vehicle Quality, Technical Safety, and Environmental Protection Certificate which remains valid.

2. In case of change in usage function or main technical parameters

a) Application for recognition of equivalence of notary vocational training (Form TP-CC-01);

a) The original paper document or electronic version of the application form for reissuing a Vehicle Registration Certificate submitted by the owner according to the model specified in Appendix IV of this Circular; the original or electronic version of the previously issued Vehicle Registration Certificate;

b) The original paper document or certified copy or electronic version or certified electronic copy of the Vehicle Quality, Technical Safety, and Environmental Protection Certificate which remains valid.

3. In case of loss or damage of the Vehicle Registration Certificate

a) Application for recognition of equivalence of notary vocational training (Form TP-CC-01);

a) The original paper document or electronic version of the application form for reissuing a Vehicle Registration Certificate submitted by the owner according to the model specified in Appendix V of this Circular; the original or electronic version of the previously issued Vehicle Registration Certificate (in case of damage).

b) The original paper document or certified copy or electronic version or certified electronic copy of the Vehicle Quality, Technical Safety, and Environmental Protection Certificate which remains valid.

Article 8. Documents for Requesting Revocation or Cancellation of Vehicle Registration Certificate

The documents include the original paper version or electronic version of the application form for revoking or cancelling the Vehicle Registration Certificate according to the model prescribed in Appendix VI of this Circular; the original or electronic version of the issued Vehicle Registration Certificate.

Article 9. Procedures for Issuing, Reissuing, Revoking, or Cancelling Vehicle Registration Certificates

1. Methods of Submitting Documents

The owner shall submit one set of documents as stipulated in Articles 6, 7, and 8 of this Circular to the competent state agency as prescribed in Article 5 of this Circular through one of the following methods:

a) Submitting directly at the single-window department of the competent state agency issuing, reissuing, revoking, or cancelling the Vehicle Registration Certificate (hereinafter referred to as the competent state agency);

b) Submitting through the online public service portal of the competent state agency or the national online public service portal;

c) Submitting through the postal system or other appropriate methods.

2. Acceptance and Examination of Documents by the Competent State Agency

Immediately upon receipt of the documents, the competent state agency shall organize the examination of the documents. In cases where the documents do not comply with the provisions of this Circular, within one working day (if submitted directly at the single-window department or through the online public service portal or the national online public service portal) or two working days (if submitted through the postal system or other appropriate methods), from the date of receipt of the documents, the competent state agency shall be responsible for notifying and guiding the owner to supplement and complete the documents in accordance with the regulations.

3. Procedures for Issuing and Reissuing Vehicle Registration Certificates

a) Within three working days from the date of receiving complete and compliant documents, the competent state agency shall issue or reissue the Vehicle Registration Certificate (except in cases of reissuance as provided in point b of this clause). The owner shall be responsible for paying the prescribed fee. In cases of reissuing the Vehicle Registration Certificate, if the owner has submitted the electronic version of the Vehicle Registration Certificate through the online public service portal or the national online public service portal, they shall be responsible for returning the original to the competent state agency.

b) Reissuing the Vehicle Registration Certificate in Case of Loss

Within one working day from the date of receiving complete and compliant documents, the competent state agency shall issue to the owner a certificate confirming the declaration of loss of the Vehicle Registration Certificate according to the model prescribed in Appendix VII of this Circular. The time for the competent state agency to consider reissuing the Vehicle Registration Certificate is thirty days from the date of receiving complete and compliant documents. The owner shall be responsible for paying the prescribed fee.

c) In cases where the issuance or reissuance of the Vehicle Registration Certificate is denied, within the administrative procedure resolution period specified in points a and b of this clause, the competent state agency shall notify the owner in writing and specify the reasons.

4. Procedures for Revoking or Cancelling the Vehicle Registration Certificate

Within three working days from the date of receiving compliant documents, the competent state agency shall notify the owner in writing about the revocation or cancellation of the Vehicle Registration Certificate. If the vehicle owner has submitted the electronic version of the Vehicle Registration Certificate through the online public service portal or the national online public service portal, they shall be responsible for returning the original to the competent state agency.

