Car-Pass: what it is and why you should always ask for it

What is a Car-Pass?

The Car-Pass is an official document issued by the non-profit Car-Pass organisation containing a vehicle's mileage history. Every visit to a garage, tyre centre or inspection station registers the odometer reading. The document lists those readings chronologically, so an illogical jump or drop stands out immediately.

Since 2019 the Car-Pass also states the Euro emission standard, CO2 emissions and any open recalls. For recent cars it sometimes includes the manufacturer's maintenance records as well.

When is it mandatory?

For every sale of a used car to a private person in Belgium, the seller must hand over a Car-Pass. This applies to private sellers and dealers alike. The document may be at most two months old at the time of sale. Without a valid Car-Pass the sale can later be declared void.

How do you check it?

Compare the last reading on the document with the odometer in the car and with the mileage in the listing. Check that the series increases logically and that there are no long gaps without a reading. Also confirm that the chassis number on the Car-Pass matches the one on the car and on the registration certificate.

• Always ask for the Car-Pass before paying a deposit.
• A document older than two months is not valid for the sale.
• A seller who will not show the Car-Pass is a reason to walk away.

Car-Pass and Cars4you

On Cars4you we show the chassis number for cars from API-connected dealers, so you can easily compare it with the Car-Pass you receive at the viewing. Feel free to ask the seller to send the document in advance through the contact form.