Register a car in France

The following should be considered if France wants the car into one. They also require a certain degree of patience and good humor (as with most things bureaucratic in France).

following directives from Brussels, insurance companies no longer provide a car with foreign registration plates, and it is illegal to keep a foreign registered car in France for months without having to change more than 6 French register, ie obtain a Carte Gris. E 'certainly a race to the register (registration) to be a lot of cars from emigrants who have done this for years.

However, Used Cars in France holds the second is a value much higher than that of the corresponding vehicle available in the UK. If you want to drive in France, is worth considering a purchase in the United Kingdom, and then import one - even if the sitting position may be traveling on the passenger side des

If you bring your vehicle from the United Kingdom,must notify the DVLA. You can do this by filling in Section C to make V5 registration document and send it by post office or your local operator or the registered DVLA. You will receive a certificate of permanent export or V561. If you have not already done this you can use this to the DMV and explain the situation, they are usually the problem with the export certificate by mail.

If you import to France for a new vehicle, you have the FrenchStandard value added tax (VAT) rate. If you import a used car from EU / EEA, you must show your local tax office (Centre of tax) and documents to prove that VAT has been paid in another EU / EEA country, and we will send VAT certificate (Certificat d'tracking). Bring along all your vehicle papers and proof of identification.

When the vehicle from an EU / EEA country, you must submit the certificate of the customs authorities to register the car. If the vehicle of a certain age, notVAT is due, not to offer, sell your car the first year after importation.

You need to be documented in the Prefecture that the vehicle has been technically approved. New car models launched in the EU / EEA door January 1, 1996 issued a certificate of conformity. E 'written in France, valid, no matter what authority and in which language it was. If you do not have the original document, you can obtain from the French importer for a feeis usually between 80 and 130 euro euro

If the car is not an EU certificate of conformity, because in 1996, before or because they are not part of the EU, then you may be able to France to obtain a document certifying that the approved type is that it was similar vehicle. They receive from the French importer or indications Regionales de l'Industrie de la Recherche et de l'Environnement (DRIRE).

If this is not possible because the machine is notcomply with the rules that were applied for approval of the French, then the camera needs a special permit by the DRIRE. Or want to change the car before a permit can be issued. The complications and costs, this is not desirable to import the car in France. There is no obligation for them to approve a car, so think before you import the EU / EEA car in France.

If this is the case, all documents are returned to you ato accept an invitation for the vehicle for this examination in a given period of time and place. You have to take all your documents and provide a large self-addressed envelope to the preparation of the visit supervisor DRIRE.

DRIRE The inspection is very accurate and make sure that the vehicle in good working condition with everything that comes before the test. Often it's just a place DRIRE check in every department and you may need to get some long-distance travela. It 'also important that you know exactly where you will see the number of vehicles, engine number, chassis number etc. They will be asked not to be happy when you look at the numbers. The vehicle must be as clean as possible, both inside and out!

If the check fails, you will be asked to report to the inspector within 21 days to go if you need to tackle shortcomings in the application or, in the first case they are, at your requestcontact you for a second date if you're willing.

When finally approved by DRIRE come to take the documents and send them away.

After about three weeks you will get back the documents in a sealed envelope, which should not be open, but take you back to the sous-prefecture (see below), where they can finally get the new issue of French and Carte Gris against payment of the balance of about 190.

There is an exclusion for the collector car ', A limited registration form even if you do not get to today's standards. For the car from a country where driving is on the left side imported, it must certify that the car, the speed in kilometers and the headlights are on the left side shows disk set.

It is advisable to have the vehicle inspected by a garage to ensure that it is worth in good condition and have street lights in French RHD LHD headlights changed.

Prior to registration orre-registering a car in France, where the vehicle is more than four years, it was a) the technique, presented at a technical inspection for (contrôle. E 'currently costs 50 Euros, a certificate may have the choice comes from a test station.

Almost every town has a contrôle technique center, consult the yellow pages for "contrôle technique de véhicules' or on-line search for pages Jaune.

The laboratory is a relationship and an adhesiveWindshield when the car is up. If the car again to take it again after you fixed something, may have additional costs.

The authorities can not require that a vehicle imported from another EU / EEA Member State if it is due to be tested according to the rules above. Note that there is mutual recognition of technical controls in the EU. For example, when France has a car in 5 years, which occurred in the United Kingdom and its transfer must be testedin France, before recording.

Up to this point can give your mind and buy a French car - but it's almost over, the good news is that there is no road tax in France and a Technical Control is needed only every two years.

Next, you need to visit your most important prefecture or sous-prefecture (usually the capital), where you fill out a form that will be present in the trade of vehicle registration (carte grise).They also provide a certificate of your home, gas, electricity or telephone bill, etc., a copy of your passport, together with the log book in the UK (if applicable), the Contol Technology certificate, tax certificate and a copy of the receipt since you bought the car.

Theses documents are checked and if in order, the request will be sent to Paris for processing. The request may take several weeks and eventually led to the return isPrefecture to collect the registration documents or new carte grise (it's probably best to satisfy all your documents with you again). Your vehicle will receive a new flag and you have new plates have (many large department stores, shoemakers can do for you and costs about 25 euro) and fix the car.

You must re-register when the car to another department in France

Finally, the validity of a controlThe technique is usually two years, but if it takes more than 6 months to finally get documents in place, you might get another certificate contrôle technique, before submitting the documents for the Carte Gris.