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Selling a vehicle in France: the transfer certificate (certificat de cession)

Selling a vehicle in France: the transfer certificate (certificat de cession)

Planning to change vehicles? Here is what you need to know before selling — or buying — a vehicle in France.

1/ Selling a vehicle as a private individual (private-to-private sale):

An owner who wants to sell their vehicle must first show that it is in good working order, that it has been properly maintained, and that its administrative record is clean. To do so, the seller must:

  • Have a roadworthiness test (contrôle technique) carried out (it must be less than 6 months old on the date of the sale),
  • Depending on the test results, carry out a partial or full service (this can be negotiated with the buyer),
  • Give the buyer a certificate of administrative status (certificat de situation administrative) less than 15 days old — this document proves there is no finance or legal hold on the vehicle, and can be downloaded from https://histovec.interieur.gouv.fr,
  • Print a transfer certificate (cerfa no. 15776) and complete it in duplicate using the information on the registration certificate (carte grise).

At the time of the sale:

The seller hands over the documents listed above and completes the transfer certificate together with the buyer, taking care to fill in the date and — crucially — the time of the sale.

The seller must hand the buyer the registration certificate crossed out and signed, marked "vendu le" (sold on) followed by the date and time.

Recording the time of the sale is what releases the former owner from liability for any offences the new owner might commit that same day.

If the registration certificate includes a detachable coupon, the former owner fills in the section with the buyer's details (unless the buyer is a motor trade professional), signs in the dedicated box, and hands the complete registration certificate to the buyer. The coupon allows the buyer to drive for one month while waiting for the registration certificate in their own name.

Within 15 days of the sale:

When a vehicle already registered in France is sold, the former owner must notify the Ministry of the Interior within 15 days, stating the identity and address given by the new buyer.

Declaring the sale is what releases the former owner from all liability if the new buyer is slow to complete the change of ownership.

This declaration can be made on the ANTS website or through a motor trade professional, on presentation of the duly completed transfer certificate (cerfa no. 15776*02).

2/ Selling a vehicle to a motor trade professional:

Selling to a professional is simpler and faster. In most cases the dealer will not ask you for a roadworthiness test or a service, since they will carry out any work themselves before putting the vehicle up for sale. You will of course need to show them the service record and the most recent roadworthiness test.

At the time of the sale:

You complete the transfer certificate with the professional, making sure the date and time of the sale are recorded. The registration certificate must also be crossed out and signed, marked "vendu le" (sold on) with the date and time.

3/ Transferring a vehicle for scrapping:

A vehicle can only be handed over for destruction to a motor trade professional or to an authorised end-of-life vehicle recycling centre (centre VHU).

Before handing the registration certificate to the recycling centre, the former owner must write on it — legibly and indelibly — the words "vendu le (date and time) pour destruction" (sold on... for destruction) or "cédé le (date and time) pour destruction" (transferred on... for destruction).

The transfer certificate must state that the vehicle is being transferred to a professional for destruction. If the registration certificate includes a detachable coupon, the former owner fills it in with the recycling centre's details, signs in the dedicated box, then cuts it out and keeps it for five years, at the disposal of the Ministry of the Interior.