Once you have found a buyer for your car and agreed on a price, it may feel like the hardest part of the sale is behind you. In reality, that is exactly when the stage begins where the precise order of the transaction matters most. It is not enough to simply take the money and hand over the keys — you also need to take care of the ownership change, the paperwork, a record of the car's condition and a clearly defined moment of handover.
If these things are left unresolved, the seller can end up in a situation where the car is already in the buyer's hands, but the CSDD register still links it to the previous owner. Disputes can also arise after the deal — about known defects, what was included with the car, the payment, or what exactly was handed over with the vehicle.
In this article we will walk through, step by step:
- how to prepare a car for sale to a private buyer;
- how to complete the ownership change with CSDD;
- how to organise payment safely;
- why you need a written car sale agreement and a handover act;
- and the mistakes sellers make most often.
You can find more information about the various vehicle contracts and related documents in the Doqubit vehicle contract guide.
Check the car's data before publishing your listing
Before offering the car to buyers, it is worth verifying the information you will later need for the listing and the paperwork. The vehicle registration certificate contains the key identification data, including the make, model, registration number and the vehicle identification number (VIN).
In e-CSDD you can view information about a vehicle you own or hold, including technical inspection data, taxes, OCTA insurance and other vehicle-related details.
Before selling, it is advisable to confirm:
- whether any restrictions (prohibitions) are registered against the car;
- whether all vehicle-related taxes and fines have been paid;
- until what date the technical inspection is valid;
- whether the data in the registration certificate match the car's actual details;
- how many sets of keys and which documents will be handed over to the buyer;
- which known damage, defects or missing equipment should be disclosed to the buyer.
Do not exaggerate the car's condition or stay silent about significant faults you know of. The more accurate the information provided before the deal, the lower the risk that the buyer will later claim to have been misled.
If the car has visible damage, warning lights on the dashboard, an oil leak, gearbox problems or other known faults, it is best to record them not only verbally but also in writing — in the sale agreement or the handover act. For more on what to include in the act and which mistakes to avoid, read the article "A car handover act — why it is useful and what to include in it".
Agree not only on the price, but on how the deal will run
One of the most common mistakes is assuming that the price is the only thing the parties need to agree on. In reality, before you even meet, you should also clearly discuss how payment, the ownership change and the handover of the car will happen.
It is advisable to agree in advance on the exact purchase price, the chosen payment method, the moment ownership changes, and whether the transaction will be processed in e-CSDD or at a CSDD customer service centre. It is equally important to decide who will cover the registration costs, when the keys, documents and the car itself will be handed over, and which extras are included in the price — for example, a second set of tyres, a roof rack or spare parts.
If these questions are left until the day of the deal, the parties may understand the sequence of events differently. The buyer may want to take the car before paying in full, while the seller may assume the ownership change will be completed immediately. It is safer to agree clearly beforehand: first receive the payment, then confirm the ownership change, and only then hand the car over to the buyer.
Do you need a written car sale agreement?
Completing the ownership change with CSDD confirms that the vehicle has a new owner, but it does not, by itself, show everything the seller and buyer have agreed on. That is exactly why a written car sale agreement is an essential addition to the transaction.
The agreement can clearly record the seller's and buyer's details, the car's make, model, registration number and VIN, the sale price, the payment method and deadline, as well as the mileage, known defects, equipment and any extras included. It is also important to record the date and time of handover, the number of documents and keys transferred, and both parties' confirmations that the information provided is accurate.
The agreement's value becomes especially clear if a dispute arises after the deal. For example, the buyer believes the price included a second set of tyres, but the seller denies it. Or the parties remember differently whether a particular defect was disclosed before the purchase. A verbal agreement is much harder to prove in situations like these.
On the Doqubit document platform, you can prepare a car sale agreement through a guided process. The system asks targeted questions about the parties, the vehicle, the price, the payment and other key terms, helping you organise this information into a clear document for a standard transaction. That way, both parties understand the deal in the same way before the car is handed over.
How the ownership change works in e-CSDD
The ownership change can be completed electronically in e-CSDD. In this process, the buyer (the acquirer of the vehicle) submits the ownership-change application, and the seller must approve it. The seller has five days to approve the buyer's application — if the seller does not approve it within that time, the application is deleted. The buyer can withdraw the application at any point until the seller has approved it. Ownership transfers at the moment the seller approves the application.
In practice, the sequence of the deal can look like this:
- The buyer and seller agree on the final terms of the transaction.
- The parties sign the sale agreement.
- The buyer pays, or the parties follow the payment procedure set out in the agreement.
- The buyer submits the ownership-change application in e-CSDD.
