My UK based sister has lent me her car for a year, she’s been banned! I want to bring it to France, as she is still the registered owner do I need to register it in France?
Are you a French resident?
Yes I am
I originally thought there was a 3 month limit to register a UK reg car in France, but saw a few references to 6 months, including this one by the RAC.
Either way, it looks like you’d need to register if you want to use it for a year continously.
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What about insurance as the current owner is UK based but the user will be a french resident and they might require proof it has been registered for use in France ?
I thought there was a law which banned French residents driving foreign vehicles. This was emphasised by learning of specific exceptions for lorries and hire cars.
But I could be wrong, however I have never allowed my English family or friends to drive my car for that reason.
Thats why the recommendation was to register it in France otherwise as you say, sounds like a no no.
Your UK friends and relatives can drive your car, in France, providing the insurance permits it.
You can’t drive a foreign registered car in France.
A UK citizen cannot drive a foreign registered car in the UK.
Hire cars are exempt.
The RAC advice is not relative in this case.
A French resident importing a foreign registered car has one month to re-register it in France. Purchase documents/proof of ownership will be needed.
Edit: Duty will be charged accordingly.
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That is if you wish to import it permanently. There are provisions for temporary importation for up to 12 months if she is taking it back, without having to pay all the duty/ taxes. But must pay to re-register if staying over a month.
“Vous voulez tenter de conduire une voiture immatriculée à l’étranger dans les territoires français ? Cela est tout à fait impossible puisque c’est illégal en France. En effet, il faut établir une nouvelle carte grise pour pouvoir rouler sur les voies publiques françaises. En cas de non-respect de la réglementation, vous serez exposé à de sévères sanctions financières.
Pour avoir une immatriculation française, il faut faire un changement de carte grise. Vous avez un mois pour la changer.”
It is a questions also for her insurers about you driving it, and where.
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That confirms more or less what I thought. So the OP cannot drive her sister’s car in France unless the reg. is changed to French.
Lorries are exempt too I believe, as with the pulling of foreign registered trailers.
But one thing you do have wrong. UK citizens are allowed to drive foreign registered cars in the UK, otherwise that would kill off cross border holiday motoring traffic. Perhaps you meant UK residents?
I was once accused by police in England of speeding, I wasn’t, and not holding a valid licence, I was, but at no point in the argy bargy was I accused of driving a foreign registered car, which I was.
Nothing came of it btw, they finally realised they were on dodgy ground.
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Yes, it’s the Vienna Convention.
Yes the car must be regd in France.
How old is it and how much CO2does it throw out. Best find out as there is malus from this year on some cars.
Pedant mode: A UK resident not citizen.
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Oh well, i lived in the middle of nowhere without a car for 15 years, so im sure ill manage.
While I wouldn’t personally have the nerve for it, and thus wouldn’t advise it, I think the chances of you being stopped are low and of you being able to talk you’re way out of it high. Unless it’s customs, and I have seen them lurking on autoroute aires. If les Douanes did catch you they could seize the car and I’m not sure how or if you could get it back. The issue I would be more concerned about is having valid insurance for the duration.
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It’s been around a long time. I paid over 3K malus on a Tiguan in 2017 because it had 240BHP, the 170BHP version malus was a few hundreds and the 140BHP version had no malus. Though rates seem to have gone through the roof now. Hence my move to electric
Thank you. My error but strangely citizen is not a word I use normally 'twas a brain fart…
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Firstly you will have to get over the obstacle of insurance. I would imagine the car is no longer insured as your sister is banned. That problem alone is a nightmare as it will have to have UK insurance before it ever arrives in, say, Calais. Seems to be only the vehicle owner can insure it, but she can’t can she ? Has the car got valid MOT?
Even if she could such insurance would have limited validity in France (subject to the French accepting it as valid for use here.) What French insurance company will then insure a vehicle for you which you don’t own and have no carte Gris? It will also need French CT.
Your sister may consider selling the car?