Once the contract is signed, is the car mine?
It is not — and this is where the costliest misunderstanding lives. In an electronic transaction the buyer files the ownership-change request, and the seller must confirm it within five days. Ownership passes at the moment of confirmation — not when the contract is signed. At that same moment the seller's compulsory insurance ends. Where the car will be used in traffic, the buyer must register the change within five days of the seller's confirmation. An electronic application is normally processed within two working days. The combined charge for the e-CSDD ownership change and the registration certificate is €26.37.
📋 The rules
- The buyer files, the seller confirms — within 5 days
- Ownership passes on confirmation
- That is also when the seller's insurance ends
- The buyer must register within 5 days of confirmation
- Total charge: €26.37
🔓 Exceptions
- If the seller does not confirm within five days, the application is automatically deleted
- Where only the registered holder changes, registration can often wait until the next inspection
- After certain company reorganisations registration may be postponed, but not beyond two years
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Signing the contract changes nothing in the CSDD register by itself. In an electronic transaction the decisive moment is the seller's confirmation in e-CSDD. Until that happens the transfer is not complete — and if the seller does not confirm within five days, the application is automatically deleted. But take care after confirmation too: that is precisely when the seller's compulsory insurance ends and liability for new offences shifts to the buyer. Do not drive until the new insurance and the registration are in place — using an unregistered vehicle in traffic costs €55–140. The safe course: register within five days, always.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
When does the car officially become mine?
In an electronic transaction, at the moment the seller confirms your application in e-CSDD. Signing the sale contract changes nothing in the register and does not complete the transfer of ownership.
How long does the seller have to confirm?
Five days. If they fail to do so, the buyer's application is automatically deleted and ownership does not pass through it — the whole process has to be started again from scratch.
How many days do I have to register?
Where the car will be used in traffic, five days after the seller's confirmation. The safest course is to register within five days in every ordinary purchase rather than look for exceptions.
When does the seller's insurance end?
At the exact moment the seller confirms the ownership change. So do not drive until your own cover is arranged — otherwise the car is on the road with no compulsory insurance at all.
What does the transfer cost?
Twenty-six euros and thirty-seven cents in total: €12.95 for the bilateral electronic ownership change and €13.42 for the registration and the registration certificate.
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