A Car-Pass is legally required when selling used vehicles. This is a good thing because it protects you against odometer fraud and gives you a transparent overview of the vehicle’s maintenance history. A trader is only allowed to offer a used vehicle for sale if it has the mandatory Car-Pass details in the relevant ads and the showroom.
Looking online?
If you are looking for a used vehicle online, be sure to look for the “Check Car-Pass” logo while combing through the vehicle ads.
When you click on the logo, the Car-Pass database will show you the most up-to-date information about the vehicle. This will allow you to check the evolution of the odometer readings, the maintenance history, as well as the official CO2 emissions and Euro standard. You can also see if there are any open recalls or if the vehicle still needs a Post-Accident Vehicle Inspection. A professional seller is obliged to provide you with the link as part of the online advertisement.
At the dealer or in the garage
After your search on the internet, you will of course also want to view the vehicle in the showroom or in the dealer’s parking lot. The dealer is legally obliged to clearly display the Car-Pass information with every vehicle, just like the price.
Always ask for the Car-Pass
Are you buying a used vehicle or light van? The seller is legally required to give you a Car-Pass at the moment of sale. It does not matter if the seller is a private individual or a professional. The document must not be older than two months old. And if you didn’t receive a Car-Pass? In that case, the sale is invalid, and you can demand the contract be cancelled and receive a full refund.