Publié par Eplaque
Posté le 30 septembre 2021 - Mis à jour le 24 janvier 2023 - 6 min de lecture ⏳
Do you want to register a car in France? Lost in translation when trying to make the procedure on the ANTS website? Eplaque is a fully licensed car registration operator in France. We mainly help locals to circumvent the red tape by making the procedure fast and efficient. But we also offer our services in English to foreigners living in France. For registering a car in France seamlessly, see below (taking a car to France, buying one here). Or continue reading to find out about how to register a car in France, online or offline.
We have an automated tool in French to take care of almost any car registration certificate operation. For example:
You can eventually use it, with the help of Google Translate it’s feasible. However, we also propose you a direct way of handling any kind of request, by email, all in English. It works like this:
To go for this way, simply click on the button below:
The French car registration system was overhauled in 2009. Before that, the procedures were done in person at the prefecture. Since then, the procedure can only done online via the ANTS website. However, the system has also been semi-privatized. Authorized car registration agents can collect documents & taxes and submit applications. Some have offices, others like us offer streamlined online procedures.
Of course, using an agent induces an extra fee. However, it is often worth the investment given the complexity of the official channel, its lack of timely support, etc. That’s why private agents are very popular, among foreigners but also locals.
In France, a registration follow the car during its whole lifecycle. When a vehicle is sold, the car plate number is transferred to the new owner.
If you bought your car in France, the registration process is fairly simple, at least with us. When you buy a French car you must ensure you get from the seller the following documents for registering a car in France:
You will have to provide us with all those documents, plus the following :
If you want to register an imported vehicle, things get more complicated. First, we have to distinguish a car taken to France from the European Union and from the rest of the world. Second, we must determine whether the car has a European certificate of conformity or not.
If you import a car from the EU, you have to provide two additional documents to register the car :
If the car doesn’t come from the European Union, for example the UK, Switzerland or Russia, the procedure gets even more complex. You’ll have to get :
It’s impossible to answer precisely this question. Car registration costs depend on many factors, such as :
For clean vehicles, it can be free. For muscle cars it can cost a few thousands euros. You can simulate the price (in French) with this tool.
If you register an imported car, you also might have to pay VAT and/or duties (form 846A from the customs). If you move to France with your foreign car, in most cases you will be exempted of VAT and duties. Imported cars up to 10 years old are subject to the « malus écologique », a special tax based on CO2 emissions.
If the car does not have a European certificate of conformity, you will also have to pass a conformity check at the DREAL or DRIRE. If some elements don’t comply with European rules, you might have to make some modifications to the car. Those certification costs can range from a few hundred euros to a few thousands.
For all those reasons, it is highly recommended to assess properly the financial cost of importing a car before doing so. Indeed, it might be more economical to sell that car in your country and buy another one that is already registered in France.
In France, a classic car can be registered as any other car. The owner, however, can choose to request the mention « collection » on the « carte grise ». This gives valuable privileges to the vehicle, such as :
If you do want such special vintage registration, you’ll have to get an « attestation de datation et de caractéristiques » from the FFVE (Old-timers French Federation). In order to be eligible, the vehicle must :
More info in our article about importing a classic car in France.
No.
If your main residence is not in France, yes. However the car cannot stay more than one year on the French territory without leaving it.
You need all the documents that are required in your country (registration certificate, MOT, proof of insurance valid in France, driving license).
No, you must provide a French proof of address for your registration to be accepted.
Sure, foreign hire cars can be used in France if the company allows cross border usage.
Yes, but 3 things are required: a EU animal health certificate, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination.
Can I take my car to France? Yes. What do you need so that it’s legal? A valid insurance.
Anything but meat or dairy products, or products containing those. You can bring a limited quantity of fruit and vegetables as well as eggs, egg products and honey. Restricted quantities of fish or fish products are also allowed. Weight can never exceeds 2 kg.
I need to register my car , we have bought a house and it is week 3 of our arrival, can you help
Yes, but we can only handle the paperwork to register the car, we cannot assist in getting it.
Good morning, Please let me know if you can assist me in registering my vehicle BMW 440 2018 in France. The vehicle was purchased in Germany in 2019 and currently has expired German transit plates on it. Thanks Alex
We can help, provided that you have gathered all the required paperwork (mainly the "quitus fiscal" and the COC).
