Documents for the sale of a vehicle

Are you planning to sell your car soon? Before putting it on the market, do you want to know all the required documents for such a transaction? Indeed, regulations govern the sale of vehicles. For the transaction to be valid, you must provide the buyer with several documents and notify the relevant authorities of the transfer of ownership. Feeling lost in all these steps? We’ll summarize all the formalities you need to complete to ensure the car sale goes smoothly.

You will need to cross out your vehicle registration document (carte grise).

The vehicle registration document is one of the mandatory documents for a vehicle sale. As this document serves as the vehicle’s identity card, it is necessary to: mark the vehicle registration document indicating that the car has been officially transferred. Once the sale is finalized, the buyer keeps the crossed-out registration document,

which allows them to request a new one within 30 days. The crossed-out registration document must include the date and time of the sale. Next to this information, remember to write “Sold on” and then sign it.

If the vehicle registration certificate is in the format introduced in 2003 and therefore includes a detachable section, you must fill it out with the buyer’s details. This section will serve as proof of ownership for the buyer in case of a roadside check while waiting to receive the new registration document. If the registration document does not have a detachable section, you will need to find a blank space. If the top right corner of the certificate contains a blank space, the buyer must keep the cut-out until they receive the new certificate.

The registration document must clearly state the seller’s address at the time of sale.

If necessary, you will need to complete the process on the ANTS (National Agency for Secure Documents) website. If the sale falls through, request a duplicate of your vehicle registration certificate (carte grise) from the ANTS. A state-approved professional can also do this. Selling a vehicle, crossing out the registration certificate

• Issuing a lien-free certificate
• The lien-free certificate, also known as a vehicle history report (certificat de situation administrative – CSA), is an essential document for the sale. Its purpose is to
• certify that the vehicle being sold has no liens or encumbrances.

This document can be requested from the prefecture or online. You can also use authorized professionals who will handle the preparation of the vehicle history report. You must obtain it no later than one month before the sale. To be valid, this document must be less than 15 days old.

There are two types of vehicle history report (CSA): a basic CSA indicating the absence of any issues and a detailed CSA providing all the information related to the vehicle’s status. Several factors can prevent the transfer of the vehicle registration document and re-registration from proceeding:

the vehicle is reported stolen, the registration number is linked to unpaid fines, the loan used by the seller to finance the vehicle has not yet been repaid, or

the vehicle is associated with an accident report prepared by an expert.

If one or more of these factors apply to your vehicle, you will receive a detailed administrative status report. This report will be issued to you at the prefecture. However, if there are no administrative issues preventing the transaction, you can obtain a simplified report. This report will be downloadable online.

Once you obtain it, you can give it to the new owner on the day the sale is finalized.

The vehicle inspection report In addition to the two previous documents, prepare the vehicle inspection report. This administrative document is mandatory for all vehicles over 4 years old and those not exempt from mandatory inspections. If a follow-up inspection is not required, the vehicle inspection certificate must be less than 6 months old before the sale to be valid. It must be given to the buyer at the time of the sale.

• However, you still have the option of selling the vehicle even if the mechanic requires a follow-up inspection, but under certain conditions. The vehicle inspection must be carried out less than two months before the sale. Furthermore, the buyer must be informed and agree to this situation.
• Download the transfer certificate
• When drawing up the vehicle sales contract, you must complete two copies of the transfer declaration. Both documents must be signed by the seller and the buyer. Each party will keep their copy. You will have one copy, and the buyer will have the other.
• The transfer certificate or
• Cerfa form no. 13754*02

for “Declaration of Transfer of a Vehicle” generally includes:

the full names of the seller and the buyer,

administrative information: is the seller a legal entity? If so, what is its company name and SIRET number?,

the buyer’s full address, a detailed description of the vehicle being sold,

the purpose of the transfer.

Optional documents for selling a car

Other useful documents can also be helpful when selling a vehicle. Unlike the documents mentioned previously, however, they are optional. Some of these will have a greater impact on the price. The service history Legislation does not require the seller to provide a service history to the buyer. The service history serves as proof of the various repairs and modifications made to maintain the vehicle. This document primarily serves to reassure the buyer that the vehicle has been regularly maintained. Invoices for repairs and maintenance can also facilitate the sales process.