77Transfer on death of registered operator

77 Transfer on death of registered operator (1) This section applies if the road transport authority is satisfied that the registered operator of a registered vehicle (the previous registered operator) has died. (2) The road transport authority may transfer the registration of the vehicle to a person (the first transferee) who applies to the authority for the transfer if— (a) the person satisfies the authority that the person is entitled to the transfer; and (b) for a vehicle that has 2 registered operators—the authority is satisfied that the surviving registered operator agrees to the transfer; and (c) the registration certificate for the vehicle is surrendered to the (3) The road transport authority may subsequently transfer the registration of the vehicle to someone (the second transferee) other than the first transferee if, while the first transferee is the registered operator of the vehicle, a person produces probate of the will or letters of administration granted to the person for the estate of the previous registered operator and applies to have the registration transferred to the second transferee. (4) If the road transport authority intends to transfer the registration of the vehicle to the second transferee, the authority may, by written notice given to the first transferee, require the first transferee to return to the authority, within a stated reasonable period, the vehicle’s registration certificate. (5) A person must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to comply with a notice given to the person under subsection (4).