Sell your car in Brugge

Step by step

1. Book the used-vehicle inspection before the sale Required by law

   A car registered in Belgium that is being sold must pass a used-vehicle inspection (contrôle technique « occasion » / tweedehandskeuring) before it is registered in the new owner's name. Bring both parts of the registration certificate, the last inspection certificate, the certificate of conformity and the plate. The centre issues an inspection certificate, a used-vehicle report and the registration request, which are valid for 2 months. Not required when the car passes with the old plate between spouses, legal cohabitants or from parent to child. In Flanders this inspection ends for sales within Belgium from 1 January 2027.

   Flanders: €74.40 (full inspection) or €52.10 (visual inspection); other regions set by the inspection bodies

   be.brussels – Contrôle technique, voitures particulières (contrôle voiture particulière d'occasion)
2. Get a Car-Pass for the buyer Required by law

   The seller is legally required to give the buyer a valid Car-Pass (the mileage-history record), also when the seller is a private individual; it may not be more than two months old. It is created at the inspection centre. If the buyer does not receive it, they can ask a court to cancel the sale and get their money back.

   €11.10 incl. VAT (free if it shows fewer than 4 mileage readings)

   Car-Pass – FAQ
3. Sign a sales contract in two copies Recommended Seller and buyer

   Write a sales contract with both parties' names and addresses, the vehicle details and its first-registration date. Each party keeps one copy; the buyer's copy is proof of ownership. No tax stamps are needed and a private seller does not charge VAT.

   Touring – Vendre ou acheter sa voiture d'occasion en 7 étapes
4. Hand over the documents and keep your number plate Required by law

   Give the buyer the registration certificate, the registration request stamped by the inspection centre, the inspection certificate, the used-vehicle report, the certificate of conformity and the Car-Pass. Remove your plate: it stays with you and can be reused on your next vehicle of the same category.

   Touring – Vendre ou acheter sa voiture d'occasion en 7 étapes
5. Cancel the plate with the DIV if you are not reusing it Required by law

   If you sell without registering another vehicle, have the plate cancelled (radiation / schrapping) by the DIV. Since 1 August 2025 handing it in at a bpost office no longer cancels it immediately: post it to the DIV via bpost (no longer free) or drop it in an FPS Mobility collection box. Road tax stops from the month of cancellation; a posted plate must arrive and be cancelled before the end of the month to avoid that month's tax.

   Vlaanderen.be – Een nummerplaat schrappen
6. Tell your insurer Recommended

   Inform your insurer as early as possible so it can suspend your motor liability policy or move it to your next vehicle.

   Touring – Vendre ou acheter sa voiture d'occasion en 7 étapes
7. Buyer registers the car through their insurer within 2 months Required by law Buyer

   The buyer sends the registration request to the DIV through their insurance broker. The request is valid for only 2 months; after that a new used-vehicle inspection is needed.

   be.brussels – Contrôle technique, voitures particulières (contrôle voiture particulière d'occasion)
8. Buyer pays the regional registration tax Required by law Buyer

   After the DIV registration, the buyer receives a notice for the one-off registration tax (taxe de mise en circulation / belasting op de inverkeerstelling), which also applies to used cars. It is levied by the buyer's region and the amount depends on the vehicle.

   Vlaanderen.be – Vehicle registration tax (BIV)

Documents checklist

Tick what you already have. This stays on your device, and none of it is needed to post your car.

• Registration certificate, both parts (certificat d'immatriculation / inschrijvingsbewijs)Since 1 September 2013 it has two parts; both must be presented at the used-vehicle inspection.Required by law
• Registration request (demande d'immatriculation / aanvraag tot inschrijving)Issued by the inspection centre at the used-vehicle inspection; valid 2 months; the buyer sends it to the DIV via their insurer.Required by law
• Inspection certificate and used-vehicle report (certificat de contrôle technique, rapport occasion / tweedehandsrapport)The used-vehicle report reflects the car's condition at inspection and is valid 2 months; certificate and stamped previous certificate go to the buyer together.Required by law
• Certificate of conformity (certificat de conformité / gelijkvormigheidsattest)Needed at the inspection, except for vehicles imported from an EU country with a European type-approval number.Required by law
• Car-PassMileage history, no more than two months old; legally required for the buyer.Required by law
• Sales contract (contrat de vente / verkoopovereenkomst)Two signed copies, one per party.Recommended
• LPG installation certificateOnly if the car has an LPG installation.Recommended

Stay safe when buyers contact you

• Insist on (or provide) a Car-Pass no more than two months old: it is the official record against odometer fraud, and without it the buyer can have the sale cancelled.
• Do not accept offers from people near inspection centres to lend or rent trade plates for the inspection: lending or renting trade plates is illegal.