I’ve brought a UK registered car into France and want to register it here. I bought it from a BMW dealer in the UK and it was delivered to Paris. I have all the necessary forms and the CoC.
The UK log book / V5C that was given to me is in a previous owner’s name and the dealer told me that they sent the “permanent export” section of the log book to the DVLA.
Do I need to contact the DVLA to get the V5C reissued in my name. Will they do this? I have the invoice from BMW in my name but I understand that there might be an issue because the logbook is neither in my name or the dealers.
If you have bought the car from a bona fide garage, of course the V5 will NOT be in your name - quite natural.
However, the Bill of Sale identifying the car and clearly showing said car as being sold to you + Plus the V5 in previous Owner’s name… these 2 docs work together in the paper-trail. (have no fear).
Now, get the Quitus Fiscal and you are on your way … well, partway down the road to French Registration…
To provide more context I’m an Australian and my family and I are posted at the Australian Embassy for a couple of years and at the end of my posting I will take the car back home.
The embassy staff tried lodging my forms and were told that there was a problem because the invoice in my name was from the BMW dealer in the UK and the V5C was in the previous owner’s name (a trade in I expect). Perhaps they think that the ownership trail has a missing link.
I’m travelling to London on Monday for business and hence wondered whether I could ease the bureaucratic process by having my name on the V5C (if that is possible). I must say that French bureaucracy is still something I’m getting used to. Getting French insurance was somewhat of a harder task than I expected.
Beats me. We have bought a few cars in UK over the years, last one in 2014. Always from a Garage and with the Bill and V5 as I described - and never had a problem.
@anon90504988 can you spread any light on this… please??
Paul, are you registering the car privately or through the diplomatic service?
If you are doing this as a french resident I suggest using a third party service.
Well funnily enough, having gone a bit ecological I’m just in the process of adding a hybrid Merc sourced in the UK last week to the family fleet . My MO (based on previous UK acquisitions and orignally suggested years ago by VW export sales) was to get the UK dealer to register the car in my name with their address so all my paperwork aligns. The mistake that your dealer may have made was to send off the export part of the V5 because you exported the car, not them. However, the ANTS system does explain what you need to register here in France if the V5 is not in your name. It’s not an easy system to navigate so, as Mark advises, a third party service may be your best option.
I’m sure you are aware there’s no reciprocity on certificates of conformity, emissions, etc. between Oz and the EU (I just investigated it for my daughter who’s in Perth for a while) so exporting your vehicle to Oz may not be a slam dunk. So, why if you are on diplomatic plates didn’t you just order a tax free RHD Aussie spec BMW in France?
. My MO (based on previous UK acquisitions and orignally suggested years ago by VW export sales) was to get the UK dealer to register the car in my name with their address so all my paperwork aligns. The mistake that your dealer may have made was to send off the export part of the V5 because you exported the car, not them. However, the ANTS system does explain what you need to register here in France if the V5 is not in your name. It’s not an easy system to navigate so, as Mark advises, a third party service may be your best option.