I am a UK resident with a French second home, can I buy, register and insure a car I buy in france? Can you assist?
Yes, this is legal, as confirmed last year by the Ministry of Interior. We will be glad to assist you. Just bear in mind that you won't be allowed to drive that car in the UK though.
Hi I have owned a house in France since 2003, became resident in 2020 managed to register my 13 yr old mercedes to which i had a coc for but still had to go to dreal and pay them. This was done through my insurance broker. The problem i have is i am not allowed to tow my trailers anymore. One is a bateson transporter for my classic car, classic car being the next issue. gross wt 2600 kgs year 1996 certificates of conformity were only available from 2013. the manufactures have sent me the trailer specification sheet which they say is sufficient to register it in France. The trailer has been in France since 2017. My other trailer is a 2200 kgs gross. 4 wheel box trailer Conway trailers ltd I purchase this trailer around 1995 so no coc either. This has also been in France for several years. Can you help on these matters please.
We can handle the paperwork, but we are not involved in getting the required documents such as 846A or RTI from the Dreal (individual approval if no COC).
My car is registered in France, but I did not realise I needed to be a resident. I used the address of my maison secondaire to buy the car. No one informed me that this was not possible. I think i must import the car to U.K., but I don’t know how to tell ANTS that the car needs to be unregistered. I do not have an ANTS account as I do not pay tax in France. What should I do?
You actually don't have to be a resident to register a car. It has been confirmed officially last year by the ministry of Interior. You can anyway register the transfer ownership to yourself in the UK, no worries. As a registered agent we can do it for you in English.
Hello, I am from the UK, I was granted french residency last year, and unfortunately I listened to what I believe is bad advice regarding my vehicle. I work a few times a year in the UK, and I return at least twice a year with my vehicle, which is registered at my parents address, they are also named drivers. The vehicle looks like a motorhome, but the DVLA rejected my application, and it is still classed as PHGV, Specialized, mobile unit. Inside there is a bed + furniture+ kitchen, and also an office space. The vehicle weighs 5.5T. my driving licence has not yet expired. I was told that while I still have the UK licence, and as long as the vehicle was insured and passed MOT, that I could still keep it in France, until the time my licence expires....this may not be true... I am very concerned about doing something wrong, please can you advise best for this situation. Thank you
If your main residence is in France, you are supposed to register your vehicle here (law says you have 1 month to do so). If the police stops you and notice that your main residence is in France, they will force you to register it in France. If your main address is still in the UK, there is no problem, you can use it in France.
Hello, Could you let me know how to register an English trailer (more than 500kg) in France please? My main residence is in France. Many thanks.
It's the same procedure as the standard one described on the page, except this difference: since trailers are not registered in the UK, you'll have to provide some kind of proof of ownership (e.g. the invoice of the trailer).
Hello, I move to France from The Netherlands and I want to register my the car in France. I went through your order form online and it askes me to pay already around 200 euro. Are these all the money involved or are there other fees? I was also expecting that we will check together the docs before paying. How can I reach out and speak by phone to someone in english? Thank you!
This price includes the taxes that we collect on behalf of the authorities, and our fee. We can do the procedure outside the online automated system, in English. To do so, you can email us at contact@eplaque.fr, or call us : 01 84 80 28 27
I have a house in France but am resident in the UK. I want to have a little car to keep in France. They say second hand cars are cheaper in the UK. Especially left hand drive ones. Would it make sense to buy a car in the UK and export it? A Peugeot 206 from 2005 for instance?
No, because you will have to pay duties and VAT (30%) + do an individual approval. Unless cars are half price in the UK, which is hard to believe... it would end up being more expensive, and on top you'll get extra red tape hassle associated with the registration of a car coming from outside the EU.
I am an Indian expat living in France under a Swiss carte de legitimation and I have a residence in France. I am holder of an Indian driving license. I have an old car registered in France, which I am in the process of selling and am buying a new car in its place. I need to undertake French registration for the new car. Please email me, or I can be reached on +41794403171
We can take care of the registration, just email us the documents at contact@eplaque.fr once you are ready, or to ask any question.
