Hi Gill. I suggest you look at facebook group REGISTERING VEHICLES IN FRANCE. You can either pose a question or poke around in their files.
I seem to recollect that their advice on this subject was to respectfully point out the EU legislation that requires acceptance of any European CoC… Note that the CoC must come from the manufacturer (not some website). Hope I’m right. Good luck. Stay safe.
I have looked at their files but unable to find the legislation for COC or for allowing the use of deflectors. But I am sure you are right, I will keep looking.
Thank you for your post. Take care
Thank you, will check that out.
Do you know the law regarding the time allowed to register a car. I have heard it’s one month from arrival but others have said 6 mths. A bit confusing.
My car is 12 yrs old and has a new MOT, I read somewhere if this is the case there is no rush? Thanks
I’m no expert, Gill. I just have two cars to do in December. The first thing you must do if importing a UK car to France is get a quitus fiscale by applying to the local tax office within 15 days by email. This scary sounding document is proof that you do not need to pay VAT. You apply online and get a number back which is required for the next stage of registration.
Best you explore the website I recommended for the rest. My understanding is that a brand new MOT will cover you for 3 months… after that you must have a CT to drive on French roads. Please check this with people who know for sure. Smiles.
When I imported my Spanish built UK registered rhd left dipping Saxo 21 years ago all went more or less smoothly apart from the final idiot at Perigueux Prefecture (fortunately only one, his colleague was fine, smiley and helpful), but along the way I was advised by the local garagiste to get it weighed as well.
I didn’t, and the world did not come to an end. As always in France, if at first you don’t succeed, try again, you might get a person with some commonsense the 2nd time.
I haver re-registered my Range Rove & have the carte grise. I only submitted scans of all necessary documents (V5, CoC, MOT, bill of sale, quitus fiscal etc). The carte gris arrived the day that I was returning to the UK & I was going to get the CT done when I got back. I returned yesterday but with the lockdown I am not sure if I can get a CT done. The MOT was done in August so I would be delighted if I could put the French number plates on the car without a CT. The carte grise does state that “Date de visit technique” is next August (when the MOT runs out) but I think it debatable that this can be relied on.
Does anybody know whether the MOT is indeed good for three months after registration.
Please don’t advise me to join the “Registering Vehicles in France” Facebook group as @anon90504988 blocked me from that group as I disagreed with his view that it’s illegal for non-residents to register a vehicle.
Even though this took place 21 years ago and things have changed (my car passed 2 CTs with the left dipping lights in full view on the back wall) it is always good to remember that much of what happens in France depends on the goodwill/prejudice/ignorance/kindness/understanding of the person sitting opposite you or directly online and that a change of person is often a good move.
our tax office said no to quitus fiscale and even phoned the company who are ‘doing’ our carte griste (cate gristeminute - shocking do not use) to verify that
MOT or CT has to be less than 6 months when the Carte griste is processed - our rubbish company made such a fuss about our paperwork that it was more than 6 months since our CT ( delayed by the insistence we had a quitus fiscale and the fuss they made because they would not accept our CoC because it had duplicate on it!) so we had to CT again… then the company (carte griste minuit - do not use) told us as we have a UK car and importing the car they could not do it and have forwarded our paperwork to another company - but we dont know who!! the car has now been in france several months … so we are fortunate the police have not stopped us …
How rotten… and worrying… but, if the police do stop you… you have the history of what has been going on…
might be an idea to keep a copy of whatever you have from the CG company in the glove-compartment… to show them (if asked) that this has been ongoing and is NOT your fault…
Unfortunately many french service providers are not as familiar with imports as they are with a french change of ownership so tend to be inflexible. A certificate of conformity is not always needed.
I do wish we could have, but it was too early in the cycle of starting a life in France to have the necessary online French ID… I would recommend someone use a garage, one familiar with imports and one that wants your longer term customer loyalty.