Certificate of registration: removal of a vehicle from traffic

Verified 29 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You can decide to take your vehicle off the road (for example, if you want to restore it or change it over a long enough time). Similarly, if you purchase or donate a vehicle, you can also request the withdrawal of traffic immediately afterwards. What are the consequences on the Certificate of Registration (previously called -)? We present you the information to know.

The request to withdraw from circulation may be either voluntary or mandatory.

Voluntary withdrawal

You may want your vehicle to be taken off the road because you want to restore or modify it over a long period of time.

If you have just purchased a vehicle, you can request its removal from circulation immediately after purchase, for example to transform it.

If the withdrawal request is made within 1 month after purchase, you are not obliged to register it in your name beforehand. You can wait until the vehicle is ready.

If you wish to remove the vehicle from circulation more than 1 month after its purchase, you will first have to register it in your name.

Mandatory withdrawal

If the vehicle is transformed and that after this transformation it no longer falls into a category subject to registration, you have the obligation to remove it from circulation.

Warning  

Failure to request the withdrawal from circulation shall be punishable by a lump sum fine of €135.

You can no longer circulate with the vehicle on lanes open to public traffic, even if towed by a registered vehicle.

The validity of the registration certificate shall be suspended for the entire period of withdrawal. Withdrawal from circulation shall not result in the cancelation of the registration.

The rules differ depending on whether the withdrawal is made immediately after the purchase of the vehicle or not:

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Withdrawal made immediately after purchase

If you wish to remove the vehicle from circulation immediately after purchase, you must apply within 1 month from the date of the transfer indicated on the certificate of registration. In this case, you are not required to apply for a registration certificate in your name before the vehicle is removed.

The withdrawal request is made on the internet:

Request the removal of a vehicle from circulation

You must identify yourself via France Connect.

Warning  

Failure to request withdrawal from circulation within 1 month after purchase is punishable by a lump sum fine of €135.

Other situation

If you wish to remove your vehicle from circulation, you must make the request on the internet:

Request the removal of a vehicle from circulation

You must identify yourself via France Connect.

You must bring a digital copy (photo or scan) of the following documents:

  • Cerfa form n°13756 for declaration of withdrawal from circulation of the vehicle (to be downloaded via the online service)
  • Certificate of registration of the vehicle crossed and signed, bearing the words "withdrawn from circulation on [day / month / year]”.

If you are doing the process for someone else, you must have a digital copy of the mandate signed and of its identity document.

At the end of the procedure, you will get a file number and an acknowledgement of registration of your application, which you can print.

Some numeric points (with computers, printers and scanners) are available in each prefecture and most sub-prefectures. You can complete the process there. You can be helped by digital mediators if you encounter difficulties with the use of the internet.

You can also be accompanied in your approach by a house France Services.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

It is no longer possible to apply for a registration certificate from the prefecture or sub-prefecture.

The request to withdraw the vehicle from circulation is free of charge.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • 34 00 - Information on the

    National interactive voice server providing automated answers regarding the, driver's license, national identity card and passport.

    If the user does not obtain the answer to his question relating to the - or to the driving license, he will be put in contact with an advisor of France Titres, the National Agency for Secured Securities (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