I have been living in France but now I need to move outside France but plan to keep my home as a vacation home and would also like to keep my car (registered and purchased in France). I started the process to obtain a French license but now that I am leaving, is it possible to have an insurance policy that does not require a French license since I will not be living full time in France?
You got your insurance with a foreign driving license, right? Therefore there is no reason the insurance company would require a French license, especially if you don't fulfill the conditions in which you must, by law, exchange your foreign license with a French one.
I am a US expat living in Germany and have a EU spec vehicle. I am retiring next year and moving to France. Can I register my vehicle before I leave Germany as long as I have a rental contract in France? Because of my situation I will have temp (German) plates which are only good for 4 weeks.
As far as you have a proof of address such as a rental contract, you should be able to register a car in France.
Thank you Joachim for the quick response....and good to hear that I was correct to believe it was possible, but it is annoying of course that some officials might not be aware of what they are supposed to approve! Can you confirm to me what happens if the application through you is rejected, would we get our money back please? Also if I use your French tool to start the application, which option do I select because I do not see one that specifically says for importing a vehicle?
We would refund you the taxes, but not the service fees as we would have spent time to deal with your file anyway. You can send us an email for processing in English. If you want to use the tool, choose "Changement de titulaire" (ownership transfer), then "Etranger" (foreign car).
I have all the documents required to apply for a carte grise and re register my Toyota Hilux in France, including the 846A on which I have paid the necessary VAT, but I have recently been advised that because I am not a French resident ANTS is refusing to accept my application. I have had a second home in France for 14 years, I pay French property taxes, but I can not apply via French Connection myself because I do not have a social security number, so are you able to help please?
This has been recently clarified by French authorities, you can register a car. We can therefore process your application, however we might end up hitting the red tape wall at the end, as sometimes the administration is not well aware of their own rules :) In that case we won't be able to help further, as they have the last word.
You sorted a temporary registration for my car which came from Italy What documents do you need to make this temporary French registration permanent
Maybe the certificate of conformity, if you didn't provide it.
Hi. I am planing to take my Portuguese registered car to France. I live in Portugal and it is where I have my home address. My wife lives in France and I would like to have the car there without registering it again. I'm planing to leave the car there for a couple of years (parked at the airport when I'm in Portugal), but I'm also planing to go some weeks abroad in the summer back to Portugal and return to France in the end of summer. Is it possible to do this, knowing the car will stay many years there, but less than one year in a row?
As far as you keep your main address in Portugal and don't stay more than 12 months in a row in the country, you comply with laws.
I arrived in France in June 2021 with my car. I did not declare it at French customs and am now looking into declaring it at my local customs office so I can begin the process of registering it in France. Given that I have been in France for over 12 months with my car, will there be any customs fees to be paid? I had owned my car for over 6 months when i arrived in France. many thanks, Vicky.
The fees should be waived.
Dear Joachim, I am replying to your response dated 15 Sept 22 for which I thank you. When I brought my motorcycle from the UK to France, I simply rode it without declaring that I wanted to import it. Now I have decided I want to keep it here in France. I bought the bike in 2011 when it was already 25 years old. It has a very low market value. How would Customs fees and VAT be calculated so long after purchase and how would I obtain the form when I and the bike are already in France? Is that something you can help me with?
Customs use tools such as the Argus, which provide an estimate of the market value of a vehicle. It should still be possible to get the 846A, contact your nearby customs office for assistance.
I am a UK citizen, but now living in France with a Residency Permit. I have brought my 1986 model (36 years old) BMW motorcycle to France and need to register it in France so I can obtain French insurance for it. I have the registration document and a new MoT. How do you recommend I go about getting French registration and can you assist me in this?
It would be easier to get the "collection" status by getting an "attestation de datation et de caractéristiques" through the FFVE. This will simplify the process, as with this "vintage certificate" individual approval shouldn't be necessary. Don't forget that you also need a 846A certificate from the customs. We can assist you once you collect all the required paperwork.
