Kiran C
Purchasing a car can be daunting; especially when you are trying to figure out how to navigate through a country and comply with their laws. If you are considering buying a car in Albania, you must familiarize yourself with the relevant laws regarding car purchases, as well as current trends within Albania's car market. In addition, all that you need would be an operational, functional vehicle whether it be for the bustling city of Tirana or along the coast of Vlorë.
In the following pages you will learn from this guide what documents and forms you need in order to successfully purchase a vehicle, the step-by-step process for buying a car or motorcycle, what to do regarding safety to protect yourself and your vehicle, and how to get the best deal possible.
In order to make a successful vehicle purchase in Albania, the following required documentation and paperwork must be provided. In Albania, ownership of any vehicle may not be transferred without having the correct legal documents required to do so. If any of the necessary documentation is overlooked, you may face legal issues in the future.
Both the buyer and seller must provide identification to verify their respective identities. You will be required to provide your passport or your Albanian identification card (Karta e Identitetit). If you are a foreigner, check that your residency permit is current, as having a valid permit can help you easily register and license your new vehicle.
The most important document needed is the Certificate of Ownership (Leja e Qarkullimit). This document is your evidence that the seller is the legal owner of the vehicle.Before giving money make sure that VIN on receipt and on vehicle match exactly.
Once a vehicle has been bought/sold, that transaction cannot be completed without a notary public witnessing the signing of both parties’ contracts (Kontrata e Shitblerjes). A notary will draft a formal written Contract at the time of purchase that will require both parties’ signatures. Furthermore, the notary will ensure that all of the seller’s tax obligations are satisfied prior to allowing the transaction to be completed.
In Albania, it is mandatory to carry Third Party Liability (TPL). Therefore, prior to driving your new vehicle away from the seller’s premises or dealership, you must have an active policy in effect. You are typically able to transfer your existing coverage or obtain a new policy on the same day of purchase.
In order for a vehicle to be used in Albania, the vehicle must go through a periodic technical inspection called Kolaudimi. Therefore, it's important to verify that the seller has the correct and current Kolaudimi certificate on the vehicle. Because Kolaudimi has an upcoming scheduled event in the near future, this can be used to negotiate a lower sale price than what the seller is asking.
The process of purchasing a vehicle requires both patience and research on the part of the buyer. Follow these steps to make sure you end up with the best possible vehicle for you.
Consult online classifieds/listings so that you may have an idea of prices for brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Audi, which are plentiful in Albania, thus providing you less difficulties in finding parts and/or someone qualified to work on these brands. Be sure to determine your budget at the outset of the purchase, and remember that there will be added costs such as insurance premiums, fuel expenses, and maintenance expenses for the vehicle.
When you find an interesting car, you should communicate with the seller and ask them questions about the history of the vehicle (did they import it recently? Has there been an accident? number of prior owners?).
Before you purchase a car, you should always inspect the vehicle. Inspecting the exterior of the car will help you determine its condition; look for things like paint mismatch and panel gaps. Look at the tire tread, should be evenly worn out around the tire (if they're not, the car likely has tracking or alignment issues).
Take the car for an evaluation of your electronics, HVAC, and seat/steering column adjustments to see whether or not they work properly. If you're not mechanically minded, you should bring a reputable mechanic with you to perform a pre-purchase inspection.
The best way to evaluate the performance of your prospective car is to go for a test drive. Try and drive the car on different surface types; find a highway to test acceleration and a rough road to test for suspension issues. Keep an ear open for any unusual noises that could indicate a mechanical problem (rattle, grind, squeak). Test your brakes for firmness and how quickly they stop (natural reaction speed).
Once you and the seller have come to an agreement on the price of the vehicle, go to any local notary office. The seller must provide proof that they have paid all applicable local taxes and fines. You will pay the notary a fee, you will sign the contract, and pay for the vehicle using a direct bank transfer or another method that ensures transparency and safety is guaranteed during the purchase process.
Vehicle Purchasers Should Place Priority on Safety Above All Other Considerations (Vehicle safety & transaction safety)
Many of the cars in Albania were brought into that country from either Germany, Italy, or Switzerland. A VIN check should be performed using an online database. A VIN check will tell you whether the vehicle was stolen, has a salvage title, or had an odometer rollback prior to it coming to Albania.
You should determine that the vehicle you purchase will have functional seatbelts, a functioning horn, and functioning headlights, brake lights, and turn signals. In addition, you will want to pay close attention to the airbag warning light on the dashboard; it should illuminate for a brief period when the key is in the on position and then remain off when the vehicle is operating normally. If the airbag warning light is illuminated and stays on, you should not purchase the vehicle.
If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. Sellers under duress to sell a vehicle quickly or sellers that will not permit you to take a vehicle to your own mechanic are sellers you will want to avoid. Prior to signing the official paperwork at a notary, do not transfer funds by untraceable methods.
In addition to the fundamental steps, there are a number of other important considerations which could have a significant impact on your overall car purchasing experience.
The sticker price of a car is only the beginning of your true car purchase expenses. A policy notary fee, costs associated with taxes on an annual registration, expenses due to insurance, and costs related to immediate maintenance (such as an oil change or tire purchase after the purchase of the vehicle) should also be taken into consideration when budgeting for buying a vehicle.
Additionally, if you are purchasing a used luxury vehicle (which would be very common in Albania), you should consider budgeting additional money into the maintenance portion of your budget in the event that some of the parts may be expensive.
The taxes associated with a vehicle located in Albania depend on the size of the vehicle engine, the age of the vehicle, and the type of fuel utilized by the vehicle. Luxury tax is added to a vehicle if the vehicle has a larger engine. Therefore, it is important for you to have a good understanding of what your annual vehicle tax responsibility is going to be before you purchase an SUV that is a gas guzzler.
Choosing to buy a vehicle from a private person or from a registered auto dealer will depend on you, both choices have their own benefits and disadvantages.
The Albanian Car Market has a strong emphasis on German Engineering. Below is a brief overview of some examples of popular car brands that you might encounter while shopping.
Foreign nationals are allowed to purchase and register vehicles in Albania. You must possess a valid Albanian residency permit in order to register the property registered in your name. Therefore, the registration process cannot be completed without an appropriate residency permit.
In Albania, the notary fees for a sale agreement and/or sale contract are typically paid for by the buyer. However, both parties can negotiate with each other in the presence of a notary prior to the signing of any documents.
No, legally speaking, the seller of the vehicle must pay any fines to the city where he/she registered before transferring the ownership of the vehicle to you as the buyer. The notary will not certify the transfer of ownership unless all fines and taxes related to and/or on the vehicle have been forgiven or waived.
The Kolaudimi inspection on typical personal vehicles is valid for two years. Commercially used vehicles, including taxi cabs, must be re-inspected on an annual basis. Confirm the expiration date of the certificate before finalizing a vehicle purchase.
In Albania, diesel powered vehicles have historically been very popular due to their abundance as well as being imported into Albania primarily from European countries; however, the number of gasoline powered vehicles has been increasing and many gasoline powered vehicles are being imported into Albania. A gasoline powered vehicle would generally be better suited for use primarily in Tirana where the driving distance is relatively short and would be more advantageous to use if you drive a considerable distance between cities such as Vlorë, Shkodër, and Durrës.