Private seller photographing a used car with maintenance records on a clipboard

By Conor O'Donnell

How to sell a used car privately in Ireland

Prepare an accurate advert, organise NCT and service information, manage viewings and document a safer private vehicle handover.

Published 13 August 2026 - 11 min read

Build the advert from verifiable facts

Use the registration year, make, model, trim, fuel type, transmission, engine size and recorded mileage shown by the vehicle and its documentation. State the current NCT status and expiry accurately without implying that an NCT is a mechanical warranty. Describe ownership history, tax status and service records only where you can support them. Disclose warning lights, accident damage, mechanical faults and repairs that a reasonable buyer needs to assess.

Create a complete photograph sequence

Useful vehicle photographs

Front, rear and both side profiles in daylight with the whole car visible.
All four wheel and tyre areas, including noticeable kerb damage or uneven wear.
Dashboard with mileage and warning lights visible at startup where safe.
Front and rear seats, boot, controls and included keys.
Close photographs of scratches, dents, repaired areas and other disclosed defects.

Clean the vehicle enough to show condition but do not use filters or selective angles to hide damage. Remove home numbers, unrelated people, private correspondence and valuables from the frame. A registration plate normally helps identify a genuine car advert, while service documents should be photographed carefully so addresses, phone numbers, signatures and financial information are not exposed.

Set a realistic asking price

Compare vehicles with the same generation, engine, transmission, mileage range and condition rather than relying on the highest nearby advert. Account for tyres, upcoming maintenance, NCT duration, faults and verified optional equipment. Decide whether offers are welcome and avoid advertising an artificial discount against a price at which the car was never genuinely available.

Prepare for inspection and test drives

Meet in daylight, keep another person informed and remove private items from the car. Before allowing a test drive, check that the driver has a valid licence and appropriate insurance for the vehicle; confirm requirements with your insurer rather than assuming another policy provides cover. Accompany the drive where safe, agree a sensible route and never accept keys or identity documents as your only security without considering privacy and theft risk.

Before handing over the vehicle

Confirm cleared payment through your own trusted banking channel rather than a screenshot.
Complete the correct ownership-change process and follow current official guidance.
Record the date, time, vehicle, mileage, price and agreed parties on a signed receipt.
Give only the keys, manuals and records agreed in the sale after payment is confirmed.
Remove personal accounts, saved destinations and connected phones from the infotainment system.

Recognise common payment pressure

Be cautious when a buyer offers the full price without viewing, overpays and asks for a refund, sends a collection agent unexpectedly or supplies a link claiming Local Ads must release funds. Local Ads does not hold buyer-to-seller vehicle payments. If bank instructions, payer identity or collection arrangements change, stop and verify independently before continuing.

Private sellers remain responsible for describing the car honestly and completing the handover correctly. Current official requirements can change, so check the relevant Irish government, motor-tax and insurer guidance at the time of sale. A detailed advert will not replace an inspection, but it attracts better-prepared buyers and creates a clearer starting record for both parties.