Hi @Mat_Davies great article. We are moving to France from UK my wife is French. We plan on bringing our two vehicles, one is a 1987 vw camper German import which I believe will be more straight forward as it’s classed as a classic. The other is a 2008 Honda civic. There will be know vat or duty due as part of the move . Still a pain though by the sounds of it. My question was did you have to have the headlights changed on the Mazda? I was under the impression it would fail French mot with UK headlights?
The headlights question is a touch complicated. Post-Brexit, ANTS (the registration authority) is often asking for a DREAL inspection for UK cars, which is a bit like the UK’s single type approval. DREAL will not accept UK headlights and they will need to be changed.
However, if you manage to slip through the net and get registered, UK headlights with beam deflectors are acceptable for the Controle Technique (French MOT), though not every tester is aware of that and some will refuse.
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If this thread is being revived, I can certainly attest to the power of the Duane! I am trying to bring in a Lotus Europa minus its engine and gearbox ( I have an engine and box here).
They are not fools! I bought it privately very cheap, but our Duane have done some research and tell me that the car is worth double and that they have the last word 
And so it goes on!
Yes, unfortunately it’s either what you paid or their assessment of market value.
Your comment about fools amused me as I’m on a number of Facebook groups related to France and the amount of cunning plans people concoct, clearly thinking that the Douanes are idiots, is stunning.
Renault or Ford?
Lotus Ford twin cam / Renault box.
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Great post thanks Mat. I used to have that gen Mx5. Glad you got it into France - the selection of sports cars over here is pathetic!!
Would anyone be able to tell me when you have to pay the import charges? Would I be able to drive my UK into France for a month, and then back to the UK without paying the charges?
If you are a resident in France, in theory, no.
If you’re just visiting then yes, if you’re resident, no. French residents can’t drive foreign registered cars in France.
I was thinking maybe if I started the registration process, but then just took the car back to the UK before I pay anything 
Do you pay tax at customs on the boarder?
You need to pay customs before you can start registration.
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I am already resident in France (I have both UK and EU nationality). I still have a classic (built in 1997) UK registered, but left hand drive car here, insured at my Uk address. I understand that one has to import and register in France. Is there someone who can do this for a reasonable cost? There is talk of a certain Mark but I cannot seem to be able to write a direct message. Thanks for any tips. LF
Hi - are you able to help with the Dedouanement, registration and insurance of a currently UK registered, but Left Hand Drive car made in 1997? I bought the car second hand in Germany from a private individual in 2012. I have EU as well as British nationality, am already resident in France. Thanks
The first question - does your car have a Certificate of Conformity? It is compulsory to have this document since 1996. There are two ways to obtain the document - either through the car manufacturer or through the FFVE in france, but I fear with a build date of 1997, FFVE will say it is too new to be a classic.
What exactly is the car? Do you know if the particular model you have was ever sold into France (this will indicate if a CoC was ever issued for the model - a good start…) Is the manufacturer still in business?
It doesn’t have a CoC but was formerly registered in Germany (until I imported it into the UK in 2012). It’s a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur. Yes they were also sold in France. Thanks
OK, should be easy enough to get a certificate. The seller in Germany in theory should have a certificate, as s/he would have needed one to bring it into Germany - worth checking or hunt through the paperwork that you have as I imagine it will be expensive…
Do you know if RR maintain a department that deals with its older models? Best start here if they do. If they do not support the admin of their older models, then you are in the hands of the commercial suppliers of CoCs…
Once you have a CoC, the rest is easy. Secure a valuation of the car and contact the Duane in Franceto see if the valuation is acceptable, or drive it in and discuss the valuation there and then. You will have to pay TVA and maybe a small duty. Do not try to undervalue the car too much. They are not stupid and will have a good idea of the valuation ball park…
Then it is a CT, and a visit to your local immatriculation chappie - often a local scrapyard - to obtain a ‘WW’ plate. With this, then it is papers to ANTS and just wait… Simples.
Actually, there is an edit concerning driving your silver spur into France. You said that you are a French resident. Technically, you are not allowed to drive a foreign car in France, which means that once you have paid the TVA, you cannot drive it to a CT place! I mention it as someone is bound to raise it! I am not sure how one legally overcomes this… 
If by chance the vehicle has a handbook with a CoC in the back, is this valid? I imagine handbooks are not personalised to the exact vehicle so I am wondering if the CoC has to be issued specific to the vehicle?
Yes CoCs are often in the handbook. I remember MB included them thus. On yellow paper.
The CoC is model specific as opposed to vehicle specific, but the vehicle will have to have a VIN within the range covered.
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There’s often many CoCs in the handbook, not for the whole car but for ancillaries such as the radio, ACC etc
Thank you Adam1 and Mark for your clarifications.