Buying a car - step by step

> I know it should have the certificat de conformité, carnet d’entretien and formulaire rose. If I buy a cheaper car without these, how do I get them? Go to the CT centre?
.
Do not even think about buying a car without the following:
- Certificat d’immatriculation (from the DIV)
- Certificat de conformité (from the car manufacturer)
- Certificat de visite du contrôle technique and Car Pass, both from the Controle Technique. (Beware: this must not be the "usual" CT, but a specific, and much more in-depth, CT for sale purposes).
.
I repeat, DO NOT buy a car without those documents.
.
Optional but very very useful are a) the carnet d'entretien and b) the form called "Demande d’immatriculation pour véhicule usagé". You go with this form to your insurance of choice for the next steps.
.
> Insurance - I will obviously shop around for the best quote, but have some other questions. I have a UK named driver NCB but have never owned my own car - can this be transferred to Belgium?
.
This depends on the insurance. My insurance here accepted a simple statement from my former country's insurance company, and kept me at the same bonus-malus level.
.
> When I buy the car, do I need to have insurance organised to test drive / drive it home? Or does the sellers insurance cover me for this? I'm in no rush to buy a car, so will only get insurance when I have one that I am sure I want.
.
Once you agree on a sale and shop around for an insurance, they will do all the necessary paperwork both to a) get the new license plates and b) arrange that the car is covered when you put the new plates on.
.
In practice, the car usually stays with the seller until the buyer comes with the new license plates, puts them on and drives away. There may be some days of overlapping insurances, but the car is always covered.
.
> Tax & transfer of registration - I assume this is just going to the commune? Does it take long?
.
No need to go to the commune. Your insurer will take care of the registration bit, and the road tax bill will arrive directly in your mailbox.
.
> Parking - for the moment I will be parking in a garage, but will move soon and may need to park on street. Is there a charge for the permit?
.
This depends on the commune, but in most communes residents can obtain a parking permit for free parking in their neighbourhood. In my commune, the residence permit costs 5 EUR per year.
.
> Anything else / any further costs I am forgetting?
.
Draw up a sale contract in two copies, one for the buyer one for the seller. Use a standard format, such as this one from Vlan Auto:
http://auto.vlan.be/fr/voiture-occasion/contrat...