Buying a car through a dealership? Have your documents ready before you sign

You've found the car. You've agreed on the price. The salesperson is smiling. And then comes the part nobody gets excited about: the paperwork.

In South Africa, every vehicle purchase — whether from a dealership or a private seller — has to satisfy FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act) requirements. Even when the dealership handles the licensing and registration for you, they still can't process the sale until you hand over a specific set of documents.

What you'll always need

• Green barcoded ID or Smart ID card — to prove who you are
• Proof of residence — a utility bill or bank statement, usually no older than three months
• Proof of banking details

Financing the car? Expect more

This is where deals most often slow down. If you're applying for vehicle asset finance through a bank, the credit provider has to complete an affordability check before they'll approve a cent. That means you'll also need:

• Proof of income — your latest payslip or, if you're self-employed, financial statements
• Three months' bank statements
• Proof of comprehensive insurance — most banks won't release the vehicle without it

Why it delays the process.....

Here's the frustrating part: the car is ready, the finance house is ready, but the deal sits idle while you hunt down a payslip in an old email, or wait days for the bank to reprint a statement. A missing proof of residence or an out-of-date document can turn a same-day drive-away into a week of back-and-forth — and in the meantime, the interest rate you were quoted might change.

The people who drive off the fastest aren't the ones with the best credit. They're the ones who walked in with every document already in hand.

Be ready before you walk in

This is exactly what Centris is built for. Your ID, proof of address, payslips, bank statements and insurance certificate all live in one secure vault — extracted, organised and searchable. When the dealership asks for a document, you find it and share it in seconds, straight from your phone.

Sort your documents first. Then go pick your car.

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