French resident. Have bought a 1979 Fiat 124 Spider at auction in the UK…(left-hand drive) It has been UK registered since 2015,but was a U.S. registered vehicle beforehand…Am yet to travel to UK to collect ,but am becoming aware of increasing number of forms/paperwork etc. that will be required. Can you advise as to what I must NOT forget before even bringing the vehicle to France and attempting to register it…? Am very likely to need your service once have collected…
Before importing the car there is not much you can do. Once the car arrives in France, you must get the 846A certificate. We then advise you to request a "certificat de datation et de caractéristiques" from the FFVE. This will allow you to get the "vintage" classification (collection). Not only you'll benefit from many advantages (MOT every 5 years instead of 2, exemptions of many LEZ rules...), but it will simplify the approval process since the document they will give you can replace the individual approval procedure (RTI).
I am uk passport holder living in Portugal but wish to buy a uk registered car and register it in France under my daughter’s name. My daughter is a French citizen and lives and works in France . Will this be easy to do using your service?
It will be easy for us, but, bear in mind that from your side: 1. The invoice of the car will have to be on the name of your daughter, 2. Since the car is from the UK, it will require an individual approval (RTI) and a 846A certificate from the customs to be registered, 3. You can be mentioned as co-owner on the registration certificate without having an address in France, but only if you provide a European ID document (so from Portugal, if you have such).
We are South African residents. We want to buy, register and insure a motorhome in France to travel in from time to to time (and store in France during periods we do not use it). Will we be allowed to do it? Will your company be able to assist?Please advise.
From a strict legal point of view, you should be resident to register a car in France. However, in reality it is possible to register a vehicle if you are able to provide a proof of address without risking much (many do). If you don't have something like a second residence in France, it is therefore not possible.
Dear Sir/Madam, I have imported my Triumph Thruxton 900 (2006) into France from the UK. I will be issued a Form from the Customs, confirming that I have No Import Duties or Tax to pay on the vehicle, as I am a Resident. I have the Original UK Registration Certificate and a current Vehicle Test Certificate. I also have the Manufacturer's Certificate of Conformity. I will use your Service, but will I require any further documentation. Thank you for your help in advance. Yours faithfully. Malcolm Smith
For a vehicle coming from the UK, you'll also need an individual approval (RTI, "réception à titre isolé"), to be made at the DREAL of your region.
Hello, I have bought a french car from a autodealer. The french car with plates will be registrered in my name. I have 2.resident in France. If I want to export this car to Denmark in EU, what do I need to do to unregister the car /plates in France? can you help?and at what price?
There is no "unregistration" in France. When you export a car, you simply fill a "certificat de cession", the same way you would if you sell the car, then declare the sale so that the administration knows you don't own the vehicle anymore. The car is then exported with its current plates until it's registered abroad. We can register the sale for you, the fee is EUR 20.
Dear Joachim, Thanks for your uplifting message on the 29th of August: "If your main residence is not in France, there is no obligation to register the car. You can drive up to 1 year without leaving France with foreign plates according to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic". I have tried to look, but I can't find article(s) in the Vienna Convention for Road Traffic that deals with this issue. Could you please point me in the right direction in this document?
Page 3 of the document says: "A vehicle is said to be "in international traffic" in the territory of a State if: (i) It is owned by a natural or legal person normally resident outside that State;... provided, however, that a Contracting Party may refuse to regard as being "in international traffic" a vehicle which has remained in its territory for more than one year without a substantial interruption, the duration of which may be fixed by that Contracting Party."
Hi, Please can you advise whether you are able to assist with re-registering a Swiss registered car in France? Thanks Crystal
Yes we can handle the registration if you have collected all the required paperwork (846A, RTI, etc.).
Hi , My elderly uncle who lives in Paris imported a 2004 Ford Thunderbird a while back but never got it registered. We would like assistance in getting the car registered and understand the costs associated with this . Please advise . Thanks Jeremy
Car registration costs depend on many criteria. Please use this page in google translate to calculate them accurately : https://www.eplaque.fr/carte-grise/prix-carte-grise.html
My wife and me are spending 11 months in France, for our research stay. We live in Norway and are employed by our Norwegian university during our stay. We have brought our Norwegian registered car to France. Are you familiar with a way that the car can stay with Norwegian licence plates, i.e. are there any exceptions to the "6-months rule"? It doesn't seem very logical to change to French licence plates now and back to Norwegian plates in the autumn of 2023.
