Registering a car in France
Discussion
Depends on age of car.
V5 all cars
Certificate of Conformity post Jan 1998
Pre 1998 you have to visit the DRIE (?) for a single test
I have registered 5 cars with no problems
If the car is registered in your name you can use a simple form for change of address.
Remember to get the Quitus Fiscal mentioned above I did'nt know this first time and none of my French mates had heard of it either but it is just one of those little bits of paper that the French love.
V5 all cars
Certificate of Conformity post Jan 1998
Pre 1998 you have to visit the DRIE (?) for a single test
I have registered 5 cars with no problems
If the car is registered in your name you can use a simple form for change of address.
Remember to get the Quitus Fiscal mentioned above I did'nt know this first time and none of my French mates had heard of it either but it is just one of those little bits of paper that the French love.
leyorkie said:
Depends on age of car.
V5 all cars
Certificate of Conformity post Jan 1998
Pre 1998 you have to visit the DRIE (?) for a single test
I have registered 5 cars with no problems
If the car is registered in your name you can use a simple form for change of address.
Remember to get the Quitus Fiscal mentioned above I did'nt know this first time and none of my French mates had heard of it either but it is just one of those little bits of paper that the French love.
Don't bother if it's a Japanese grey import! They're virtually impossible to register. V5 all cars
Certificate of Conformity post Jan 1998
Pre 1998 you have to visit the DRIE (?) for a single test
I have registered 5 cars with no problems
If the car is registered in your name you can use a simple form for change of address.
Remember to get the Quitus Fiscal mentioned above I did'nt know this first time and none of my French mates had heard of it either but it is just one of those little bits of paper that the French love.
Go to the Prefecture and they will give you all the necesary forms. The visit to the DRIRE is only a paperwork thing and you only need to do it if you don't have a certificate of conformity - they issue the equivalent of a CofC. You'll also need a Controle Technique certificate for a car over four years old. You pay a registration fee according to the fiscal horsepower - the "puissance fiscale" is on the CofC or the Attestation d'Identification issued by the DRIRE.
One fundamental rule - don't do it by post; take the paperwork yourself.
Don't you have to take the car to the DRIRE for them to inspect and I thought they affix a plate to it to say it has passed. I need to make an appointment for a car, refered there from Hotel de ville. I understand that they look for all the "E" marks on seat belts lights etc.
Will see soon enough probably next month as the car is back in England for bodywork. It passed CT but I'm not happy so back she went.
Will see soon enough probably next month as the car is back in England for bodywork. It passed CT but I'm not happy so back she went.
lowdrag said:
But....... the prefecture refused an english CoC on my Mercedes. You then need a "Lettre d'Attestation" from the local dealer to state that the lights dip right etc. and then Mercedes France want another 140€ from you for the French CoC.
Sounds like France, it's got to be in French. Would you expect the DVLA to accept a document in French?leyorkie said:
Non-european may be the key, my experience is with Japanese Domestic Market cars where they look for light lenses, belts etc to be e marked.
That sounds like a "Passage aux Mines" and homologation issue. It applies to all non EU spec cars. - US & Japanese imports being the obvious ones. If your VIN is on the DRIRE list and/or you have the EU reception number (post 1996 manufacture) it shouldn't be a problem.need45peed said:
leyorkie said:
If no Certificate of Conformity is available it has to be inspected.
This must vary from one region to another, I've had all my cars passed by the DRIRE on paperwork alone. There's never been any suggestion of inspection except for non-European spec models.Pvapour said:
[DRIRE just communicates with manufacturer to get their 'equivalent' of a C.O.C, you then get a paper from the DRIERE to give to prefecture, it's much quicker to get the C.O.C yourself and go to prefecture, cost is about the same if the manufacturer charges for COC, some dont.
I've never waited more than three days for the DRIRE to send me an attestation d'identification and they only charge 67€. The prefecture also never have a problem with paperwork issued by the DRIRE. Some manufacturers do charge extortionate prices for a piece of paper that should really come with the car.Most reasonably new cars should come with a CoC, I think. I've managed to get them issued retrospectively for a 1954 Triumph TR2 and a '72 Spitfire as well as a 1980 something Land Rover 110. I did get them all in French, but I suspect if you can't do that a proper translation could be done somehow (after all it's more paper, which over here can only be a good thing). First port of call for me is the original manufacturer if they're still around.
Also the FFVE ( http://www.ffve.org/ ) can issue attestations for classics which I believe you can use in instances where you can't easily get a certificate of conformity.
I've never had to do the DRIRE thing, but I would consider a single vehicle inspection a bit of a last resort unless you're importing something you've either built yourself or was never sold in Europe.
Also the FFVE ( http://www.ffve.org/ ) can issue attestations for classics which I believe you can use in instances where you can't easily get a certificate of conformity.
I've never had to do the DRIRE thing, but I would consider a single vehicle inspection a bit of a last resort unless you're importing something you've either built yourself or was never sold in Europe.
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