Section 2
REGULATIONS ON VEHICLE REGISTRATION NUMBERS

Article 10. Principles for registering vehicle identification numbers

1. For national railways and dedicated railways

a) The vehicle registration number consists of two groups of symbols as follows:

Group 1 on the top row: Abbreviation or trade name of the enterprise that is the owner;

Group 2 on the bottom row: Consists of letters and numbers proposed by the owner (in compliance with current laws), suitable for the owner's production and business management.

Example: The registration number of a carriage of Vietnam Railway Corporation (trade name abbreviated in English as VNR) is as follows:

VNR

H 431328

b) For vehicles limited in size of sides or undercarriage or due to other objective factors, Group 1 and Group 2 symbols may be placed on the same row.

2. For urban railways

a) The vehicle registration number consists of two groups of symbols as follows:

Group 1 on the top row: Abbreviation or international trading name of the enterprise that is the owner;

Group 2 on the bottom row: Consists of letters and numbers indicating railway line, train number, carriage number, or locomotive number, special-purpose vehicle number proposed by the owner.

Example: The registration number of a carriage of Hanoi Urban Railway Joint Stock Company Limited (international trading name abbreviated as HANOI METRO) is as follows:

HANOI METRO

HN02A001-01

b) For vehicles limited in size of sides or undercarriage or due to other objective factors, Group 1 and Group 2 symbols may be placed on the same row.

Article 11. Provisions on the location of the registration number and the color of the registration number characters

1. Location of the registration number on the vehicle

The vehicle registration number must be marked on both sides of the body or at both ends of the vehicle at appropriate positions, ensuring easy observation and recognition.

2. Color of the vehicle registration number

a) White or yellow if the body of the vehicle is dark-colored;

b) Light blue or black if the body of the vehicle is light-colored.

Article 12. Font style, font size, and number size of the vehicle registration number

1. Characters and numerals use Arial bold upright font.

2. Height of uppercase letters and numerals from 120 mm to 150 mm.

3. Height of lowercase letters (if any) is 50% of the height of uppercase letters.

Section 3

REPORTING REGIME

Article 13. Reporting regime

1. Report title: Statistical report on the situation of railway transport vehicle registration.

2. Content Required in Reports

a) Total number of vehicles at the reporting time;

b) Changes in the number of vehicles compared to the previous reporting period;

c) Total number of vehicles with Vehicle Registration Certificate at the reporting time;

d) Data on issuance, reissuance, cancellation, and revocation of Vehicle Registration Certificates during the reporting year;

đ) Forecasted demand for the next year;

e) Specific contents;

3. Reporting entities: Owners, State agencies with competent authority.

4. Receiving agencies:

a) Vietnam Railway Administration, local state agencies with competent authority receive reports from owners;

5. Method of sending and receiving reports: Regular reports are presented in paper form or electronic form, sent directly or through postal services or email systems or other methods as prescribed by law.

6. Deadline for submitting reports:

a) Owners submit reports to Vietnam Railway Administration and local state agencies with competent authority regularly from December 15 to December 20 each year or at any time upon request;

b) Local state agencies with competent authority submit reports to Vietnam Railway Administration regularly from December 21 to December 23 each year or at any time upon request;

7. Frequency of reporting: Annual regular reports or upon request.

8. Time frame for finalizing report data: From December 15 of the previous year to December 14 of the reporting year or to the requested time point.

9. Report format: As per Appendix VIII issued together with this Circular.

Chapter III

MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES IN SPECIAL CASES

Article 14. Special Cases for Moving Vehicles on Railways

Vehicles that have not met the conditions stipulated in Clause 1 of Article 30 of the Railway Law shall be permitted to move in the following special cases:

1. Moving for technical inspection and testing before acceptance, handover, and operation.

2. Moving from one assembly location to another for storage and preservation.

3. Moving to serve disaster prevention, mitigation, and aftermath handling, accident response, epidemic control, and urgent national defense and security tasks upon request.

Article 15. Requirements for Moving Vehicles in Special Cases

1. The vehicle operator must comply with the traffic management of the agency or organization responsible for railway traffic management.

2. The speed and load of the vehicle must not exceed its design specifications and must adhere to the published speed and load commands on the section or route of the railway according to regulations.

3. Organizations and individuals moving vehicles are responsible for ensuring safety and environmental hygiene in accordance with the law.