If your main residence is not in France, there is no obligation to register the car. You can drive up to 1 year without leaving France with foreign plates according to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
Hello i have a French registered vehicle which i have had from new (2019) and have a carte grise in my name. The first three years 'ownership' was via a lease agreement and i have now paid the balance and own the vehicle outright. I have a certificate of cessation provided by the finance company. My question, do i need to pay extra taxes plus the fee when i update the ANTS system? Thank you
Yes, unfortunately you have to pay the standard taxes due in case of ownership transfer, even if this so called transfer is debatable.
I have bought a car in the U.K. and taken it to France, However it was originally bought new in France and had French registration although now on U.K. plates, does this mean I still have to pay tax and Vat as these have been paid when the car was first registered in France?
We didn't find anything suggesting those vehicles are exempted, it would however be wise to double check with customs.
I have a second home in France with a car registered to that address. I have a UK driving licence. Is this legal?
About registering a car as a non resident, it's a bit of a grey area. Some law says you must be a permanent resident, but the car registration law does not check for that, you just need to have a legal address established by a proof of address. Another law say that a car staying a year in the country must have French plate, irrespective of the residency status... Many foreigners like you therefore own a French registered car, we never heard of someone getting in trouble for that.
Bonjour! I have a renovated 1955 Morris Traveller which I want to give to my niece who lives down in the Loire Valley. It has a reconditioned A series engine (block for later Morris Minors) which is 1310 cc as opposed to the old feeble 958 cc. It also has disc brakes on the front wheels and a five speed Morris Marina gearbox. Is it possible to register this type of car in France, bearing in mind the upgrades? Although the car was built in 1955 in the U.K. as shown on the chassis plate the UK registration certificate (V5C) lists the date of first registration in the U.K. as 01/04/1981. Unfortunately I have been unable to find out why. It may have spent some time abroad, but there is no documentary evidence of this or signs of foreign use on the car? Kind Regards Simon Spinks, Dorking, Surrey, England.
It could be registered, but probably not with the special vintage status ("collection") given the modifications made to the braking system and the engine. You can however double check with the FFVE, as they decide. About the registration itself, you will have to get an individual approval (RTI) at the Dreal + prove that you are indeed the legit owner of the vehicle.
We (Irish citizens) bought a used car privately in France for our use when we are in our holiday house. We have all our paper work but in order to get a carte grise we have to sign up with ANTS—which making us get a France Connect account first. We specifically got a cell phone number from Orange for this purpose. But website does not seem to be accepting the mobile number. What do we do now?
You can ask anybody with a France Connect account to do it for you, if you don't manage to create your own. The other alternative is to use our service, we can assist in English.
I have a car that was involved in an accident in England prior to Brexit, I live in france and have done so since 2010. The car was still drivable so I returned with it to france. Due to the accident, also mechanical problems, parked car and purchased another car. The original car has now been mechanically repaired at a cost of 4,000 euros over a number of years. This car has now passed the control technique and I wish to register it in France is this going to cause me any problems? I should add the car is a luxury model from 1998.
We don't see any issue if the UK car registration certificate is valid (e.g. no mention such as salvage).
I want to buy a car in france that is still registered on English licence plates. I understand I will need to obtain a certificat 846 a. will this proof problematic as the log book is in the sellers name? also what documents will I need to produce to obtain the 846a?
Who is the seller, the owner or a dealer?
Is it legal to buy a French camping car with a SC? If so, is it then legal to drive it in the UK, as UK residents?
Could you clarify what you mean by "SC"?
I am an irish resident who bought a car from a friend in Andorra. I want to leave the car in France for when I visit however I don't have residency but I do have a boat there permanently, is it possible for me to get insurance on this vehicle using the port address where my boat is.
In principle, yes, by getting a proof from the port authority + a utility bill or phone bill to that address.
Hello .I plan to buy a car tomorrow in France . I would be happy to use your services to do so and would like to figure out the possibilities and costs. I have a few ways to do it but I don't know which is possible , most economical and simple , and what wil it require . First - I am a UK citizen but don't have a formal address in the UK which is linked to my passport . I do can provide an address where my sister lives but can not proof it to be linked to my name . Second option - Willbe to register the car directly on my cousin's name who is an Italian citizen and also might be the best as the car will stay long time on Italy . He has a registered address . But he could not physically come to help on the process . Third - to register it on my friend in Switzerland, but I understood that involves changing plates . Would be happy for your kind replay and assistance . Thank you
To register a car in France you must provide a proof of address in the country (utility bill, rental contract, title deed...). It is not possible to provide a foreign address.
