Car Purchase Agreement in Slovakia (kúpna zmluva na auto) - What It Must Include (2026)
Selling or buying a used car from a private person in Slovakia? Here is what a car purchase agreement must include, how to draw it up step by step, when a certified signature is required and what the seller must do after signing.
Does a car purchase agreement have to be in writing?
The Slovak Civil Code (Občiansky zákonník) does not require written form for selling a movable item - technically, an oral agreement is valid. In practice, though, you cannot do without a written contract.
Evidence for both parties
Under § 588 of the Civil Code, the seller must hand over the car and the buyer must pay the agreed price. If a dispute arises about the price, condition or dates, what is written is what counts.
Document for the police
When the keeper changes, the police need the details of the new keeper and owner. If the buyer does not come in person, the seller submits the purchase agreement bearing the buyer's certified signature.
Retention of title only in writing
Ownership of a car passes on handover (§ 133 OZ). If you want it to pass only after the full price is paid, this must be agreed in writing (§ 601 OZ).
What a car purchase agreement must include
The law does not prescribe the exact content of a car purchase agreement, but these items should never be missing:
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Parties | Name, date of birth or birth number (rodné číslo), permanent address and ID number - the police use them to register the new keeper. |
| Vehicle identification | Make, model, VIN, plate number (ŠPZ) and registration certificate part II number (technický preukaz). The VIN is the only detail that never changes. |
| Mileage | The odometer reading on the day of signing protects both sides in a dispute over a rolled-back odometer. |
| Purchase price | In figures and words, in euros, with the payment method and due date. |
| Condition and known defects | The seller must disclose defects they know about (§ 596 OZ). What is written in the contract cannot be claimed by the buyer later. |
| Handover and transfer of ownership | Handover date, keys, documents and when ownership passes (on handover or only after payment). |
| Date, place and signatures | Handwritten signatures of both parties on every original. |
How to draw up a car purchase agreement step by step
Follow these steps so the police accept the contract and it protects you in a dispute.
Parties
Copy the details from the ID card (občiansky preukaz) or passport, not from memory. Add the seller's IBAN if paying by bank transfer.
Vehicle
Copy the VIN, plate number and registration certificate number from the vehicle documents and check the VIN on the car body too. Record the mileage on the day of signing.
Price and payment
Write the price in figures and words and state whether it is paid in cash or by transfer. For a transfer, enter the date by which the money must be in the account.
Condition and defects
List every defect you know of (rust, oil leak, faulty air conditioning). If the car has been in an accident, say so - this prevents the buyer from withdrawing later.
Handover and ownership
State the handover date and agree whether ownership passes on handover or only after full payment (recommended for bank transfers).
Originals and signatures
Print at least two originals and sign each. If the buyer will not go to the police, prepare a third original with the buyer's certified signature.
Handover report
When handing over the car, write a short report: mileage, keys, documents, damage. For a cash payment, the seller confirms receipt of the money in it.
First the buyer, then the contract
Before anyone signs, you need an ad that attracts buyers. See how to write a car ad that sells - with examples and a photo checklist.
How to write a car adClauses that protect the seller
Most disputes after a car sale come from what was not in the contract. These four clauses should always be included.
Statement of known defects
You are not liable for a defect you disclosed. For a concealed defect the buyer can claim a discount, and if it makes the car unusable, withdraw from the contract (§ 597 OZ) - for up to 24 months after handover (§ 599 OZ).
Sold as seen
The buyer confirms they inspected and test-drove the car. This does not release you from liability for concealed defects, but makes later claims like "I did not know it was 15 years old" much harder.
Retention of title (výhrada vlastníctva)
If paying by transfer or in instalments, agree that ownership passes only after the full price is paid. Hand over keys and documents only once the money arrives (§ 591 OZ allows this).
Cooperation on the transfer
The seller reports the change of keeper, but cannot complete it without the buyer. The contract therefore obliges the buyer to come to the police or provide a certified signature.
Certified signature and number of originals
The most common question about the contract. The answer: the law does not always require a certified signature - only in one specific situation.
When you do not need a certified signature
If the seller and buyer go to the traffic inspectorate together for the change of keeper, the signatures do not need to be certified. The same applies when selling to a close relative.
When a certified signature is mandatory
If the buyer does not go to the police in person, the seller must present the contract or a power of attorney with the buyer's officially certified signature (§ 116 ods. 4 zákona č. 8/2009 Z. z.). A notary or the registry office (matrika) at the municipal office can certify it for a few euros.
How many originals
At least two - one for each party. If the buyer will not go to the police in person, prepare a third original with the buyer's certified signature for the traffic inspectorate.
Payment: cash or bank transfer
Write the payment method into the contract - it is the only proof that the price was paid and how.
Cash
Between private persons (non-entrepreneurs), cash payments are allowed up to €15,000; if one party is a company or sole trader (živnostník), up to €5,000 (zákon č. 394/2012 Z. z.). Confirm receipt of the money by signing the contract or in the handover report, and check the banknotes at a bank.
Bank transfer
Safer for larger amounts and leaves a trail. Hand over the car, keys and documents only after the money has arrived in your account - a payment confirmation or screenshot is not enough.