Chapter IV
RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS

Section 1
ON REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

Article 16. Competent State Agencies

1. Issue, reissue, revoke, and cancel Vehicle Registration Certificates according to their authority.

2. Maintain a book or electronic record tracking the use of Vehicle Registration Certificate blanks as prescribed in Appendix IX of this Circular.

3. Collect and utilize registration fees for issuing and reissuing Vehicle Registration Certificates according to the law.

4. Implement reporting procedures as prescribed in this Circular.

5. Update vehicle registration data according to their authority into the vehicle registration database of the Vietnam Railway Administration.

6. Store and manage records of issuance, reissuance, revocation, and cancellation of Vehicle Registration Certificates according to regulations.

Article 17. Vehicle Owners

1. Bear legal responsibility for the accuracy and legality of the application documents for issuing, reissuing, revoking, and canceling Vehicle Registration Certificates as prescribed in this Circular.

2. Fulfill the responsibilities of owners as specified in the procedures for issuing, reissuing, revoking, and canceling Vehicle Registration Certificates as prescribed in this Circular.

3. Pay fees and charges for issuing and reissuing Vehicle Registration Certificates according to the law.

4. Implement reporting procedures as prescribed in this Circular.

5. Regularly update vehicle data into the vehicle registration database of the Vietnam Railway Administration.

Section 2
ON MOVING VEHICLES IN SPECIAL CASES

Article 18. Railway Infrastructure Business Enterprises, Urban Railway Business Enterprises, and Dedicated Railway Owners

1. Provide information on railway infrastructure to develop movement plans for vehicles.

2. Unify traffic management content when moving vehicles.

3. Facilitate organizations and individuals requiring to move vehicles in special cases within the railway infrastructure under their management according to the law.

4. Lead railway traffic management when moving vehicles in special cases according to their authority.

Article 19. The owner of the means of transport, organizations, and individuals who have the need to move the means of transport on railway tracks in special cases

1. Develop a plan for moving the means of transport and must obtain the agreement of the following agencies and organizations:

a) Railway infrastructure business enterprises when the means of transport moves on national railway tracks;

b) The owner of dedicated railways when the means of transport moves on dedicated railways;

c) Urban railway business enterprises when the means of transport moves on urban railway tracks.

2. Shall be responsible for moving the means of transport according to the provisions of Article 14 of this Circular after receiving a confirmation document from the organization or enterprise specified in Clause 1 of this Article; at the same time, comply with the requirements for moving the means of transport as stipulated in Article 15 of this Circular.

Chapter V
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 20. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from September 1, 2023.

2. Circular No. 21/2018/TT-BGTVT dated April 27, 2018 of the Minister of Transport regarding the registration of railway transportation means and the movement of railway transportation means in special cases; Circular No. 13/2021/TT-BGTVT dated July 26, 2021 of the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing Circular No. 21/2018/TT-BGTVT; Article 1 of Circular No. 24/2020/TT-BGTVT dated October 13, 2020 of the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars regulating periodic reporting systems in the railway sector shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

Article 21. Transitional Provisions

1. Means of transport that have been issued a Registration Certificate by the Vietnam Railway Administration before the date this Circular takes effect shall retain their original registration number. In case the owner requests reissue, recovery, or cancellation of the Registration Certificate, it shall be carried out according to the provisions of this Circular.

2. From the date this Circular takes effect, if the People's Committee of the province has not yet implemented the tasks stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 5 of this Circular, they shall submit a request to the Vietnam Railway Administration to continue implementing them. As of January 1, 2025, the People's Committee of the province shall implement the issuance, reissuance, recovery, and cancellation of Registration Certificates for means of transport on dedicated railways and urban railways according to the provisions of Clause 2 of Article 5 of this Circular.

3. If the People's Committee of the province reissues, recovers, or cancels Registration Certificates for means of transport on dedicated railways and urban railways previously issued by the Vietnam Railway Administration, they shall notify the Vietnam Railway Administration to keep track of these actions.

4. The update of the registration database for the railway sector will be carried out after the Vietnam Railway Administration completes the construction of the database.

Article 22. Implementation organization

The Director of the Ministry’s Office, the Inspector General of the Ministry, the Heads of Departments, the Director of the Vietnam Railway Administration, the Heads of relevant agencies and units, and related individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular./.