Registering a vehicle in France from the European Union

Agreements between the countries of the European Union greatly facilitate procedures and reduce costs, thanks in particular to no customs duties or VAT payments.

a) If the vehicle is less than 30 years old

Once you have purchased your vehicle, you will need to register it:

• Obtain a COC (European Certificate of Conformity) from the vehicle manufacturer. This document can be obtained either directly from the manufacturer via a service that is often dedicated to this purpose, or via general websites that can provide it. This document will cost you between €150 and €300 on average.
  The COC is not required in France if boxes "K" and "D" on the foreign vehicle registration document have been completed!
• Request a tax receipt from the SIE (Service d'Impôt Entreprises) in your place of residence. free approach and dematerialised.
• Carry out a roadworthiness test if the vehicle does not have one. Today, most European roadworthiness tests less than 6 months old are accepted by the French administration
• The purchase invoice if you bought the vehicle from a professional, or the contract of sale if you bought the vehicle from a private individual.

All you have to do is choose :

• Do it yourself on the ANTS website, under "Make another request".
• Quickly and easily carry out your procedures thanks to our Online registration service

Important notes:

• The vehicle must have been sold for the 1st time in an EU country and be of European origin. A vehicle of non-EU origin that has been registered in an EU country may be refused entry into France if it does not meet the French approval criteria (see the following case study: Registering a non-EU vehicle in France).
• If the vehicle is less than 6 months old or has covered less than 6,000 km: if the vehicle meets either of these conditions, you will be liable to pay VAT, which in France is 20% of the purchase price.

b) If the vehicle is more than 30 years old

If the vehicle is over 30 years old, you can either use the previous procedure (if you manage to obtain a COC), or consider registering it as a classic vehicle.

You will need :

• Obtain a certificate from the FFVE (https://www.ffve.org/attestation-ffve-pour-l-ex-carte-grise-de-collection). The formality will cost you around €60.
• Requesting a tax receipt from the SIE (Service d'Impôt Entreprises) in your place of residence is an easy way to avoid having to pay tax. free approach and dematerialised.
• Carry out a roadworthiness test if the vehicle does not have one. Today, most European roadworthiness tests less than 6 months old are accepted by the French administration
• The previous registration certificate or, failing that, proof of the vehicle's origin of ownership

All you have to do is choose :

• Do it yourself on the ANTS website, under "Make another request".
• Quickly and easily carry out your procedures thanks to our Online registration service

Important note:

Registration as a classic vehicle is only possible for vehicles in their original configuration: vehicles that have been heavily modified (particularly the engine) may be refused, except in exceptional cases (particularly very old and rare vehicles for which original parts cannot be found).

Registering a non-EU vehicle in France

If the vehicle is over 30 years old, refer to the "classic vehicle" registration above, which is by far the simplest solution.

If the vehicle is less than 30 years old, is not of European origin and was first registered in a non-EU countryIf you don't have a certificate, you'll have to go through the approval process, also known as "Réception à Titre Isolé" or RTI, issued by the DREAL.

There are several possible cases, depending on whether or not the vehicle was marketed in Europe in a similar configuration. In all cases, the first step is to ask the manufacturer for a certificate of "non-conformity" or "partial conformity".

You will then have to make the necessary modifications to bring the vehicle into line with European standards: these often involve modifying the headlights, the anti-pollution system or the noise level. The complexity of the modifications varies from one vehicle to another, and it's always best to seek advice from specialist professionals before taking the plunge.

Finally, the DREAL officer will inspect the vehicle and there will be three possible outcomes:

a) Your vehicle is compliant

If the modifications are sufficient and comply with the regulations, the DREAL will issue you with your RTI and you will be able to apply for registration as explained above for vehicles from the EU.

b) Your vehicle does not comply

Either the agent will give you a new appointment if the problem can be corrected, or the agent considers that tests are necessary to validate compliance (see next point), or he will not follow up and you will not be able to register the vehicle.

c) Your vehicle must pass tests

If the agent considers that tests are necessary to validate compliance, you will have to go to UTAC to have a battery of tests carried out. In this case, the cost is around €2,000. At the end of the test, either UTAC determines that your vehicle is compliant, or it will give you a new appointment if the problem can be corrected, or it will not follow up and you will not be able to register the vehicle. If it's compliant, congratulations, you'll get your RTI!

Important notes:

Benzin can offer you a service to put you in touch with a trusted partner capable of registering a vehicle from outside the European Union. Contact us for more information.

To find out more

Calculate the cost of your vehicle registration document

The government has set up a cost simulator available here : Click ici

Bringing a vehicle purchased abroad into transit

The question of transit often arises when buying a car or motorbike abroad.

The simplest solution will almost always be to call in a haulier or tow the vehicle yourself. This avoids registration and insurance problems. If, however, you wish to repatriate the vehicle by road, here are a few tips.

1) Registration

To travel on the road, a vehicle must be registered. This may seem obvious, but it is less so when vehicles are sold without plates. This is the case in most European countries outside France, including Belgium, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.

The solution is temporary registration: either by purchasing export plates in the country of purchase, or by applying for temporary French plates (known as "WW" plates).

a) Registration with temporary "WW" plates (or CPI - Certificat d'Immatriculation Provisoire)

It's the easiest way, and will also allow you to drive in France for up to 4 months. Today, almost all European countries allow you to use these plates on their territory.

After your purchase on Benzin, contact us to get your temporary plates!

b) Registration with export plates

Most countries offer the possibility of buying export plates, which allow you to drive around the country for a limited time. The other advantage is that many car professionals offer to supply them, which can make your job a lot easier. The disadvantage is that these plates are often valid for a shorter period and cost more than French WW plates.

2) Insurance

The second step is to obtain insurance. There are several ways of doing this:

a) Have the vehicle insured by your insurer

This is the simplest case, provided you already have an insurer who agrees to insure a vehicle that is not permanently registered.

b) Taking out temporary insurance

This is the quickest and most flexible solution. There are a number of companies offering insurance for different periods. They generally pay little attention to the vehicle purchased.

c) Buy temporary plates with insurance included

Some provisional export plates include insurance, so you don't have to take out a separate policy. It's a real time-saver.

Conclusion

Benzin makes it much easier to buy a car abroad, firstly by offering highly detailed advertisements and easier communication with the seller, so you don't have to make unnecessary journeys. Payment is made secure through the use of an escrow account (eligible vehicles), removing any fear of sending payment abroad. Finally, the transport service means you don't have to deal with repatriation or take any additional steps for provisional registration.

Resources :

ANTS website (vehicle registration): ANTS

FFVE website (Collection registration) : FFVE

Achat de COC : Eurococ

Provisional insurance : JLassure

Benzin online car registration service: Go to

The sole purpose of this article is to present the most common procedures encountered in the most general cases. It may contain errors and may not be up to date with the latest regulations at the time of reading. It can in no way guarantee the success of a personal procedure. Registering a vehicle is always your responsibility.