Selling a car in France
For those who are selling a car in France – it can be a little confusing as we just found as the legalities are a little different to the UK. I have listed them and put links in where appropriate.
The following documents are necessary and are to be competed by the Seller.
Certificat de Situation Administrative can be carried out online by entering the cars registration number. This cocument is necessary to confirm there is no HP or debt on the vehicle. When completed, Just print off and give to the buyer during the sale. This applies only to a vehicle which is already registered in France and is applicable for two months. https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/R1270
Déclaration de Cession, copied direct from here and three copies must be completed exactly the same, this should be completed by the person selling. Top half is your information and the bottom half is the buyers information and should be signed by both the buyer and seller. One copy is for you, one copy for your prefecture to notify of the sale and one copy to the buyer. https://www.formulaires.modernisation.gouv.fr/gf/showFormulaireSignaletiqueConsulter.do?numCerfa=13754*02
contrôle technique
Controle Technique which is equivelent to an MOT. Please note you need to have had this done in the previous six months and hand over to the buyer at the time of sale.
Certificate of d’Immitriculation, on which you write the buyer’s details and sign and date it at the back then draw two lines across the front and write ‘Vendu le’ and the date.
With all the paperwork, make sure you don’t forget payment from he buyer for the car in the process!
That completes our guide of selling a car in France. I hope you found it useful.
Guest blog by @Liz
That’s very helpful information Liz, I’m sure there will be many that find it useful
Just one comment. If the vehicle is in joint names, both have to sign the certificat d’immatriculation when it is sold.
Cheers.
Couple of points, you don’t need to bother about control technic, it doesn’t apply to selling the car, only applies when the buyer wants to register it, bills, French buyers love heaps of bills to look through, convinces them car has been well looked after, so keep the bills for everything you spend on your vehicle.
Two comments:-
1. When a car is sold the Seller must provide provide the procès-verbal of a contrôle technique dated not more than six months previously (or within two months if a re-test is necessary). This is not required for a motorcycle, trailer or car/van under four years old.
2. Consider using a sales contract that excludes any guarantee or liabilty for the seller for “vice cache”.
French buyers are well aware of this and will often use it to obtain a partial refund of the selling price when they discover “defects” after the sale.
You cannot just write “sold as seen” on the receipt to get round this – it isn’t valid in France.
Use this contract:-
https://content.scout24.ch/CmsFiles/1245_AS24_Kaufvertrag_fuer_Fahrzeug_2015_FRANZ.pdf
You can sell a car with any amount of control technic on it, the minimum requirement of 18 months only applies when registering the car, and as far as sold as seen is concerned, the buyer has to prove that any major mechanical problems existed before they purchased the vehicle, and that the seller would have been aware of it, it normally only covers engine and gearbox.