Car-Pass, we fight against odometer fraud.
Things you need to pay attention to
The higher the odometer reading on the Car-Pass, the more insight you will have into the history of the vehicle. The odometer should increase steadily over time. Does the document show a sudden decline in the odometer reading? That could show that someone has clocked the odometer. You should therefore ask some critical questions to the seller before you buy the vehicle.
From 1 January 2024, when a garage works on a passenger car or light commercial vehicle, it is legally obliged to communicate not only the odometer reading but also the description of the works carried out to Car-Pass. As a buyer, you will thus be able to get a more accurate picture of the vehicle's past history: Was it serviced regularly and on time? Were certain important (and/or expensive) parts replaced? After all, these works will be listed on the Car-Pass. You can view the maintenance history of the vehicle by scanning the QR code on the Car-Pass document.
The buyer of a second-hand car is able to see on the Car-Pass document which European standard the car complies with, how much CO2 it emits, whether the vehicle still has to undergo an assessment after an accident and whether any recall actions still have to be carried out. In short, you will not only be able to form a clear picture of the mileage history, but there will also be information that can influence your purchasing decision. After all, the Euro standard determines whether or not you can drive into a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), and if so, during which times. The CO2 emissions, on the other hand, play a role in determining the amount of vehicle tax payable and fuel consumption.
Vehicles that have been involved in a major accident must undergo a rigorous assessment. Some of these vehicles are offered for sale after faulty repair without having been assessed. So always check on the Car-Pass if the the vehicle still needs an inspection after accident.
When vehicles are used in a wide variety of conditions, it is still possible for manufacturing faults to become apparent, which may pose a risk to safety or the environment. This is a reason for the manufacturer to organise a recall. The manufacturer then asks the owners to have their vehicle inspected by an authorised repairer. This repairer can then make the necessary adjustments. Of course, it may be that the owner fails to respond to the manufacturer's request. In that case, the recall remains "open". These open recalls appear on the Car-Pass.
The Car-Pass is printed on special paper to protect it from counterfeiting or fraud. Do you have doubts about the authenticity of the document or the information it contains? You can test the authenticity of your Car-Pass here or scan the QR code.
Get your Car-Pass at the technical inspection
Before you sell the vehicle, a used-vehicle inspection has to be carried out. If you don't, the buyer will not be able to register it. Ask for the Car-Pass when you go for the inspection. The inspector will record the odometer reading and print out a Car-Pass, which will be valid for 2 months.
A Car-Pass costs 10,50 EUR
You pay 10,50 EUR, including VAT. If the Car-Pass shows fewer than 4 odometer readings, it is completely free. Do you have a Car-Pass that is less than 2 months old? You do not have to ask for a new one. Do you suspect that an inaccurate odometer reading is shown on the Car-Pass? Click here.
How it works
The odometer reading and the maintenancehistory on the Car-Pass comes from reliable sources: garages, body shops, fast-fitters, tyre companies, technical inspections, etc. After maintenance, repair, assembly or inspection, they forward the current odometer reading and the description of the works carried out to Car-Pass non-profit. They have to by law. In this way, every vehicle builds up its own mileage and maintenance history.
Car-Pass receives from the Federal Government Mobility and Transport the CO2 emissions and the Euro standard applicable to the vehicle. From 1 March 2019, car assessors will inform Car-Pass non-profit when they determine that a vehicle must undergo a Motor Vehicle Accident Assessment before it can go back on the road.
This information is only used by Car-Pass non-profit to provide information to buyers and sellers of used vehicles as set out in the Act of 11 June 2004. A diagram of the dataflows can be found here.
78 centres technical inspection
Is a Car-Pass legally required?
- Every car professional who works on a car or light van is legally required to forward the current odometer reading and the description of the works carried out.
- The seller is legally required to give you a Car-Pass, unless the buyer is a professional vehicle dealer. It doesn't matter whether the car is being sold commercially or privately.
- Mileage fraud is a criminal offence.
Car-Pass Trusted provider
The reliability and the efficiency of the Car-Pass system are highly dependent on the timely receipt of the correct odometer readings. This is why we want to reward those companies in the automotive sector that report their odometer readings swiftly and accurately. We do this by awarding them with the annual quality label “Car-Pass Trusted Provider”.
Watch out for the label at your garage
If you want to buy or sell a used car, it is important that your garage passes on the correct data. If there are errors on the Car-Pass, the sale may not go through.
1323 companies bear the title “Car-Pass Trusted Provider 2024”.
Is your garage already a Trusted Provider?
More about Car-Pass
Do you still have questions?
Below you will find the answer to frequently asked questions about Car-Pass.
What is a Car-Pass?
