I am well aware that in order to sell a vehicle as a going concern the CT has to be valid for the required eighteen months minimum.
However I always believed that a car could legally be sold for spares irrelevant of any remaining time on the CT providing that on the certa 15776 it was certified that it was “ceder pour destruction” and that the same notation was scrawled across the Carte Grise.
This past weekend a friend informed me that this is not the case and if the CT is more than six months expired you only have two options…have it renewed to sell for spares or take it to the scrappie.
Numerous cars are always for sale on Leboncoin, for spares, without a current CT but of course this proves nothing.
Any legal experts willing to share their knowledge please?
The "problem " with selling for spares is that you can’t get a Certificate de cessation " so the car will forever be registered to you, and legally (AFAIK) you have to keep minimum insurance on it
If you have the carte gris for the car you can sell it at any time for spares or repair with or without a CT. There are 3 copies of the form, one for the buyer, one for you and one for the Prefecture. mark the carte gris and form for cessation and send the appropriate copy to the Prefecture . That removes your name from ownership. Make a copy of your copy and send the original to your Insurers to terminate the insurance. If the car is for use on the roads and there is less than 18months CT on it the new owner must get a fresh CT to get a Carte GRIS. Up to 6months a new CT is not needed.
I think you are describing the old method… I believe things have changed in recent years.
@anon90504988 can you please explain how one sells a car “for spares or repair” indeed… can one sell a car “for spares or repair” ???
surely “ceder pour destruction” is not the same as selling for spares… ???
I’ve always thought that, provided the major parts are still in/on the car, it shouldn’t cost the Owner anything to have it “destroyed” at the approved Site.
Sunbeam you are right. For Destruction can only go to a registered scrappy. Selling for spares is a “description of selling the car”. The transaction to a private buyer must be the same as selling a roadworthy car . The Destruction/cessation responsibility rests with the purchaser and need not be of any concern to the seller.
Get a garage to buy it for destruction. You will get your certificat de cession and be taken off as the current owner. The garage should put themselves down as the buyer on the SIV system and then declare the cession to the scrap company.
If you go to a main dealer, they won’t give you much as they don’t get much for the car. If a main garage takes in a car it has to be functional to go on to lorry, as in it must start and be able to be driven on and off the vehicle.
If you go to a smaller or independent garage, you may get a bit more but make sure you get the cession and you write on the carte grise ‘vendue pour destruction’ with the date and your signature and ask for a copy of the carte grise after you’ve done it. Sole garages are contracted for the scrapyards and deliver the cars to them so they have more leeway.
I can let service-public.fr do that -
Can I sell or buy a vehicle that can no longer be driven?
Checked on 27 March 2020 - Direction de l’information légale et administrative (Prime Minister)
No, since 2009, a vehicle that is no longer roadworthy (car, van, motorbike, etc.) cannot be sold to a private individual, even for spare parts. It can only be sold to a car professional.
There can no longer be any mention of “non-running vehicle” on the technical inspection report, if the vehicle is subject to this. And a vehicle registration document marked ‘non-running vehicle’ cannot be issued.
However, you can keep a vehicle that is no longer roadworthy at home:
if you wish to recover and reuse certain parts of the vehicle for strictly personal use,
or if you want to transform, repair or rehabilitate the vehicle for strictly personal use.
In these cases, you must make a declaration of withdrawal from circulation.
If you wish to dispose of the vehicle, you must hand it over to an approved ELV centre if it is a passenger car, a van or a three-wheeled moped. However, to be accepted free of charge by these professionals, the vehicle must not be without its essential components (powertrain, catalytic converter for vehicles that were equipped with one when they were placed on the market, or bodywork). In addition, it must not contain any unapproved waste or equipment that has been added to it.
If the vehicle is sold for destruction (or not) to an automobile professional, the certificate of sale must be completed.
Thanks everybody. It seems pretty clear that as I no longer have need of the vehicle nor wish to repair it or recuperate any parts I will drive it off to the scrapyard.
Even so that might not keep you in the clear. I gave my car for scrap and got the correct certificate but forgot to change the plate on my trailer. My neighbour borrowed it and, despite my reminder to do so, did not put his own number over mine. He got a speeding flash and the amende came to me.
We sorted the amende with the usual form but it is a worry that the number was traced to me, not the yard that it had been ceded to. So make sure it is scrapped and don’t leave the number on anything else. 
Also noted…thank you.