Can you sell a used vehicle without a roadworthiness test?

Verified 30 October 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

If you sell or give to an individual a passenger car (VP), a pickup, a motorhome of up to 3,5 tons over 4 years of age or a motorized vehicle with 2 or 3 wheels or a motor quadricycle of more than 5 years, you must deliver to buyer one minutes of roadworthiness test.

The check shall be carried out in a approved center.

If the passenger car (PV), van, motorhome of 3.5 tons maximum is more than 4 years old: the check must be less than 6 months old at the date of submission of the application for the establishment of the new certificate of registration (when a counter-visit has been prescribed, the period of 2 months granted to carry it out must not be exceeded).

If a 2- or 3-wheel motor vehicle or motor quadricycle is more than 5 years old: the inspection must be less than 6 months old on the date of submission of the application for the new registration certificate (when a counter-visit has been prescribed, the period of 2 months granted to carry it out must not be exceeded).

If the deadline is exceeded, you will have to carry out a new check, at your expense.

Please note

A PV, a van, a motorhome of 3.5 tons maximum under 4 years of age or a motor vehicle with 2 or 3 wheels or a motor quadricycle under 5 years of age may be sold without technical inspection to an individual. A vehicle may be sold without a roadworthiness test to a automotive professional. Some vehicles are also excused from roadworthiness tests.

If the result of the roadworthiness test is favorable, the testing center will immediately issue you the test report. You have to hand it over to the buyer.

Alternatively, a counter-visit may be imposed within a maximum of 2 months after the initial visit. Only the defects that justified the counter-visit will be checked again. This is to verify that the prescribed repairs have been carried out. You then have 2 possibilities:

  • Either you have your car repaired at your own expense, then pass the counter-visit, so that you can give the buyer the initial inspection report accompanied by that of the counter-visit
  • Either you sell your car as it is, which implies that it must be sold less than 2 months after the initial visit. It will be the buyer who will take care of the counter-visit. But, if you exceed the deadline of 2 months, you will have to do a complete check again.

Warning  

In the event of one or more critical failures, you must perform the counter-visit and repair(s) before selling your vehicle to an individual. A non-rolling vehicle may not be offered for sale to an individual. You can only sell the non-rolling vehicle to a automotive professional having a number of Siret.

On the same subject

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • National interactive voice server providing automated responses regarding the Certificate of Registration (formerly known as vehicle registration certificate), driver's license, national identity card and passport.

    If the user does not obtain the answer to his question concerning the registration certificate or the driving license, he will be put in contact with an advisor of France Titres, the French national agency for secured documents (ANTS).

    By phone

    From the city:

    34,00 (cost of a local call)

    From overseas:

    09 70 83 07 07

    From the foreigner:

    +33 9 70 83 07 07

  • Approved Technical Inspection Center