A Car-Pass is a document that shows the odometer history of a vehicle. It shows the registered odometer readings and the dates when they were recorded. You get a picture of the mileage history of the vehicle and can better judge whether the odometer reading at the time of sale is realistic. The document also contains other information:
- the Vehicle Identification number (VIN) of the vehicle;
- the make and model of the vehicle;
- the Euro emission standard;
- the CO2-emissions;
- if the vehicle needs a technical inspection after accident;
- if there are any open recalls on the vehicle;
- the date on which the vehicle was first registered (in Belgium);
- the unique QR code and ID number of the Car-Pass (which makes it possible to check the authenticity of the document);
When do you need a Car-Pass?
Whenever a used car or light van is sold, the seller is legally required to give a Car-Pass to the buyer. It doesn't matter whether the seller is a private person, professional dealer or garage.
The only exception to this rule: if the buyer is a professional, no Car-Pass needs to be provided.
So if you sell a used vehicle to a foreign private person, you are also required to provide a Car-Pass.
No Car-Pass provided: what are your rights?
A Car-Pass is legally required. If a private buyer does not receive a Car-Pass, the law gives him the right to have the contract of sale cancelled. If the buyer asks a court to do so, the court will have to rule that the purchase is invalid. The purchase will therefore be considered as not existing and the purchase price will have to be repaid to the buyer.
Can I check the authenticity of a Car-Pass?
The Car-Pass is printed on special paper that contains a hologram to make counterfeiting and fraud much more difficult. Do you suspect your document is a forgery or the odometer readings are incorrect? You can scan the QR code or fill in the identifcation number here. What you will see on the screen should match with the data on the document. If this isn't the case or if you get an error message, then most probably the document is a fraud or has expired since quite some time.
Where does the information on a Car-Pass come from?
The law provides for a single organisation to be in charge of centralising the odometer information for all vehicles. The association that has been certified to do so based on very strict criteria is the not-for-profit Car-Pass.
Each time a car professional, e.g. a garage operator, the technical inspection or a tyre company, takes in your car for service or repair, the odometer reading will also be taken. The odometer reading, as well as the date of the odometer reading and the Vehicle Identification number (VIN) of the vehicle, has to be sent to Car-Pass. You can also see this information on the invoice issued by your garage operator or on the roadworthiness certificate delivered by the technical inspection.
As soon as a passenger car or LCV is registered for the first time in Belgium the Federal Ministry of Mobility and Transport reports a set of basic characteristics to Car-Pass. This dataset includes the VIN, brand and model, date of first registration (in Belgium), the emission standards, the CO2 emissions and the fuel. Car assessors will inform Car-Pass non-profit when they determine that a vehicle must undergo a Motor Vehicle Accident Assessment before it can go back on the road. Car Manufacturers and importers are obliged to communicate if recalls still need to be performed on the vehicle when the Car-Pass is delivered. A diagram of the dataflows can be found here.
Can the odometer reading that is stored in the central database be used for other purposes?
The information that is stored in the central database of Car-Pass vzw may only be used to issue the Car-Pass when an odometer history is requested. That is also why every Car-Pass must be requested individually and why the Vehicle Identification number (VIN) of the vehicle and the odometer reading at that moment must also be provided.
The odometer readings in the central database will therefore never be provided to any third parties for any commercial purpose.
What laws govern the Car-Pass?
The Act of 11 June 2004 to fight fraud involving odometer readings in vehicles (Belgian Gazette 05/07/2004) . This law was modified by the law of 28 November 2018 (Belgian Gazette 06/12/2018). The law is now called law on the information to be provided when selling used cars.
It was further implemented by the following decrees:
- Royal Decree of 30 September 2004 concerning the entry into force of the Act of 11 June 2004 to fight fraud involving the odometer readings of vehicles and concerning the documents to be prepared by automotive professionals following work on a vehicle (Belgian Gazette 18/10/2004);
- Ministerial Decree of 3 November 2004 to appoint the civil servants who are empowered to investigate and ascertain violations of the Act of 11 June 2004 to fight fraud involving the odometer reading of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 19/11/2004);
- Royal Decree of 21 February 2004 concerning the certification of and control over the association that is charged with the registration of the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 14/03/2005);
- Royal Decree of 17 September 2004 concerning the amicable settlement in the event of violations of the Act of 11 June 2004 to fight fraud with the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 03/10/2005);
- Ministerial Decree of 19 September 2004 concerned with the appointment of civil servants charged with proposing amicable settlements within the meaning of Section 11 to the violators of the Act of 11 June 2004 to fight fraud involving the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 03/10/2005);
- Royal Decree of 4 May 2006 to certify the association charged with the registration of the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 19/05/2006);
- Royal Decree of 1 July 2006 to regulate the financing for the association charged with the registration of the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 24/07/2006);
- Royal Decree of 26 August 2006 to regulate the collaboration with the association charged with the registration of the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 30/08/2006, Ed. 2);
- Royal Decree of 30 January 2019 modifying the Royal Decree of 1 July 2006 to regulate the financing for the association charged with the registration of the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 05/02/2019);
- Royal Decree of 30 January 2019 modifying the Royal Decree of 26 August 2006 to regulate the collaboration with the association charged with the registration of the odometer readings of vehicles (Belgian Gazette 05/02/2019).
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