Losing someone is hard enough. Then the practical stuff starts piling up — and one thing families often don’t think about until it’s urgent is the deceased’s car. The insurance is expiring. The roadtax needs renewing. Nobody really knows what to do because this isn’t exactly everyday knowledge.

Here’s the thing: the vehicle doesn’t become illegal overnight, and you’re not stuck. There’s a process for this. It’s a bit more involved than a regular renewal, but it’s manageable once you know what’s required.

First, Understand What’s Different

For a regular car owner, renewing insurance and roadtax is straightforward — do it online, done in minutes. When the registered owner has passed away, the rules change. Not dramatically, but enough that you need to pay attention.

Insurance renewal is generally still possible. Most insurers will allow the renewal to proceed since the vehicle still needs coverage. Check with your insurer directly, as requirements vary.

Roadtax renewal is where things get more specific. According to JPJ, if the registered owner has been declared deceased, renewal of the Motor Vehicle License (roadtax) is allowed for a period of six months only for each application, for a period not exceeding five years. So you won’t be able to do a full one-year renewal. Every renewal during this period is capped at six months.

Also, this cannot be done online. You’ll need to go in person to a JPJ counter.

What Happens After Five Years?

This is the part most people miss. If the period of death has exceeded five years, the application must be approved, and you’ll need to bring documentation showing that the inheritance process has started. JPJ won’t just keep renewing indefinitely without some movement on settling the estate.

If you’re approaching that five-year mark and haven’t started the ownership transfer process, now is the time to get moving.

Where to Go for Roadtax Renewal

Applications can be submitted by the registered owner or representative at any State JPJ Office, Branch, or UTC. A family member or appointed representative handling the renewal is fine — you don’t need to be the registered owner yourself.

Bring your MyKad. The registered owner or representative must submit the MyKad for the purpose of reading and recording into the MySikap system through the MyKad reader. This is standard procedure at the counter.

Documents You’ll Need

Pull these together before heading to JPJ:

• Your MyKad (as the representative handling the application)
• The vehicle’s insurance policy covering the renewal period (roadtax cannot be renewed without valid insurance)
• The vehicle registration card (grant)
• Death certificate of the registered owner
• If more than five years have passed since death, bring any document showing that inheritance proceedings have started

For vehicles whose registered owner has died more than five years, it is necessary to bring a document showing that the process of dividing the inheritance has started, or any other document for approval consideration.

One more thing worth checking: only LKM that will expire within two months can be renewed. Don’t try to renew too early — JPJ won’t process it outside that window.

What About a PUSPAKOM Inspection?

Most families won’t need to worry about this, but it’s worth knowing. For vehicles whose last roadtax expiry date is more than three years from the date of application, the vehicle must undergo and pass a PUSPAKOM inspection.

If the car has been sitting unused and the roadtax lapsed years ago, factor in time for an inspection before heading to JPJ.

Should You Transfer Ownership?

Honestly, yes. At some point, it makes sense to transfer the vehicle to a family member properly. Keeping it under a deceased person’s name creates complications that only grow over time — with renewals, insurance, and eventually selling or scrapping the vehicle.

Ownership transfer requires a death certificate and relevant legal documents such as a surat kuasa (letter of authority) or estate distribution documents. This is done at JPJ and typically involves a lawyer or the relevant estate administration body depending on the complexity of the estate.

It’s not something you need to rush in the immediate weeks after someone passes. But it’s worth putting on the list once things settle down.

A Practical Checklist Before You Head Out

Before making the trip to JPJ, run through this quickly:

• Is the insurance renewed and valid for the roadtax period you’re applying for?
• Is the roadtax expiring within the next two months?
• Do you have your MyKad ready?
• Do you have the vehicle registration card and death certificate?
• If more than five years have passed, do you have estate documents?

Getting this right on the first visit saves you from making a second trip.

Summary

Renewing a deceased person’s vehicle in Malaysia is doable, but it comes with limitations. Roadtax is capped at six months per renewal, must be done physically at a JPJ counter, and this arrangement only holds for up to five years after the owner’s passing. Insurance is generally more straightforward to sort out.

The longer you leave the ownership transfer, the more complicated it gets. Handle the renewals to keep the car legal in the short term, but start thinking about the transfer sooner rather than later.