Using a UK car in France - Time limit 6 months
Discussion
Hi all,
I'd really appreciate the PH wisdom.
I'm currently spending a number of months (will be more than 6 by the time I've finished) in France staying a friends house. I'm applying for a long stay visa for myself, but the car is a problem.
I've had a good search (prepared to eat words when someone comes up with an obvious link!) and I've found that you can use a UK registered car in France for up to six months without having to 'import/register' it. If you're a visitor and not a resident, which I am. But I haven't found what the nuances of this are. So do any of you guys and gals know:
1. Is it based on the car or the driver? So could I take one car back after 5 months and bring another one over and continue for another 5 months with that?
2. If I do several trips back and forward to the UK within a year, are they counting the days of each trip for that car being in country (as I would expect) or does it start from the arrival date for each trip and reset once you've left France again?
3. Is it a France thing...or a Schengen thing? So could I stop the count in France by driving to and staying in Spain for example?
I do know that a significant barrier to this is the insurer...I've not found any that do more than 180 days cover in Europe, presumably because of the 6 month limit imposed by France. But I could possibly get around that by doing another car under a separate policy. I guess!
Thanks all,
J.
I'd really appreciate the PH wisdom.
I'm currently spending a number of months (will be more than 6 by the time I've finished) in France staying a friends house. I'm applying for a long stay visa for myself, but the car is a problem.
I've had a good search (prepared to eat words when someone comes up with an obvious link!) and I've found that you can use a UK registered car in France for up to six months without having to 'import/register' it. If you're a visitor and not a resident, which I am. But I haven't found what the nuances of this are. So do any of you guys and gals know:
1. Is it based on the car or the driver? So could I take one car back after 5 months and bring another one over and continue for another 5 months with that?
2. If I do several trips back and forward to the UK within a year, are they counting the days of each trip for that car being in country (as I would expect) or does it start from the arrival date for each trip and reset once you've left France again?
3. Is it a France thing...or a Schengen thing? So could I stop the count in France by driving to and staying in Spain for example?
I do know that a significant barrier to this is the insurer...I've not found any that do more than 180 days cover in Europe, presumably because of the 6 month limit imposed by France. But I could possibly get around that by doing another car under a separate policy. I guess!
Thanks all,
J.
jezzaaa said:
Hi all,
I do know that a significant barrier to this is the insurer...I've not found any that do more than 180 days cover in Europe
Can't help with the rest, but this sorts the insurance: https://www.stuartcollins.com/I do know that a significant barrier to this is the insurer...I've not found any that do more than 180 days cover in Europe
It’s the car.
You really should not exceed six months in any twelve month period. You can take your chances but if an inquisitive policeman starts asking for proof of ferry tickets etc, life might get interesting. (I always keep spare petrol receipts from the UK or another country in my wallet that don’t necessarily relate to the actual vehicle that I’m driving at the time…)
But there’s nothing requiring you to get it back to the UK if you know someone in a neighbouring country who can keep it for you. If I really can’t be arsed to take a car back to the UK from Italy, I dump it on an obliging friend across the border in Switzerland.
Saga will insure you with a year round green card if you are old enough and Collins, mentioned above, will, too. But the car needs to be with you at all times on those policies and you can’t SORN it either when you are not using it. If you dump it somewhere, I think you’ll need specialist storage insurance.
You really should not exceed six months in any twelve month period. You can take your chances but if an inquisitive policeman starts asking for proof of ferry tickets etc, life might get interesting. (I always keep spare petrol receipts from the UK or another country in my wallet that don’t necessarily relate to the actual vehicle that I’m driving at the time…)
But there’s nothing requiring you to get it back to the UK if you know someone in a neighbouring country who can keep it for you. If I really can’t be arsed to take a car back to the UK from Italy, I dump it on an obliging friend across the border in Switzerland.
Saga will insure you with a year round green card if you are old enough and Collins, mentioned above, will, too. But the car needs to be with you at all times on those policies and you can’t SORN it either when you are not using it. If you dump it somewhere, I think you’ll need specialist storage insurance.
psi310398 said:
It’s the car.
You really should not exceed six months in any twelve month period. You can take your chances but if an inquisitive policeman starts asking for proof of ferry tickets etc, life might get interesting. (I always keep spare petrol receipts from the UK or another country in my wallet that don’t necessarily relate to the actual vehicle that I’m driving at the time…)
But there’s nothing requiring you to get it back to the UK if you know someone in a neighbouring country who can keep it for you. If I really can’t be arsed to take a car back to the UK from Italy, I dump it on an obliging friend across the border in Switzerland.
Saga will insure you with a year round green card if you are old enough and Collins, mentioned above, will, too. But the car needs to be with you at all times on those policies and you can’t SORN it either when you are not using it. If you dump it somewhere, I think you’ll need specialist storage insurance.
I don't think that is the case with Stuart Collins, but it's worth giving them a call to check. I know it's a limitation on some policies though.You really should not exceed six months in any twelve month period. You can take your chances but if an inquisitive policeman starts asking for proof of ferry tickets etc, life might get interesting. (I always keep spare petrol receipts from the UK or another country in my wallet that don’t necessarily relate to the actual vehicle that I’m driving at the time…)
But there’s nothing requiring you to get it back to the UK if you know someone in a neighbouring country who can keep it for you. If I really can’t be arsed to take a car back to the UK from Italy, I dump it on an obliging friend across the border in Switzerland.