- The seller verifies the details and approves the ownership change.
- The buyer registers the ownership change and arranges to receive the new registration certificate.
- The parties sign the handover act, and the car is handed over to the buyer.
Keep in mind that once ownership transfers, the seller's OCTA contract becomes invalid, so the buyer must have valid OCTA insurance before taking part in road traffic. If the vehicle will be used in road traffic, the buyer must register the ownership change within five days of the seller's approval. The new registration certificate can be requested for delivery to a parcel locker, by post, or picked up at a CSDD customer service centre.
When is it safe to hand the car over to the buyer?
Never hand the car over based only on a verbal promise that the buyer will transfer the remaining money or re-register the vehicle later.
The safest sequence is: agreement → payment → ownership change → handover act → handing over the car and keys.
If payment is made by bank transfer, the seller should confirm that the money has actually arrived in their account. A screenshot of a payment order does not, by itself, prove that the transfer has been completed and the funds credited.
In the payment reference, it is advisable to state the car's make, model, registration number or VIN and a reference to the agreement. This makes it easier to identify the specific transaction later. For example: Payment for the car Volvo V60, registration number AB-1234, under the sale agreement of 15 July 2026.
If payment is made in cash, the agreement or a separate written confirmation should record that the seller has received the specific amount. For larger sums, a bank transfer usually provides clearer evidence of the fact and time of payment.
Why do you need a car handover act?
The sale agreement records what the parties have agreed; the vehicle handover act documents the actual moment the car changes hands.
The handover act should record:
- the date and exact time of handover;
- the car's mileage;
- the fuel level;
- the visual and technical condition;
- known defects;
- the number of keys handed over;
- the transfer of the registration certificate and other documents;
- the items included with the car;
- tyre and wheel sets;
- both parties' signatures.
The exact handover time can matter if a traffic offence or an accident involving the car occurs on the day of the deal. The act helps show at what moment the vehicle actually passed into the buyer's hands. You can also document the car's condition with photographs — for example, if the bodywork already has a scratch or a seat is damaged at the time of sale, this can be attached to the act or noted in an annex.
You can prepare a car handover act quickly and easily on the Doqubit platform. During the guided process, you enter the key information about the vehicle, its condition, and the documents, keys and accessories being handed over, and the system helps organise it all into a clear document that can be sent straight to the other party for signing. You don't have to work out which points to include or how to word them — Doqubit helps you prepare, step by step, a practical document that is binding on both parties.
What to do about OCTA after selling the car?
Once the seller approves the ownership change, the seller's OCTA contract ends automatically. Under Section 10 of the OCTA Law, the seller should apply to the insurer within seven days and provide a bank account number so the unused premium is calculated from the contract's termination date. This refund is available only if no insurance-compensation claim has been submitted under the policy, and the insurer may deduct up to 5% of the premium attributable to the remaining period. If the application is submitted later, the refund is calculated only from the date the insurer receives it.
The buyer, in turn, must make sure the vehicle has valid OCTA before taking part in road traffic. Insurance should not be left for later — especially if the buyer is driving the car away immediately after the deal.
If the car has KASKO (comprehensive) insurance, the seller should contact the insurer separately to clarify how to terminate the contract, as policy terms can differ.
Do you have to pay tax on the sale of a car?
If a private individual sells a used car that was genuinely bought for personal use, the transaction is generally treated as the sale of personal property, and the income is not subject to Latvian personal income tax.
However, keep in mind: if your total non-taxable income for the year — including proceeds from selling personal property — exceeds EUR 10,000, you must declare it in the annual income declaration, even if no tax is ultimately due.
The situation is also different if cars are bought and sold regularly, systematically and with the aim of making a profit. Such activity may be treated as business activity, in which case you may be required to register it and pay taxes. If in doubt, check with the State Revenue Service (VID).
Car sale documents in minutes — with Doqubit
Car sale documents are not just a formality for meeting CSDD requirements. They help the seller and buyer agree on the price, the payment procedure, the car's condition, the moment of handover and other terms that can be hard to prove later with only messages or a verbal agreement.
Doqubit is a document creation platform built in Latvia, where you can prepare both a car sale agreement and a handover act in one place. You enter the information through a convenient step-by-step process that asks questions about your specific transaction, so no legal knowledge or prior experience with such documents is needed. The finished document is easy to review, edit and share with the other party.
Start creating your document without registering an account. Choose the documents that fit your car sale and put the agreement in place before handing the car and keys over to the buyer.
This article provides general information and is not individual legal or tax advice. Before completing a transaction, check the current registration procedures, deadlines, fees and requirements on the CSDD and VID websites.