The text at your fingertips

The Charter is available as a PDF in the Organization's three official languages: French, English and Spanish. The file is royalty-free for non-commercial use, provided the source and version are cited.
The ten commitments are summarized on the page Ten good practices.
Download the Charter in figures
Source: OIMAP General Secretariat.
Choose the language
The three versions have the same informational value. In case of divergence of interpretation, the French version serves as the reference, in accordance with the Organization's practice. The file in each language is identical in layout.
Translations into other languages may be produced by partners; they do not bear the official mark without the written agreement of the General Secretariat.



Content of the document
The PDF runs to a few pages. It contains a preamble, the ten good practices each with a commentary of a few lines, a reminder of the main legal texts and an optional adherence form.
An annex presents the list of checks to carry out before a purchase. It can be printed separately and attached to the work's file.
Conditions of use
The document may be printed, distributed to clients, incorporated into internal regulations or cited in a catalogue. It must not be modified. Any adaptation must state that it is inspired by the OIMAP Charter.
Use of the Organization's logo is subject to authorization. Simply mentioning the title and version does not require it.
Declare your adherence
After reading, a collector or institution may declare adherence by returning the attached form or through the online procedures. A certificate is then issued, with an OIMAP number.
The certificate can be verified like any other document through verification by number.
Available files
| File | Language | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Collector's Charter | French | Reference text |
| Collector's Charter | English | Official translation |
| Collector's Charter (Spanish) | Spanish | Official translation |
| Pre-purchase checklist | Three languages | Print and file |
Milestones
- Principle
Cooperation with collectors.
- Alignment
Taking the Guidelines into account.
- Three languages
FR, EN and ES versions.
- Review
Commentary update (indicative).
Citing correctly



Printed or digital version

Digital PDF
On-screen reading- Clickable links
- Searchable
- Lightweight
Practice.

Printed version
Paper file- Form to sign
- Detachable annex
- A4
For the archives.
Using the Charter
- Download
In the language you need.
- Read
The ten practices.
- Adapting your procedures
Internally.
- Declaring adherence
To obtain the certificate.
Before circulating it
A gallery owner in Madrid (example)

« We give the Charter to every new client. The Spanish version helped us a great deal with collectors from Latin America. »
Glossary
- Reference version
- Text that prevails in case of discrepancy.
- Certificate of adherence
- Declaratory document of commitment.
- Non-commercial use
- Not-for-profit use.
- Annex
- Part attached to a main document.
Versions and updates
The Charter is reviewed whenever the law or practices change. Each version carries a date and a number. Earlier versions remain available for consultation, with a note that they have been superseded.
To be notified of an update, you can subscribe to the newsletter.
Frequently asked questions
Is the download free?
Yes.
May I translate the Charter?
Yes, with a mention of the original; the official mark requires authorization.
How do I know whether my version is up to date?
Compare the date of the document with that of this page.
Is a guide available?
Yes, see the practical guide.
Useful documents
Contacts

Open the practical guide
Image credits (17)
- Gathering among the Members of Office Censor-General (1700s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Sports on a Frozen River, Aert van der Neer (ca. 1660) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Saint Jerome and the Lion (From the former Church of St. Peter in Erfurt), Tilman Riemenschneider (c. 1495) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Bull Head Attachment (c. 700–600 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Bidri Hookah Bowl with Roses (c. 1650s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Egypt and Nubia: Volume I - No. 4, Slave Boats on the Nile, View Looking Towards the Pyramids of Dashour and Saccara, Louis Haghe (1838) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Lace Towel End (c. 1700s–1800s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Adoration of the Shepherds, Bernardo Cavallino (c. 1650) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Farmhouse on the Slope of a Hill, Fra Bartolommeo (c. 1508) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Amitabha Triad (1400s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Panel (c. 1780–1840) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Seascape with Open Sky, Eugène Boudin (1860) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Figure (kiteki) (late 1800s–mid-1900s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Interior Drawer for Cabinet, André-Charles Boulle (c. 1690) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Study for "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte", Georges Seurat (1884) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Vue générale prise à l'angle sud-ouest, Philoe, Maxime Du Camp (1849–50) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
Cleveland Museum of Art · CC0 1.0
The Collector's CharterTen good practices for acquiring, keeping and transmitting cultural property with legal certainty.›
The ten good practicesThe detail of the Charter's ten commitments, from provenance to the reporting of anomalies.›
Collector's practical guideA concrete manual for applying the Charter: before, during and after the acquisition of a work.›
Subscribe to the newsletterHow to register for the newsletter: form, confirmation and first issue.›