In brief
- Missing a transfer code does not block registration: three channels exist, two of which require no code.
- On the government website, you then need the document number and issue date of the crossed-out registration certificate. Without a transfer code, supplying documents is required there, which can lengthen processing times; an approved professional can speed up the process.
- A vehicle bought from a professional seller generally does not generate a transfer code: that is normal, not an error.
- At an approved professional such as cartegrise.com (approved since 2009, more than 1 million files processed), the code is not requested.
A Clio bought from a private seller found online, a meeting in a car park, the crossed-out registration certificate and the transfer certificate handed over in person. The seller was supposed to send the transfer code “that same evening”. A week later, he no longer answers the phone, and the online process comes to a halt at the code step.
The transfer code simplifies the process, but it is not essential. Depending on the situation, the official channel remains open using other information, or an approved professional takes over. Here is which solution to choose, case by case, keeping in mind that the one-month deadline after purchase keeps running in the meantime.
Which solution depending on your situation
| Situation | Recommended channel | Documents to gather | What is left to do yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seller unreachable | Official channel without a code, or an approved professional | Crossed-out registration certificate, signed transfer certificate, proof of address less than 6 months old | On the government website: enter the document number and issue date, supply the requested documents |
| Code lost or expired | Approved professional, or official channel without a code | The same documents, minus the code | With a professional: submit the file, which is checked before registration |
| Purchase from a professional seller | The professional seller, if they handle the registration | Sale documents handed over by the garage | Ask the garage whether it carries out the process or supplies the documents to do it yourself |
| Crossed-out registration certificate mislaid | Approved professional | Transfer certificate, proof of identity and address, copy of the registration certificate if the seller has one | Contact the seller again, then follow the documents requested after the file is reviewed |
| Verdict | Complete crossed-out registration certificate in hand, the official channel is enough. Incomplete registration certificate, seller unreachable or tight deadline, an approved professional avoids getting stuck. |
The site-by-site detail, with accreditations, timeframes and fees, is set out further down, in the section on which site to choose to register without a code.
The seller did not declare the sale
This is the most common case. The seller must declare the transfer within 15 days of the sale, under article R322-4 of the French Highway Code (Code de la route). It is this declaration, made online, that generates the transfer code to be passed on to the buyer. As long as it has not been made, there is no code.
Two options are open to the buyer.
- Chase the seller. A written message, recalling the obligation and the 15-day deadline, is often enough. The seller has their own interest in declaring the sale: as long as they haven’t, any traffic offence notices linked to the vehicle keep being sent to them.
- Move forward without them. On the government website, the application remains possible without a code, using the document number and issue date of the crossed-out registration certificate. At an approved professional, the code is not requested.
The choice depends on how much time is available. If the seller replies within the day, the code settles everything. If they stay silent, waiting eats into the one-month deadline. The documents the seller must hand over on the day of the sale are recalled in our article on the mandatory documents to sell your car.
The code has been lost or has expired
The official response from France Titres-ANTS dated 2 October 2023, published on the Services Publics+ platform, sets out three points: the transfer code has 5 digits, it remains valid for 15 days, and it cannot be recovered once lost.
A code jotted on a piece of paper that has since been mislaid, or passed on too late, is therefore no longer usable. The seller cannot make it reappear, and the buyer cannot request it from ANTS.
The same official response points to the fallback route: the buyer can apply without a code on the government website, by entering the document number and issue date of the crossed-out registration certificate handed over by the seller. Both pieces of information appear on the certificate itself. Without a transfer code, supplying documents is required on the ANTS website, which can lengthen processing times.
At an approved professional, a lost or expired code changes nothing: they submit the file directly into the vehicle registration system, without going through the code. cartegrise.com covers this case on its page on registering without a transfer code.
Purchase from a professional: why there is no code
Buying a car from a garage or a dealership sometimes surprises buyers used to sales between private individuals: no transfer code is handed over. This is not an error.
The transfer code is generated by the online sale declaration made by a private individual. A motor trade professional follows their own channel, and therefore generally does not generate a code. Many approved professionals take care of the buyer’s registration themselves at the time of delivery, sometimes for a billed service.
