First check the car in Czech registers using its VIN: technical data and inspection mileage, police theft alerts, insurance claim history, and whether the seller really owns it rather than a finance company. Then check the seller, particularly enforcement and insolvency. The agreement should contain representations about origin, condition and third-party rights, the exact transfer of ownership and risk, governing law and the court. Slovak registration requires recognition of the individually imported vehicle; if it is new under VAT law, VAT is paid in Slovakia.
Used cars from Czechia attract buyers with their prices and range. The risks are the same as at home, but the registers differ and Slovak registration follows the purchase. The order is: check the vehicle, check the seller, and only then sign.
Checks before travelling to see the car
Start by requesting the VIN in advance. The Czech vehicle register provides technical information, first registration date, number of owners and mileage from technical inspections free of charge, helping identify odometer rollback. Czech police publish stolen-vehicle alerts. Purchase a paid vehicle history report covering insurance claims, damage and service mileage yourself; a PDF supplied by the seller can be altered.
If the registered owner is a finance company under a loan or lease, obtain its confirmation of the outstanding balance and consent to sale, and pay part of the price directly to it. Czechia has no public register of transfers of ownership by way of security; they are visible only through the owner’s registration.
Checks on the seller
Enforcement is checked in the Central Register of Enforcement and insolvency in the Insolvency Register. Repeat both checks immediately before signing. Contractual pledges over movables are recorded in the Czech Notarial Chamber’s pledge register, and any Czech notary can issue an extract. Operating leases, private loans secured against the car and tax enforcement are not revealed by these registers; the agreement must address them.
What the agreement must contain
Sales between private individuals are governed by the Civil Code (Act No. 40/1964 Coll.), and business-to-business sales by the Commercial Code (Act No. 513/1991 Coll., Sections 409 et seq.). Ownership of movable property is acquired on delivery unless otherwise agreed (Section 133(1) of the Civil Code), and the risk of accidental destruction passes with it (Section 590). Entry in the vehicle register does not establish ownership. Define the handover time in the agreement and link payment to it.
Include seller representations of sole ownership, absence of third-party rights, no accident damage beyond what is disclosed and accurate mileage, backed by a sanction and a withdrawal right. Without a choice of law, the Rome I Regulation generally points to the seller’s country’s law, so choose the law and court expressly. For bilingual text, specify which version prevails. The law supports these remedies:
If a defect of which the seller did not inform the buyer subsequently emerges, the buyer is entitled to a reasonable reduction in the agreed price reflecting the nature and extent of the defect. If the defect makes the item unusable, the buyer also has a right to withdraw from the agreement.
— Section 597(1) of the Civil Code (unofficial English translation)
Withdrawal is also available for an untrue assurance about the item’s characteristics (paragraph 2). Defects must be raised without undue delay and no later than 24 months after receipt (Section 599).
VAT and Slovak registration
If the vehicle is ‘new’ under Act No. 222/2004 Coll. on VAT, every buyer pays the tax in Slovakia (Section 11(3)):
A new means of transport for the purposes of this Act is […] a motorised land vehicle under paragraph 11(a) if it has travelled no more than 6,000 km or no more than six months have elapsed since its first entry into service when it is supplied […].
— Section 11(12) of Act No. 222/2004 Coll. (unofficial English translation)
An older car bought from a private individual does not give rise to VAT. When buying from a Czech VAT payer, the seller’s tax regime matters; have an accountant confirm it.
After purchase, apply to the district office for recognition of the individually imported vehicle (Section 29 of Act No. 106/2018 Coll.). The office recognises valid Czech technical and emissions inspection documents if they also satisfy Slovak time limits (paragraph 5). Attach proof of acquisition, the Czech registration certificate and the vehicle originality inspection report. Register the vehicle within 30 days of issue of registration certificate Part II (paragraph 10). Arrange plates before travelling: Czech export plates and insurance organised before departure are the safest option. Driving without a valid plate is prohibited.
How we can help
We check Czech registers and prepare an agreement with representations and sanctions through sale agreements for movable property. We assess a supplied agreement through contract review and handle Czech-Slovak texts through bilingual agreements. The same applies to Czech clients buying in Slovakia, using Slovak registers.
This answer provides general information on the law as at 5 September 2026. It does not constitute legal services or replace an assessment of an individual case. The details of your situation may differ. Book a consultation to discuss them.
