subject: Registering Your Car In France [print this page] After new directives from Brussels, insurance companies will no longer insure cars with foreign registration plates and it is illegal to maintain a foreign registered car in France for more than 6 months without changing to French registration, i.e. obtaining a Carte Gris.
Second hand left hand drive cars in France often have a much higher price tag than the equivalent vehicle available in the UK. If you want a car in France, it may be worth considering making a purchase in the UK and then importing it but buying left hand drive cars from a British dealer such as www.lhd-europe.net is also a good option.
If you are exporting your vehicle from the UK, you will need to notify the DVLA that the vehicle is being permanently exported. The DVLA no longer issues a Certificate of Permanent Export or V561, to register your car in France you will need your old log book so dont throw it away!
If the car is from a non-EU country, you must present the customs certificate to register the car. If the car is over a certain age, no VAT is due, but you must note that selling the car within the first year after importing it will attract VAT.
When you import a new vehicle to France, you have to pay the French standard VAT (TVA) rate based on the net price of the car. If you import a second hand car from the EU/EEA, you have to go to the Centre des Impots and present the documents showing that VAT has been paid in another EU country and they will issue with a Certificat d'acquisition, you will need this along with your other vehicle documents and proof of identification in order to register your car.
Another document that you need to register the car to prove to the prefecture that the vehicle has been technically approved is a Certificate of Conformity (CoC). New car models introduced in the EU after 1st January 1996 are issued with an EU certificate of conformity. It is valid in France, no matter which authority issued it and in which language it has been written. Check your glove box as it will probably be with your cars manual. If you don't have the original document, you can get one manufacturer for a fee that is typically between EUR100 and EUR150. There also websites offering to obtain them on your behalf but I recommend that you approach the manufacturer directly.
If the car does not have a CoC or does not conform to the standards that were applied for the French type approval, then the car needs an individual approval by the DRIRE. They may want the car to be modified before an approval can be issued. The complications and cost of this may make it undesirable to import the car to France so buying left hand drive cars from a British dealer such as LHD Europe may be an attractive alternative as they will take your British registered car as part exchange.
There are exclusions for collectors and vintage cars, which may get a limited registration document even if they don't meet today's standards. For cars imported from a country where driving is to the left, it must be certified that the car can show speed in kilometres and that the headlights are adapted to driving on the right.
Before registering or re-registering a car in France, if the vehicle is more than 4 years old, it must be submitted for a road worthiness test (contrle technique). You will need this done before registering a foreign car, and you will need to show the testing centre your CoC before they can supply the CT certificate.
The testing centre will provide a report and place a sticker in the windscreen when the car has passed. If you have to take the car back once more, after correcting something, there may be an additional charge.
By this time youre possibly thinking of giving up on importing a car to France, however LHD Europe can assist you. If youd prefer to look at the options sellig your old car and buying a new one in France then visit our website and drop us a line we have access to over five million used and new left hand drive cars and will find you one that matches your requirements and your budget.
Next you must visit your main Prefecture or Sous-Prefecture (normally in your main town), where you will be given a form to fill in, however I recommend that you download the form from the Internet and fill it in before going to the Prefecture. You will also have to provide confirmation of your address in France: electricity, water or phone bill, also a copy of your passport, together with the UK log book,the CT certificate, the CoC, tax certificate and finally a receipt from the person who you bought the car from.
Theses papers will be examined and if in order, the application will be approved and you will be given a temporary certificate so you can get your new number plates. Within 10 days you will receive your carte grise.
About Us
LHD Europe is the leading English speaking car dealer that buys and sells quality used and new left hand drive cars across Europe.
We offer our clients the very best service by searching the whole of Europe for a car matching their exact requirements and then deliver it to their door and assist them with the registration process.
For total peace of mind when buying your new car, try LHD Europe first.