We have two UK-registered vehicles which we brought to France in March and April 2019 - we have one-way ferry tickets to evidence this. We also have the relevant CoC's (controle technique obtained for one vehicle and underway for the other) and I believe we should be able to obtain the necessary Quitus Fiscale for each one (because of ongoing family health issues back in the UK, and the Covid emergency, both vehicles have remained pretty much unused since their arrival). I am not especially concerned with the departmental registration/pollution charges since they are beyond my control and must be in paid. So my question to you is, what would your charges be for uploading and managing the various documents to ANTS and obtaining a carte grise? If you need further information or documentation please let me know.
First, you might have to get 846A certificates for those vehicles if you didn't cancel their registration before Brexit. A British reader explained us a while ago that, like you, he brought 2 cars prior Brexit. The one that had its registration cancelled could get the quitus, the other one had to get a 846A. We are not sure whether its a rule enforced everywhere, but it might be the case. About handling the registration, our rate is EUR 50 per vehicle.
Hello, I moved from Germany and want to register my car. The car is already on my name and I don't see a option for this on you're site. What do I have to select?
You have to choose "Changement de titulaire" then "Etranger". The fact that you are the owner doesn't matter much, there is no specific procedure for that. If you have further troubles, you can email us to process your request in English, outside of the automated system.
Hi I brought my car with me last June 2021 it broke as soon as we got here, and I have only now got it fixed will I be able to register it now it’s roadworthy as never registered it when we arrived as was stored in barn until it was fixed last week ? Regards mr Catling
As far as you have the required documents to register the car, you can proceed.
Hello, thank you for writing such a detailed post! We moved to France recently, my partner is from Ukraine and has her car from Ukraine. She has a job in France, so she has a proof of address and billing. She would like to register her car (2019 Honda), which has Ukrainian plates now. Do you think she can be exempted from paying VAT? Would you be able to assist us with this? I look forward to your assistance. Thank you! VS
If she relocated and has been owning the car for at least 6 months, she will be exempted. This will be determined by the French customs while delivering her 846A document. We cannot assist in getting it, we just deal with the registration.
Hello, I am trying to register my car but am being told that as a nonEuropean I must be a resident in France? Is this correct? Thx you
Yes, although technically it's not completely true. The only requirement is to be able to provide a proof of address. That's why foreigners with a second home in France manage to register a car in France.
Hello I have been trying to register my car via the ants website accessing Franceconnect via la Poste L’Identité Numérique. Unfortunately it is giving me an error code and I think today is my last day for registration. Are you able to assist me in completing the registration today. I am happy to do so online and have all of the information I need, but I wondered what the charge was for using your service. Thank you. Amanda.
If you want to transfer ownership of a French car, our fees is EUR 30 on top of the taxes we collect on behalf of the French state. Call us for a speedy processing if still needed.
Please can you assist I am importing a normal road car from Uk 18 years old and I am registered citizen in France How long does the admiration/system allow me here in France to do the French mot and register the car on line. Thanks David
As soon as the car arrives in France, you must go to customs to get the 846A. You'll also have to get an RTI. You can pass MOT anytime. You'll need to do those 3 things before you can register the car.
Good afternoon, I am a French resident and have purchased a campervan from Spain. I would like to register it but because of age it doesn't have a CoC, we tried using a local agent in 2021 but the process was too tricky for them. Would you be able to assist? Regards, Ian Smith.
Unfortunately we only deal with registrations, not with obtaining the paperwork required for registration. In your case you might have 2 options. If the campervan is older than 30 years, you can request the status "collection" (classic vehicle) by getting an "attestation de datation et de caractéristiques" via the FFVE. This document will replace the COC. If the campervan is more recent, you need to get an individual approval (RTI).
Hello, I have been offered a 2001 Clio for 1000€. The seller says the carte gris is in the name of the company he bought it from. The CT is less than 6 month old. Will you be able to register the car for me? Thanks, Terry Belton.
