Don’t anyone runs a very old vehicle and had to get it registered in France because it was registered in another European country? We have a UK-registered Fiat 500, 1971, and we’re trying to register it.
I asked at the Prefecture and they said I need one to get a Certificate of Conformity to do so, but then I spoke to Fiat and they said there’s no such thing as a Certificate of Conformity for an original Fiat 500, because the scheme only started in 1997 - cars manufactured before then cannot have a Certificate of Conformity! Fiat in both the UK and Italy have told us the same, whereas Fiat France glossed over that and tried to sell me French type approval for 145€ without really explaining what it was, but as far as I know I have valid British and Italian documents and the type approval is only if you have no documents for the car.
I think the person at the Prefecture was just giving us the “standard” speech, and actually all we need is our local taxes declaration (whatever it’s called), a CT and the British/Italian documentation we have. I also now have a letter from Fiat UK confirming it’s impossible to issue us with a Certificate of Conformity.
Any clues before we queue? 
Very sad day when the closed Abingdon had 3 over the years 63 68 and 74 best of the bunch all mods done and chrome bumper served my time on BMC and MG
1980, one of the last ones, with bronze paintwork.
What year is your MGB Diana
We imported our MGB in about 2008, so things may have changed. We registered it as a Voiture de Collection. The purchase receipt proved we owed no taxes, we handed over the UK registration document and paid the fees, then had to have an initial test at the local testing station who said there was no need to change the headlights as the car was authentic! We didn't have to have a Cert of conformity, owing to the car's age.
Ask your Prefecture to check the rules for Voitures de Collection. We were given a book of vouchers to complete if we took the car out of the Départment, not sure if that still applies, however it is a fair weather car and doesn't go far. Phil is too tall to drive it with the roof up!
that's true - it is not a european car. My FIAT was american spec so I had the same problem.
FIAT France gave me an 'attestation de conformite partielle" and this is what I presented to the DRIRE (now called something else and more commonly known asthe "mines".
They inspected my car and declared that I had made the correct mods and then issued me the CG. It took time but I got there in the end.
I am in a similar situation with my Motorcycle started the procedure 4 years ago still nowhere near 1991 Kawasaki UK reg Kawasaki eventually replied after contacting them twice and sending all relevant paperwork a folder of documents requiring the serial numbers of virtually every component including the mirrors and indicator lens plus an inspection from an official dealer sent the completed forms back with a rib for 145€ got a partial CC back stating an inspection by DRIRE required so appointment at Albi sat infront of the guy who looked at the completed paperwork who then said not the original exhaust ,why? because it corroded and a replacement was fitted it has the EU stamp.No it must be the original as fitted by the factory they stopped making them 20 years ago, a shrug of the shoulders and come back when you have fitted the original exhaust .I'M not even going to attempt registering my TRIBSA i built50 years ago
I'm in the very same situation now with a Japanese LHD 1993 XJS. Like yours it was imported into the UK and is on UK plates. I've been told by the admin team at Jaguar Landrover that they can't issue a COC because its not a European car. Who did you contact in France to get a COC?
Many thanks, John
If you haven't check back to Feb whne I had a simlar discussion, the FFVE organization can get you the necessary paperwork at reasonable cost www.ffve.org
Thanks Diana and John for your responses. I have been running a group of enthusiasts (not a club) for some 2 years now. Depending on where you both are, you would be most welcome to come along to one of our evenings and share some experiences with like minded people. We have a few Jaguars and certainly MGs. You are most welcome to give me a call on 0553 363561.
There is a black XK150 running around in the town not had chance to catch the guy to speak to him as yet, had a little experience with them 40 odd years ago working with a guy who tuned classic rallye cars but MG man myself
Hubby is not really a club type of man! so we just use the car for occasional jaunts. It is his mistress.
It was about 10 years ago now, so cant remember, our biggest argument was insisting on the sticky numberplate and not a modern one. However I dont think the law allows a choice now.
Hi Diana, Interesting that you have a Jaguar. Are you a member of the JEC Aquitaine. May I ask which part of France you are in as we are in Lot et Garonne and also have a Jaguar.
How much did they charge, Diana?
we took our 67 e type to DRIRE and they did the tests and gave us the paperwork for the prefecture
There should not be a problem with registering your Fiat 500 in France. If you would like to give me a call on 0553363561 I will help you with it. I have a Fiat 500 which is registered carte gris normal. Keith Rouse.
Retromobile was full of "eye candy" or should I say "car candy". FFVE was very helpful, next step is to figure how & who will ship the car over. Thanks to all for advice
Always a challenge! I'm very happy to have found a really good guy in Nîmes (not Nice) who loves classics and will work on anything (within reason, though he laughed at my old V-12 XJ-S and said "No"). Mainly, he's a spring chicken like me, I'd say mid-30s, so he'll be around for a long time I hope! The only tragedy is I don't have a classic car to take to him at the moment, though I hear the '74 Lotus Elan I sold in the UK before moving to France has found its way to Marseille! Small world. Maybe one day I'll get it back again. :-)
Quite a project!! Where will you 'play ' with it?
My 74 Spider is also ex California so good to hear your friend had no problems. Would be interested to hear stories of shipping & customs clearance