How To Register A Used Car In France
Before registering a foreign vehicle in france and receiving a certificate d immatriculation certificate of registration document the used vehicle imported must match with the french road standards.
How to register a used car in france. On the sale or transfer of ownership of a second hand vehicle in france it is necessary to obtain a new registration certificate called a carte grise or more officially a certificate d immatriculation. The process can vary depending on the make age and country of origin of the vehicle. Nevertheless in all cases you will need to obtain a certificate from your local tax office in france confirming vat tax clearance for the vehicle. While some people moving to france will take their right hand drive car with them at least for the first few months others will want to make a fresh start on the road by buying a left hand drive vehicle when they get there. Ironically it can be easier and cheaper to buy a second hand left hand drive car in the uk drive it to france and get it re registered.
Next new number plates plaques d immatriculation must be ordered made and fitted. Once you have finally waded through all the paperwork signed every sheet of the sale documents and initialled a thousand more pieces of legal paper you can relax. Re registering a foreign vehicle in france. To carry out the procedure you can only login with a france connect account which is a new initiative used to simplify your connection to online services. Top selling used vehicles in france.
Further information about registering your foreign plated car in france from the ants website. Buying a used car in france introductory guide. Information from the french ministry of foreign affairs on relocating to france and bringing a used vehicle in french. A new or used vehicle including boats and planes on which vat tva has been paid in another eu country can be imported free of french vat by a french resident if you buy a new car abroad on which vat hasn t been paid vat should already have been paid on a second hand car vat is due immediately on its arrival in france. The first step is to go to the official ants website and select the option j achète ou je reçois un véhicule d occasion.
You need to ensure you buy tax free in the country of origin. A guide to registering cars in france and getting a carte grise certificat d immatriculation latest update jan 2018 a car is usually essential in france.