No. It is forbidden to sell a car when the owner mentioned on the carte grise (titulaire) does not correspond to the identity of the seller. If you buy such car, the ownership transfer request will be denied. The seller must transfer it first to his name, then sell it.
Hello. I have a specific problem with car registration in France. I am a Polish citizen and I live in France. I've brought my polish car with me and I would like to register it in France. In order to do that I need to obtain a document called quitus fiscal from French tax office. My problem is that the tax office requires carte grise of the seller. This document doesn't exist anymore because I registered this car before in Poland on my name, so I only have my own carte grise. What can I do in this case?
It doesn't have to be the carte grise of the seller, you just need to provide them with the Polish registration certificate. We say "seller" because most of the time, the car is bought. Many foreigners come with their own car and register it, it's not an issue.
I am resident in France. Iwant to buy a LHD car which was registered in France. The previous owner sold it to a Belgian dealer so the carte gris and the certificat de cession was signed in UK (where the p revious owner now lives)transferring ownership to the Belgian dealer. I assume the seller in Belgium would supply a Belgian sale document. How difficult would it be to bring the car to France and register it?
If you have all the invoices that allow to establish vehicle ownership history, registering the car will work out. Which means you would need the invoice issued by the previous owner to the Belgian dealer.
How much does your English service cost ?
The price is the same as the ones quoted for French clients. So it ranges roughly from EUR 30 to 50, depending on what has to be done.
If purchasing from a car dealer, all this paperwork other than the carte gris would be arranged by them - yes? How do I arrange a carte gris before purchasing a car?
Many dealers do the paperwork, yes. Otherwise you can submit your file to the ANTS (French only), or to a private registration service like ours.
Hello. My name is Jamie Simmons and live in the UK. I n 2008 at the clasdic Lemans I purchased a vintage car which required a full rebuild and restoration, the car was not compleate and was not a driving vehicle. I have the history from Paris as the car was a Vanvooren bodied vehicle. I have a photo from 1929 with the two Gangloff agents present in the photo also showing the number plate, along with a sales brochure of the car clearly showing the chassis number. The cars carte gris was not present but would like to regester the car and be able to pay the import duty. How do I proceed please any help would be appreciated. Regards Mr Jamie Simmons, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 2PQ. UK
If the car has a registration, authorities will in principle require the carte grise in order to transfer ownership. They might accept to register it anyway since it's a very old vehicle, but you will have to prove ownership in a convincing way. Those requests are handled on a case by case basis, so we cannot predict whether it will be successful or not.
Hi, I'm a French resident and I have a vehicle (classic over 30 years old) currently off road in the UK (unable to MOT it because of covid travelling restrictions) that I want to register in France. I used the car for classic rallies until 2019 and when covid set in I took the vehicle off the road. with the restrictions, it has been impossible to get back to MOT the vehicle and now I am resident in France I want to register it here and get it back on the road. How do I go about it? Thanks
I guess you could arrange shipping, and MOT it in France. To register it, you'll have to get the 846A certificate (customs) + get a local Individual Approval Certificate (IAC) called RTI (with the dreal or drire). An easier path would be to register the car as a classic car so you don't have to go through the IAC hassle. To do so, you must get a specific document from the FFVE (https://www.ffve.org/), called "attestation de datation et de caractéristiques".
Hi, I’m a UK resident with a 2nd home in France. I’d like to register a french car in my name. Is this possible?
If you can provide a proof of address (utility bill, title deeds etc.), it's possible.
Hello... I have a carte gris for my initially UK registered camping car... which I obtained through eplaque. However, I have a trailer also. It is a car carrying trailer... I believe I need a carte-gris for this trailer also. I am resident in France.
If your trailer has a maximum permissible weight of more than 500 kg, you must have a carte grise issued for it to be allowed to travel. If its GVW is less than 500 kg, the trailer does not need a registration document. Equipping it with a number plate identical to that of the vehicle towing it will allow it to travel on public roads.
Hello, I am a Portuguese citizen, but i am currently living in France (Saint-Genis-Pouilly) as i work at CERN. I want to buy a used car, is it possible to get it registered in my name? (I do not have a french card yet). Best regards, Miguel Santos
Hello, You don't need a French resident card to register a car in France as far as you can provide a valid proof of address. It can be a utility bill, a real estate rental contract, etc.