Beware of "buyers" offering to pay via a link, a courier or SMS. A genuine buyer never needs your card details.
Checklist: before signing and at handover
- The VIN on the car body matches the VIN in the registration certificate and in the contract.
- The seller is registered as the owner or has a power of attorney from the owner.
- The car is not leased, pledged or subject to enforcement (exekúcia) - otherwise the police will not register the change.
- Both parties' details are copied from their ID documents.
- The price is in figures and words, the payment method is stated.
- Known defects and accidents are listed in the contract.
- The mileage is recorded in the contract and the report, and photographed.
- The money has been received or has arrived in the account.
- Handed over: keys, registration certificate part I and II, service book.
- A date is agreed for the joint visit to the traffic inspectorate.
What to do after signing the contract
Since the reform of vehicle registration, the seller is responsible for the transfer (prepis). Until the change is registered, you are still recorded as the car's keeper.
Change of keeper within 30 days
The seller must report the change of keeper (zmena držby) to the police within 30 days, at any traffic inspectorate (§ 116 ods. 3 zákona č. 8/2009 Z. z.). Go together with the buyer, or with the buyer's certified signature. It can also be done online via slovensko.sk with an eID card.
Plates stay on the car
The plate number (ŠPZ) does not change with the keeper, even if the buyer lives in another district. If you want to keep your plates, tell the police - the car will get a new number.
The seller is liable until registration
The keeper's rights and obligations pass to the buyer only on the day the change is registered (§ 118 ods. 2). Until then, speed camera fines may come to you and you are responsible for the car - so do not delay the transfer.
Insurance (PZP) and tax
Once the change is registered, inform your insurer - compulsory motor insurance (PZP) ends with the change of keeper and the unused premium is refunded. The buyer must have their own PZP from the moment they take the car. Income from selling a private car that was not part of business assets is generally tax-exempt.
Common mistakes in a car purchase agreement
- The seller leaves the transfer to the buyer - and for months after the sale keeps receiving fines and letters from the insurer.
- The VIN is missing or has a typo - the police will not register the change.
- Hiding defects "so the car sells" - the buyer can claim a discount or withdraw from the contract even a year later.
- Handing over keys and documents before the money arrives in the account.
- Writing a lower price into the contract "because of tax" - in a dispute it is then hard to prove how much was actually paid.
- The contract is signed by someone who is not the owner, without a power of attorney with a certified signature.
FAQ about the car purchase agreement in Slovakia
Do the signatures on a car purchase agreement need to be certified?
Not always. The buyer's certified signature is needed only if the buyer does not come to the traffic inspectorate in person for the change of keeper - in that case the seller presents the contract or a power of attorney with the buyer's officially certified signature (§ 116 ods. 4 zákona č. 8/2009 Z. z.). If you go together, no certification is needed.
How many originals of the contract are needed?
At least two - for the seller and the buyer. If the buyer will not go to the police in person, prepare a third original with the buyer's certified signature for the traffic inspectorate.
Can a car purchase agreement be handwritten?
Yes. A handwritten contract is just as valid as a printed one, as long as it contains all the required details and both parties' signatures. Just make sure it is legible, especially the VIN.
Who does the transfer - the seller or the buyer?
The seller (the current keeper) must report the change of keeper to the police within 30 days, at any traffic inspectorate. The buyer must be present in person or provide a certified signature on the contract or a power of attorney.
When does the buyer become the owner of the car?
Ownership of a movable item passes on handover (§ 133 OZ), unless the parties agree otherwise. You can agree in writing that it passes only after full payment (retention of title, § 601 OZ). The keeper's obligations towards the state pass only when the change is registered with the police.
Can I pay for the car in cash?
Between two private persons (non-entrepreneurs) up to €15,000. If one party is a company or sole trader, the limit is €5,000 (zákon č. 394/2012 Z. z.). Higher amounts by bank transfer only.
What if a defect appears after the purchase?
If the seller did not tell you about the defect, you are entitled to a reasonable discount, and if the defect makes the car unusable, you can withdraw from the contract (§ 597 OZ). The defect must be reported without undue delay, at the latest within 24 months of handover (§ 599 OZ). This does not apply to defects listed in the contract.
Can I withdraw from a car purchase agreement?
Only on legal or agreed grounds - for example if the seller concealed a defect that makes the car unusable, or falsely assured you that it had no defects (§ 597 OZ). "I changed my mind" is not a reason.
Can the contract be signed remotely?
Yes, each party can sign their original elsewhere and send it by post. However, to register the change of keeper without the buyer present, you will need the buyer's certified signature or a power of attorney sent electronically via slovensko.sk.
Do I pay tax on selling my car?
If you sell a private car that was not part of your business assets (not used for business), the income from the sale is generally exempt from income tax. Special rules apply to cars used in business - consult an accountant.
A good car purchase agreement is short but precise: the correct VIN, mileage, price, listed defects and signatures. Add a handover report and register the change of keeper right after the sale, and the deal is closed for good.
Published 4.10.2026 · Updated 4.10.2026
Information only, not legal advice - consult a lawyer when drawing up the contract.
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