Help! Advice needed on importing UK vehicle to France?

Hi Em, in order to import a car to France you need a CoC and your comment that it is not a legal requirement for the headlights to be swapped is correct.

However in my case, I obtained and sent off a CoC. I took my Ford Focus to a Ford dealer to adjust the beam so that I did not dazzle anyone. The result was poor headlights and in any case the car failed the French equivalent of the MOT at a later date because of the headlights and at this point I changed them over to French headlights. It is just as well to swap the headlights once you are in France because otherwise your car will fail the first Control Technique.

Like any country, it depends who you get on the desk, so great that things went well for you Elaine :)

I had no problems with the CoC being in English

Hi Elaine, my dad's French so he knows how the French 'tick' and he doesn't have the patience of a saint either ;)

I got my CoC in the UK. Went to my local dealer who sent off for it on my behalf, took about a week, no charge.

When they ask for all this conformity and then you see cars and vans with their wings and wing mirrors held on with tape, you really have to have the patience of a saint. Thank goodness a CT lasts 2yrs and not our 1yr MOT if that's any consolation Paul. My dad was pulling his thinning hair out.... We scoured the internet for Ford Paris and managed to get a fixed line tel number to call. You'll go bk and forth with emails and FAXES, so try getting a tel number for them. I know my dad said they would want the CoC in French language and not English, so didn't bother with Ford UK apparently...

As luck has it, i've just found this can it help?

  • Audi/Volkswagen
    Groupe Volkswagen France
    At: 02601 Villers Cotterets
    Tel: 03 23 73 80 80

and this (in French) http://www.carte-grise.org/importation_vehicule_angleterre.htm

Oh sorry was not aware of that. Its a pity you got VW France involved maybe VW Germany might have been better but as they say hindsight is wonderful. The excuse about the tyre size is just farcical,but then again so much french administration is. It might still be worth contacting VW in Germany and tellng them what a bunch of idiots VW France are

Thank you for replies! This is beyond infuriating and French bureaucracy is certainly living up to it's reputation!!

I sent VW France a cheque for €150 weeks ago along with a filled in detailed form about my vehicle and they still haven't sent me a CoC for my VW Transporter! I have been pinging emails to them and just today they have emailed me to say that my application has been held up because my van has 205/70/15 tyres fitted instead of 195/70/15? Apparently my tyres are the wrong size so I need to change them all and send a copy of the invoice to them?? So I need to spend about £400 on tyres..seems crazy, the tyres are fine?

This is just ridiculous? There is nothing wrong with my vehicle and it has passed countless UK MOT's. How can a country that allows convicted drink drivers to still drive around in "putt putt" cars be so obstructive when somebody wants to import a vehicle? Type approval for vans did not come in until after mine was made? It is doing my head in to be honest!

Hi Dave. I checked the link put they only do car and motorbikes, not vans!

You can get the C of C in the UK that is valid throughout the EU .

http://www.certificate-of-conformity.co.uk.

Not sure if these costs are standard.

I know I did not need a CofC to get a CT on a Volvo estate as the garage said we know these are EU type approved

Hi Paul, my parents imported 2 cars from the UK, both Fords. The CT garage insisted on CoC's, so they applied to Ford in Paris costing approx 130e each. They didn't swap the headlights as it's not a 'legal' requirement to get your CT's. Dad's French so he knew all the right qtns to ask. Be prepared to pay taxes at the prefecture too for your car/van engine sizes. Each of our 1.3 Fords cost over 400e each. It's calc'd on euro's per horse power and ours being ie ours I think was approx 60e per hp inc TVA of course. Only my opinion, but it seems less hassle if you were to get them mot'd and taxed and then call a co such as https://www.stuartcollins.com/ or other insurance's co's in other threads on this site, who deal specifically with expats. My parents got ours sorted in time, but if they didn't they were going to use a co like them for insurance until all our paperwork came through for the CT's to be done. They claimed the car tax bk too apparently, refunded with a cheque, it wasn't much but they informed DVLA and by sending them the tax discs, it just tied up any loose ends with our cars. Ps.. I remember going to Speedy to get the reg plates put on and be prepared to have them riveted on as this is how they do it in France. They cost approx 50e per set I think and if you moved depts you DON'T have to have them changed with the new dept number on. Matmut was the French insurance co by the way along with house insurance. Hope this helps a little.

I'm sure others here can advise even more, bonne chance.

I wonder if I might jump in on this conversation…albeit a year later? I’m looking at registering my UK VWT4 camper here in France. We’re rather attached to her…and I don’t fancy going through the stress of selling her in UK (perhaps I should, sounds like registration will be a nightmare) and buying an equivalent here. She’s insured and MOTd to June this year. Actually insured til August as I renewed with a 360 day cover whilst we made our minds about going or staying…

Campers are notoriously difficult. The first step will be to contact VW (in the UK) and the firm that did the conversion to see if they can provide the two certificites of conformity that will be required, one for the chassis, the other for the conversion.

Do you have a VW campervan David? As per Anthony’s replies…it depends on the year as to what is available.

First step, go to your local Tax Office with as many U.K. Documents relevant to your car. They should be able to provide you with advice. But you will need to get your number plates changed, this is by writing to the Main Concessionaires of your car’s make and model for a Certificate of Conformity (Homologation). Ask at a garage for how to do this.Then you can opt to change your U.K. Driving Licence for a French one at your local Préfecture. Not obligatory. Your headlights may need to dip in a different direction. (‘Codes’). A garage should be able to do this. Not sure if this is obligatory. You will need a Carte Grise, the French version of the Log Sheet. Obtainable from your local Préfecture. Then Insurance…French version of the MOT is obligatory once a year for exhaust emissions, and every two years for a general checkover. (I think). Tailgating is a national sport in France, but be aware of vehicles emerging from a right side road without stopping. And take care at roundabouts for there are many with TWO lanes, and French drivers DO use that inside left lane, so keep to your own (right) lane rigidly…

Think it’s a bit mixed up :thinking:

Hi Aly,

Recently joined up to Survive France and wondered if you ever got your T4 registered in the end? I too have a T4 and am looking to relocate to France so I’d be very interested to hear how you got on.

Cheers

This only applies to vehicles, converted panel vans whether professionally converted or DIY with sliding door road side won’t make through the above checks and tests.

That’s the downside to a twin slider, I don’t have units, just a rock n roll bed. I have a removable table/field kitchen which works well and a 25 litre water container with an electric pump so I’ve got the basics covered. I use the T4 for my gardening business and have a trailer for all my tools so the inside of the van doesn’t get dirty! But I also tuned the engine, changed the exhaust, wheels, etc so it will be intersting to see what my contact makes of it. I’ll post back as soon as I get any info