I recently read something about importing a car into France, but unfortunately I didn’t make a note of the exact details and of course I can’t now find it.
From what I read, in order to import a car, you need to get it onto the ANTS. ANTS is now requiring every car to be tested by DREAL. DREAL has a 3-6 month waiting list (depending on department).
(This is where the problem lies.) Insurers issue a temporary 1 month certificate based on the undertaking that you will get your car through the system within a month, but that is now impossible because of the requirement for testing.
It depends on the age of the car. A more recent car wll have a code in a box on the V5 (UK log book) with the info needed so you don’t need the cert of conformity or the DREAL assessment. And as long as you keep your insurance company updated on the progress of the registration, they are fine with it not being registered within 1 month. They know how slow ANTS can be. I think it took about 3 months from first application before I finally got my new carte grise.
I understand the current advice is not to provide the CoC unless ANTS actually asks for it, but they sometimes do ask even with the code on the V5C. It’s the luck of the draw in terms of which desk it lands on.
Section K is the type approval number, normally starting e…* and is completed on most V5 documents
It always used to be section D2 “Type” that didn’t have all the info needed, hence the requirement for a separate manufacturers CoC.
I’m actually exporting a car and for reasons I won’t bore everybody with I had cause to get clarification on CoCs from the European Commission. This is what I received last week. It answered my question satisfactorily but for those importing from the UK I’d call attention to the bit I’ve highlighted in bold.
" Thank you for contacting the Europe Direct Contact Centre.
In accordance with Article 36 of REGULATION (EU) 2018/858 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02018R0858-20240701, the manufacturer shall issue a certificate of conformity in paper format to accompany each vehicle, whether complete, incomplete or completed, that is manufactured in conformity with the approved type of vehicle. In the case of an imported vehicle, the importer shall ensure that the vehicle is accompanied by the required certificate of conformity.
The certificate of conformity in paper format must be drawn up in at least one of the official languages of the Union and delivered free of charge to the buyer, together with the vehicle. Its delivery may not be made dependent on an explicit request or on the submission of additional information to the manufacturer. Furthermore, for a period of 10 years after the date of manufacture of the vehicle, the manufacturer shall, at the request of the vehicle owner, issue a duplicate of the certificate of conformity in paper format in return for a payment that does not exceed the cost of issuing the duplicate certificate.
From 5 July 2026, the manufacturers will no longer issue certificates of conformity in paper format but will make them available as structured data in electronic format via the EUCARIS database. Currently, in some Member States certificates of conformity in both paper and electronic format are accepted.
Finally, it should be noted that in order to register a vehicle that was previously registered in another Member State, the certificate of conformity of the vehicle is not required. For this purpose the EU harmonised vehicle registration certificate issued in accordance with COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 1999/37/EC https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A01999L0037-20220324 is sufficient as it replaces the certificate of conformity for the purpose of (re-)registration of the vehicle.
We hope you find this information useful. Please contact us again if you have other questions about the European Union, its activities or institutions."
So it seems, and I wonder if that means a car registered pre Brexit is OK, but one registered post Brexit is not. It’s just a word to the wise not to get blindsided by the infamous ANTS.
For an alternative view, I brought my motorcycle from the UK to France and the CoC wasn’t needed. It’s the luck of the draw sometimes but current advice for UK cars is only to provide the CoC unless requested by ANTS.
Since Brexshit, I would not rely on anything on a V5. Technically, the V5 is now a foreign document. I woould prefer to rely on an EU CoC.
Interesting question: does a Uk manufactured car regd since Brexshit have an EU CoC…? I guess it must have if sold into the EU.
Yes, make sure your import is ok with a CoC as DrEAL checks are expensive… but give consideration to the customs side as this could be an unexpected expense. Just saying.
It’s not a question on relying on it, one should get a CoC anyway. With a bit of good fortune, ANTS might accept the type approval information there in lieu of a CoC. That’s what happened with me.
If that’s the case it’s probably an ANTS problem Oliveraie.
I’m pretty thorough on checking these things out because I don’t want a mess, and legally you don’t need a CoC for a vehicle previously registered in an other EU country. I’ve had this confirmed by the European Commission (ie for the whole of the EU) and last week for Ireland by the Irish Revenue commissioners via the Irish Minister for Finance.
Whether ANTS are complying with the law or not I can’t say, because I’ve always actually had a hardcopy CoC when importing cars here. One could always put in a query if in doubt.
I quote the email from the European Commission above and here’s the letter from the Revenue Commissioners. I blanked out my address and the Private Secretary’s name because this is an open forum.
