Hello, We have a house in France that we hope to move into full time in the next couple of years. I have acquired a French registered car via some English friends who live near our house. The problem I have is the cars registered owner is deceased with no immediate family around and the car came to me as it was going to be disposed of. So I have no paperwork apart from the current CT valid until October 2018, Does anyone know how I can get it registered in my name at my French house, where it is currently being kept. So I can get it insured and all legal. My French is quite basic at the moment so I’m happy to pay for help as it may be easier for someone who knows what their doing.
Thanks Nigel.
Hi Nigel… not seen you here for a while…
You say the owner is deceased… but someone (maybe the State) will be entitled to inherit/dispose of it.
Cars cannot simply be handed over, without correct procedures being followed.
I suggest you contact the person who “gave” you the car …without delay…
This is the problem I have, The owner of the car was Dutch and a tenant in the property that my friends looked after for the English owner who rents it out. As no family\relatives of the deceased man could be found or came forward, the house eventually needed to be cleared ready to be rented again. This is how I came by the car, which is not valuable as it’s a 21 year old Renault Megan carrying a few battle scars, but it is mechanically sound and runs well. It would be a shame to scrap it as it would do us to start with for a couple of years.
Intriguing… who authorised what to do with the dead man’s belongings I wonder.
You could ask at the Mairie. Someone dying in the commune will have been noted and a Notaire will have been involved. The Mairie will probably be able to give you details and you can then take the matter up with said Notaire. If he is in agreement, he might well be able to help you with your plan to get the car back into the land of the living… 
I think that the Marie’s office were involved re.clearing the house etc. So maybe I’ll contact them next time I’m over there. If it’s going to be over complecated then the car may have to go to the big car park in the sky​:disappointed_relieved:
If the car is on French plates… any change of ownership/status needs to be recorded at the Prefecture.
Whether it goes to a breaker’s yard or whatever… the paper-trail is needed…leading to the Prefecture.
Yes, good idea… go to the Mairie as the first port of call … when you next come over…
Yes the car is French registered and was a local car as the gentleman was a full time resident in France. His wife died a few years ago so he was on his own until his death. I’ll get my phrase book dusted off and attempt to speak to the Marie next month when I’m over for a few days. Hopefully I can sort something out then.
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Keep your phrases short. No flowing sentences. You’ll do just fine…
Don’t think that’ll be a problem 
The car can only be dealt with by the people who inherited it. Perhaps a Notaire can tell you who is responsible for the property of somebody who dies with no next of kin. I don’t think registering it will prove to be straightforward.
http://www.vienne.gouv.fr/Demarches-administratives/Certificat-d-immatriculation-Cartes-grises#F1480
The link has details about what the person/people who inherited the car needs to do.
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You could always invite the Maire to come and see the car… let the wine flow a little… while you chat…
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I’m not an expert on French inheritance laws but unless the person inherited the car is a close relative I believe that the inheritance duties due are pretty steep.
Am I right that if someone dies with no relatives to inherit and no will, the entire estate goes to the government? In the case of houses, they go to the commune I think.
I don’t suppose the government has the slightest interest in inheriting most of what comes their way, especially old cars, but I don’t know how would you get round. AFAICS the English landlord had no legal claim to it in the first place, so it’s not for him to decide how to dispose of it. It will be interesting to see if you find a way. I guess the notaire will have to be involved. Unfortunately it wouldn’t be the first perfectly good car to crumble away because the owner died and the paperwork is blocked.
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It looks like it may end up being parked back up at the property and left to decay in that case. Not sure how impressed the new Tennant’s will be when it appears back on the driveway 
Nigel… just a thought…do be careful how you move “someone else’s” car. You can’t drive it … legally… so please have a word at the Mairie…ask their advice.
Quite likely, the inheritors are also the only people who can legitimately scrap it.
Or the notaire, but he can’t scrap it until he’s absolutely certain no heirs are going to crawl out of the woodwork. Not sure if there is a minimum period. But at least he should be able to arrange for it to be shifted, if you ask him to.
I’m guessing that the commune, via the Mairie, will be responsible for its disposal.
Can just imagine a poor relative somewhere being notified of an inheritance from their great uncles half cousin twice removed Serge that they must get to France immediately to sign thus thinking millions of euros only to find a 21 year old Renault warhorse
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made my day