The website of the National Agency for Secure Titles (ANTS) requires that each account be linked to a unique identity, via a personal email address or through FranceConnect. Acting on this portal on behalf of a third party, whether it be an elderly parent, a spouse, or a client, requires adherence to a specific framework to avoid being blocked during the process or even committing an offense.
ANTS Account and Digital Identity: Why One Holder Per Account
Each ANTS account is linked to a valid email address and a civil identity. When connecting through FranceConnect, identification relies on the tax or health insurance data of the holder. Therefore, a third party cannot “borrow” a FranceConnect access without impersonating an identity, which constitutes a criminal offense.
The classic ANTS account (dedicated username and password) operates on the same principle: one account corresponds to one individual. Any procedure registered under this account legally binds its holder. If a relative submits a request for a registration certificate or driver’s license on behalf of the holder without a legal framework, the administration may reject the file or consider it fraudulent.
To delve deeper into the practical modalities, it is possible to create an ANTS account for another person on Mon Conseiller Automobile by following the detailed procedure described there.
Mandate and Power of Attorney: The Legal Basis for Acting on Behalf of a Third Party
French law provides several mechanisms for a person to carry out administrative formalities on behalf of another. The most common remains the written power of attorney, which authorizes a designated agent to perform a specific procedure.
Simple Power of Attorney for Registration Procedures
For an online request for a registration certificate, the vehicle holder can write a power of attorney on plain paper. This document must include the complete identity of the principal (the one delegating), that of the agent (the one acting), the exact nature of the authorized procedure, and the handwritten signature of the principal.
The agent then creates the ANTS account in the name of the principal, using the latter’s email address. The agent fills out the forms, but the account remains the property of the title holder. The agent is not intended to retain the credentials once the procedure is completed.
Family Authorization and Legal Protection Measures
When the concerned third party cannot provide a power of attorney (loss of autonomy, legal incapacity), other provisions exist:
- The guardianship or curatorship, pronounced by a judge, grants the guardian or curator the power to carry out administrative acts on behalf of the protected person, including creating an ANTS account.
- Family authorization, more flexible than guardianship, allows a relative designated by the judge to act for routine procedures without going through a specific mandate.
- The future protection mandate, drafted before the loss of autonomy, anticipates the situation by designating an agent for administrative and property acts.
In each of these cases, the agent must be able to justify their status (guardianship judgment, authorization order) if the administration requests it during the processing of the file.
Creating the ANTS Account for a Third Party: Technical Process
The technical procedure does not differ from that of a classic account creation. The difference lies in the fact that the information entered is that of the principal, not that of the agent.
- Go to the ANTS portal corresponding to the procedure (registration, driver’s license, passport).
- Select the classic account creation rather than FranceConnect, unless the principal has provided their FranceConnect credentials to the agent as part of an explicit power of attorney.
- Enter the principal’s email address: this is where the username and confirmation links will be sent.
- Complete the civil status information of the principal (last name, first name, date of birth).
- Validate the account via the link received in the principal’s email.
The most common point of friction concerns access to the third party’s email box. Without access to the principal’s email address, account validation is impossible. The agent must therefore either have delegated access to this email or act in the presence of the principal for this step.
Professional ANTS Account and Procedures on Behalf of Clients
Automotive professionals (garages, registration certificate companies) have a distinct status on the ANTS platform. The professional ANTS account is created with a SIRET number and provides access to a dedicated space to process registration requests on behalf of third parties.
This professional status exempts from individual power of attorney for each client: the professional acts as an agent authorized by agreement with the administration. The procedures are processed through a separate portal from the individual pathway, with specific reporting obligations (mandate register, retention of supporting documents).
For an individual who occasionally helps a relative, this status is neither accessible nor relevant. The power of attorney remains the only suitable mechanism.
Concrete Risks in Case of Unauthorized Procedure
Using another person’s ANTS account without a mandate exposes one to several consequences. The administration may invalidate the procedure if it detects an inconsistency between the declared applicant and the person who actually performed the operation. The file is then rejected, and the procedure must start over from the beginning.
From a criminal standpoint, using someone else’s digital identity without their consent can be classified as identity theft. The written consent of the holder protects both the agent and the principal. Keeping a record of the power of attorney, even for a simple change of holder on a registration certificate, prevents any future disputes.
Moreover, the ANTS account is automatically deleted after twelve months without connection. If an agent creates an account for a third party and no one connects to it for a year, all ongoing procedures may be lost, and the account will need to be recreated.