The déclaration de cession: transferring car ownership in France
Every time a car changes hands in France, the sale has to be declared to the authorities. The document that records it is the déclaration de cession (form Cerfa 15776). Get it wrong and the buyer cannot register the car, while the seller stays legally attached to a vehicle they no longer own. Here is exactly how it works, whoever you are in the transaction.
On a sale, the transfer declaration must be registered to release you from any liability (fines, offences). We handle it and give you the transfer code.
Gift, transfer to a relative or scrapping: the declaration also applies. We tell you the documents and register the transfer.
As a buyer, we move on to the registration in your name using the transfer code given by the seller.
The transfer declaration in 3 steps
Your details
Seller and buyer identity, vehicle registration document.
We register the transfer
We complete the declaration and generate the transfer code.
Done
You are released from liability; the buyer can register the vehicle.
What is the transfer declaration?
The transfer declaration is the official formality that records the sale, gift or transfer of a vehicle. It protects the seller by ending their liability, and provides the buyer with the transfer code needed to register the vehicle in their name.
We handle your vehicle paperwork
Transfer declaration, registration, administrative status certificate: we build the full file and support you all the way.
Why choose us
Who needs the cession form, and what happens next
- Sellers — you must declare the sale within 15 days on the ANTS website. Until you do, fines and toll charges racked up by the new driver can still land on your name.
- Buyers resident in France — the signed form and its code de cession let you request the new carte grise in your name; you have one month to complete registration.
- Foreign buyers exporting the car — you take the vehicle abroad, so you register it in your own country instead, and you drive it out on temporary WW plates with border insurance.
- Imported vehicles — if the car came into France from abroad, first registration follows a separate route; see our note on insuring an imported vehicle while the paperwork clears.
- Insurance timing — cover must be live the moment the car is yours to drive, not once the carte grise arrives; a short-term policy bridges that gap the same day.
- We prepare the form — we fill in the déclaration de cession correctly, flag the documents each party signs, and tell you which step comes first so nothing bounces back.
See also: registering a car in France · See also: Registration · WW plates · Imported vehicle
Frequently asked questions
What is the déclaration de cession in France?
It is the official form (Cerfa 15776) that records the sale of a used vehicle between two people. Both seller and buyer sign it, and the seller then declares the transfer online so the car is legally logged as sold.
How does transfer of ownership of a car work in France?
The seller and buyer complete and sign the cession form, the seller declares the sale on the ANTS portal within 15 days, and the buyer receives a code de cession. The buyer uses that code to register the car in their own name and get a new carte grise.
What is the code de cession and why does the buyer need it?
When the seller declares the sale online, the system generates a code de cession, a short reference the buyer needs to apply for the new registration. Without it the buyer cannot open their carte grise request, so ask the seller to pass it on straight after the sale.
I am a foreigner buying a car in France. What paperwork do I need?
You need the signed déclaration de cession, the seller's old carte grise crossed out and dated, a valid technical inspection (contrôle technique) under six months if the car is over four years old, and a certificat de situation administrative proving no debts or holds. From there you register the car and insure it.
What is the deadline for the seller to declare the sale?
Fifteen days from the date of sale. If the seller misses it, they remain the registered owner on paper, which means any speeding fine or toll bill from the new driver keeps arriving in their name until the declaration is filed.
How long does the buyer have to register the car?
One month from the date on the cession form to submit the new carte grise application. Driving longer than that with the old registration in the previous owner's name can be penalised at a roadside check.
Can I insure the car before the carte grise is in my name?
Yes, and you should. Insurers can issue cover using the cession form and the existing registration details, so you are legally covered the day you take the keys rather than waiting weeks for the new certificate.
I am buying a car in France to export it. Do I still fill in the cession form?
Yes. The seller still declares the sale in France, but you register the vehicle in your own country instead of applying for a French carte grise. To drive it across the border you fit temporary WW plates and take out border insurance.
What is the difference between insuring the car in France and driving it out to another country?
A standard short-term French policy covers driving inside France, the EU and the DOM per the green card. If you are taking the car permanently out of France to register it elsewhere, that is an export and you need border insurance with temporary plates.
Do I need a French driving licence to buy and insure a car here?
To buy, no. To be insured to drive it, we accept a French or foreign licence held for more than two years; a non-EU licence is accepted only if you also hold a valid residence permit, or a passport carrying entry stamps.
What if the seller has lost the original carte grise?
The sale can still go ahead, but the seller should provide a declaration of loss and a certificate of administrative situation so the car's status is clear. We can talk you through what a missing document means before you hand over money.
Can you prepare the déclaration de cession for me?
Yes. We complete the Cerfa form with the correct vehicle and party details, point out exactly what each side signs, and sequence the steps so the seller's online declaration and your registration line up. Ask us and we will handle the form.