Step by step
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Check the registration certificate is in your name and up to date Required by law
Only the registered owner can sell the vehicle, and every co-holder listed on the certificate (certificat d'immatriculation, 'carte grise') must sign. The certificate must show your current address at the time of sale. A car under a lease with purchase option (LOA) cannot be sold by you.
Service-Public.gouv.fr – Vendre ou donner son véhicule -
Get a roadworthiness test if the car is over 4 years old Required by law
A passenger car over 4 years old needs a contrôle technique dated less than 6 months before the buyer applies for the new registration; you hand the report (procès-verbal) to the buyer. If a critical defect is found you must repair it and pass the re-inspection before selling to a private buyer; if you sell after a re-inspection was ordered, the sale must take place within 2 months of the initial test.
Service-Public.gouv.fr – Vendre ou donner son véhicule -
Obtain the certificate of administrative status on HistoVec Required by law
Download the certificat de situation administrative (formerly 'certificat de non-gage') from the official HistoVec service; it must be less than 15 days old when you give it to the buyer. You can also share the free HistoVec vehicle-history report.
Free
Service-Public.gouv.fr – Vendre ou donner son véhicule -
Start the sale declaration on the ANTS website Required by law
Log in to ants.gouv.fr (FranceConnect, France Identité app or an ANTS account), start a 'sell or give my vehicle' request, enter the plate, your mobile number and the confidential code sent with your registration certificate, then the buyer's identity and address. Note the file number and the transfer code (code de cession), and print the transfer certificate cerfa n°15776.
Service-Public.gouv.fr – Vendre ou donner son véhicule -
Sign the transfer certificate and hand over the documents Required by law Seller and buyer
On the day of sale, fill in and sign cerfa n°15776 together with the buyer; keep copy no. 1 and give copy no. 2 to the buyer. Cross out the registration certificate and write legibly 'vendu le' with the date, time and your signature; write the buyer's name on the back of the detachable coupon and sign it without cutting it off (the coupon lets the buyer drive in France for one month).
Service-Public.gouv.fr – Vendre ou donner son véhicule -
Finalise the declaration online within 15 days Required by law
Return to your ANTS request and add the date and time of the sale, the mileage and the buyer's full address. This must be done within 15 days of signing the transfer certificate, even for a gift.
Service-Public.gouv.fr – Vendre ou donner son véhicule -
Tell your insurer Recommended
Contact your insurer to end the policy on the sold vehicle.
Service-Public.gouv.fr – Vendre ou donner son véhicule
Documents checklist
Tick what you already have. This stays on your device, and none of it is needed to post your car.
Stay safe when buyers contact you
- Do the sale declaration only on the official sites (ants.gouv.fr / immatriculation.ants.gouv.fr, linked from service-public.gouv.fr). Private look-alike sites charge fees for the same procedure.
- Hidden defects discovered after the sale can give the buyer grounds for a claim against you, even if they accepted an extra clause in the contract.
Questions
- What documents do I need to sell a car in France?
- Registration certificate (certificat d'immatriculation / carte grise), crossed out; Transfer certificate (certificat de cession, cerfa n°15776), copy no. 2; Transfer code (code de cession); Certificate of administrative status (certificat de situation administrative); Roadworthiness test report (procès-verbal de contrôle technique).
- Who registers a car sale in France?
- ANTS / France Titres (Agence nationale des titres sécurisés)
- Do I need all the paperwork before I post my car?
- No. You can publish today and gather the documents while buyers contact you. The ones marked as required by law are needed to transfer ownership.
- Is it free to sell my car on MotorHangar in France?
- Yes. Posting is free, takes about three minutes, and nothing on the form asks for the paperwork: you will need it when you close the sale, not to publish.
Sources
Checked on 2026-10-14. This is a practical summary, not legal advice. Fees and forms change: confirm with ANTS / France Titres (Agence nationale des titres sécurisés) before you sign.