I am a U.S. citizen and reside in the United States. I have recently purchased a used vehicle in France from a private seller and will be traveling over to pick it up in early October. I intend on driving it through France to the port in Belgium and exporting it to the U.S… (I could certainly have it transported but want to enjoy the experience of traveling through France on holiday in this vehicle.) I intend to take about a week traveling from the seller’s location to the port. The vehicle is currently registered in France with French plates and will have all the appropriate insurance, current Controle Techinque and other paperwork identifying the vehicle as being sold to me (Carte grise and cerfa 15776).
My question revolves around the need for temporary plates. Someone mentioned that I need temporary plates in order to drive the vehicle and to avoid paying VAT. I have had very limited success in researching if this is true. The seller is telling me that I can drive the vehicle with the plates that he already has on the vehicle as long as I have the correct paperwork and that I would have 1 month to register it in my name in France. (Of course I have no intention of registering it in France as I’m exporting it about a week after I receive it.)
Any information you can provide on if I truly need temporary plates in order to avoid paying VAT when I export it would be appreciated. If temp plates are required any help on where or how to get them would also be appreciated. Thank you so much for all the excellent advice in this forum, it has been invaluable!
The VAT is already paid on a secondhand vehicle, it is paid by the dealer when the car is first registered. If you buy a secondhand car from a dealer there may be a small amount of extra VAT on the profit the dealer makes. I’m not sure if that is the case, it’s an accounting matter, but not relevant in your case. The purpose of export plates is to allow someone to buy a new vehicle tax free and drive it for a limited period before exporting it. It’s twenty years since I bought a car for export here, but then I think the period was six months. If you are wondering if you could claim a portion of the original VAT back when you export the car (based on age or depreciation for example) I don’t think that’s a runner.
This used to be big business in Germany where US military at the end of their tour of duty would buy a car tax free for export, use it to tour Europe and then ship it home. Many nice classic European cars ended up in the States that way
Temporary plates only apply to a new vehicle purchase. There is no VAT involved.
Is the registration now in your name? At whose address? Any penalty notices will go to that address! if the vehicle is registered and insured for you then you can drive it in Europe.
Your problems may arise on exporting it so are you using a specialist commercial company to do this?
