How can we sell a car that we inherited in France?
Vehicle may be able to remain in his name before sale takes place depending on conditions
When completing the sale, you will also need to present the vehicle's carte grise signed by the heirs
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Reader question: The family want to sell my father’s car after he died, but the carte grise is in his name. What is the procedure?
The procedure for this depends on the timeframe for the sale and whether or not anyone has used the car since your father’s death.
If the transaction is done within three months of the death or the vehicle has not been driven since your father died, it can be transferred directly to the new owner without needing to modify the name on the vehicle registration (certificat d’immatriculation or carte grise).
To do this, you will need to follow typical procedures for selling a car, including completion of a vehicle transfer document (certificat de cession d’un véhicule d’occasion). This can usually be done directly online at the website of France Titres, though a printable form exists.
As the deceased cannot sign this form themselves, then it is the heirs or a notaire with permission to act for them who can sign, which should be done in the name of ‘Succession de XX XX’, meaning ‘The estate of XX XX’ (entering the name of the deceased’ . Under the address you should complete the address of the deceased or of an heir.
When completing the sale, you will also need the carte grise for the vehicle bearing additional wording stating ‘vendu le [date] pour succession’ (sold on xx for the estate), signed by all the heirs (or a designated representative).
You will also need to include proof that these people are the rightful heirs of the owner (an acte de notoriété or attestation signed by the heirs); the usual certificate of non-encumbrance (certificat de non-gage) and recent contrôle technique certificate, as well as a sworn statement that the car has not been driven by anyone since the previous owner’s death.
In the event that it has been more than three months since the death and the car has been driven by someone else, you need to first transfer the carte grise into someone else’s name before the vehicle can be sold.
For a vehicle inherited from a parent, this will require – among the standard documents for transferral – a letter of waiver (une lettre de désistement) from any other heirs over the vehicle in order for sole inheritance to be given to one person in order to sell it. You will also need proof that the vehicle is part of the estate – obtained via a notaire.
Transferring the carte grise into your name is done online through the France Titres website.