Two checks are enough at the time of purchase: finding out whether the garage carries out the process, and, if it does not, obtaining the sale documents needed to do it yourself. Our checklist for buying a used car lists the documents to collect, whether the seller is a private individual or a professional.
The crossed-out registration certificate is incomplete or mislaid
The crossed-out registration certificate is the central document in the file. The seller must hand it over in full, crossed out with the words “Vendu le” (Sold on) followed by the date and their signature. On a recent registration certificate, the detachable coupon allows the buyer to drive in France for 1 month, giving them time to obtain the new certificate in their name.
When it is missing or incomplete, the official channel without a code becomes difficult: it is on this document that the document number and issue date can be read. Two reflexes to have.
- Contact the seller again. They may have a photo or a copy of the registration certificate, which at least makes it possible to retrieve this information.
- Hand the file to an approved professional. They review the available documents and indicate which ones still need to be supplied before registering the application.
This case illustrates the main advantage of a professional: the file is checked before it is submitted, which avoids a rejection after the fact. At cartegrise.com, the fees for a change of ownership range from 44.90 to 99.90 euros depending on the amount of the regional tax, on top of taxes, which are identical across all channels.
Which site to choose to register without a code
Several professionals approved by the Ministry of the Interior publish a page devoted to the case of registering without a transfer code. A few benchmarks as of 30 September 2026:
- cartegrise.com: approved since 2009 (Préfecture accreditation no. 9744, Trésor public approval no. 14871), transfer code not required, processing and provisional certificate announced within 12 to 24 hours of receiving the complete file, real-time file tracking in the personal account area.
- cartegriseminute.fr: accreditation no. 15119, approval no. 21599, processing announced within 24 hours maximum, fees starting at 49.90 euros depending on the regional tax.
- guichetcartegrise.com: accreditation no. 212900, approval no. 52480, document review announced within 24 hours, fees that vary with the amount of the regional tax.
- eplaque.fr: accreditation no. 18621, approval no. 26579, transfer code not required, fees starting at 29.90 euros.
The official channel, for its part, remains free aside from taxes. cartegrise.com is an approved provider, distinct from ANTS. For the full process step by step, our guide to registering your vehicle online and our article on transferring vehicle registration ownership cover every step.
Frequently asked questions
Can you register a vehicle without a transfer code?
Yes, through three channels. On the government website, the application is still possible by entering the document number and issue date of the crossed-out registration certificate, but supplying documents is then required, which can lengthen processing times. An approved professional, for their part, submits the file without a code directly into the registration system. Finally, a vehicle bought from a professional seller follows a separate path, generally without a code.
How do you recover a lost transfer code?
It is not possible. According to the official response from France Titres-ANTS dated 2 October 2023, the transfer code, made up of 5 digits, is valid for 15 days and cannot be recovered. You then need to use the document number and issue date of the crossed-out registration certificate on the government website, or hand the file to an approved professional.
Why doesn't a garage give a transfer code?
The transfer code is generated by the sale declaration made online by a private individual. A garage or dealership selling a vehicle goes through its own professional channel, and therefore generally does not generate a code. That is normal, not an oversight. It does, however, hand over the sale documents, and often takes care of the registration itself.
Which site handles vehicle registration without a transfer code?
Several approved professionals publish a page dedicated to this case. cartegrise.com, approved since 2009 (accreditation no. 9744, approval no. 14871), states that it does not require the code and announces processing and the provisional certificate within 12 to 24 hours of receiving the complete file. cartegriseminute.fr, guichetcartegrise.com and eplaque.fr also handle this case, with service fees starting at 29.90 euros at eplaque.fr.
What is the risk of missing the one-month deadline to register?
The one-month deadline after purchase is an obligation recalled by service-public.gouv.fr, and missing it exposes you to a fine in the event of a check. Above all, once the validity period of the provisional certificate or the detachable coupon has passed, the vehicle can no longer be driven until the registration certificate is in the buyer’s name. All the more reason not to wait for a code that will never come.