Saga will insure you with a year round green card if you are old enough and Collins, mentioned above, will, too. But the car needs to be with you at all times on those policies and you can’t SORN it either when you are not using it. If you dump it somewhere, I think you’ll need specialist storage insurance.
Really appreciated.I was just about to come and ask a similar question.
Plan A - I currently have a car in the Middle East which I will be sending home, as home has been in France I wanted to send it there but it would seem that as it is from ME it has to go to Paris for matriculation at a cost of 1700 euro and could take 6 months.
Plan B - As I have a company that will do the whole package, send it to the U.K. registering it there and then later in France.
Pre-Brexit a friend in the village used to go back and forth to Jersey and if his vehicle overstayed he would be fined at the port. I wondered if this now applied to the U.K.?
Plan A - I currently have a car in the Middle East which I will be sending home, as home has been in France I wanted to send it there but it would seem that as it is from ME it has to go to Paris for matriculation at a cost of 1700 euro and could take 6 months.
Plan B - As I have a company that will do the whole package, send it to the U.K. registering it there and then later in France.
Pre-Brexit a friend in the village used to go back and forth to Jersey and if his vehicle overstayed he would be fined at the port. I wondered if this now applied to the U.K.?
arn22110 said:
I was just about to come and ask a similar question.
Plan A - I currently have a car in the Middle East which I will be sending home, as home has been in France I wanted to send it there but it would seem that as it is from ME it has to go to Paris for matriculation at a cost of 1700 euro and could take 6 months.
Plan B - As I have a company that will do the whole package, send it to the U.K. registering it there and then later in France.
UK registering will not override it being a non European model so as soon as it arrived in France you'd be straight back to back to Plan A.Plan A - I currently have a car in the Middle East which I will be sending home, as home has been in France I wanted to send it there but it would seem that as it is from ME it has to go to Paris for matriculation at a cost of 1700 euro and could take 6 months.
Plan B - As I have a company that will do the whole package, send it to the U.K. registering it there and then later in France.
Note going to Paris is NOT actually for matriculation, it's for an examination to determine want needs to be replaced before it can be put forward for matriculation, with that list you then take it away and have the work done and resubmit for approval and then matriculation.
The list of things you might be required to change can be extensive, basically anything lighting or safety related will need to be seen to bear the European CE mark, that can include ALL the glass and the tyres if not so marked. If a model for which there is no European equivalent the required changes could well prove impossible to carry out.
Depending on what the car is then €1700 could be just scratching the surface, you of course cannot legally drive such a car in France during the process.
I can only talk pre-brexit but I have insured through Stuart Collins so am "allowed" the full twelve months away and have left my car over there for 18 months before.
That was in France and no one cared. I think the Gendarmes might if you attract attention but they would only want you to register in France which I imagine would take a while so you could then make alternate arrangements.
That was in France and no one cared. I think the Gendarmes might if you attract attention but they would only want you to register in France which I imagine would take a while so you could then make alternate arrangements.
Lee-S2K said:
Saga 365
If not over 50 add a named who is
We have been in france 15 months before returning, Mrs needed an op (had waited 4 yrs in uk) we called LV due to going over 180, they said take as long as you need.
Hey Lee - that's interesting...I'm with LV and using the 180 days. Did you have to provide a reason etc for them to allow more than 180? If not over 50 add a named who is
We have been in france 15 months before returning, Mrs needed an op (had waited 4 yrs in uk) we called LV due to going over 180, they said take as long as you need.
Thanks,
J.
I have also stayed in France for a long time, and I understand you perfectly. It is a bit complicated to stay with a UK car for a longer period in France. You must register your UK car in France if you intend to live there for more than six months - in any 12 months. It isn't very easy until you find out the driving requirements in France. Many things that I did not know and that helped me understand the rules of driving in France I found on https://www.drive-france.com/checklist/. You need a valid visa and a global health insurance card, but in the meantime, you should make sure you have sufficient travel insurance if you do not have a valid EHIC card. And all car taxes are taxed in the UK.
Edited by JasonMay on Monday 18th April 00:03
Pre-Brexit there were no real issues.
Post Brexit - welcome to the brave new world or control having been taken back. Local Gendarmes if they pull over a non-EU car do check. We've had our Figaro in the shed, waiting for it to reach the magic 30 years of age to avoid the dreaded DREAL checks.
Once over 30 years old you can get a carte gris du collection for appropriate vehicles. And that it what we are in the process of getting.
My mate in Scotland has a garage and as part of his divorce settlement gave his wife a Vauxhall Vivaro minibus for her new business in France. She sent it back after 8 months, impossible to get it converted to EU status at anything resembling sensible cost. It might be identical to the Opel model but does not have an EU certificate of conformity.
In rural areas like ours you can get away with it - until something happens, or as at Limoges, local Brit ex-pats get pissed off with others flying under the radar and shop them!!!
Post Brexit - welcome to the brave new world or control having been taken back. Local Gendarmes if they pull over a non-EU car do check. We've had our Figaro in the shed, waiting for it to reach the magic 30 years of age to avoid the dreaded DREAL checks.
Once over 30 years old you can get a carte gris du collection for appropriate vehicles. And that it what we are in the process of getting.
My mate in Scotland has a garage and as part of his divorce settlement gave his wife a Vauxhall Vivaro minibus for her new business in France. She sent it back after 8 months, impossible to get it converted to EU status at anything resembling sensible cost. It might be identical to the Opel model but does not have an EU certificate of conformity.
In rural areas like ours you can get away with it - until something happens, or as at Limoges, local Brit ex-pats get pissed off with others flying under the radar and shop them!!!
Gassing Station | France | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff