Registering a car/vehicle in France
Discussion
There are quite a number of internet sites and service providers who will do this for you. Why? Well the government system ANTS is pretty difficult to use! You need also need to have a social security number or have submitted a tax return, so not easy early on in your stay.
The Prefectures used to do this (prior to ANTS and in its early days) but no longer.
Most of the websites have the correct document listing - but do check the government site for the Customs (Douanes) - these requirements are not optional and in addition to those of simply registering the vehicle, without the Douanes certification nothing will happen!
We tried to use an outfit called Cartaplac - they comprehensively messed things up, to the point where we had to cancel the application and start again! We tried again with Automobile-Club des Deux-Sèvres, who after a mere two and half months sent us a provisional carte gris.
My advice try and find a local-ish outfit who you can visit and phone - two things which were not possible with Cartaplac who refused to answer the phone!
We have now imported all three of our cars - one via the Perfecture (easy as pie!), one pre-Brexit via the FFVE process and one post Brexit - with the new Customs provisions. Allow lots of time. Try and get the form 846A signed as the vehicle arrives, otherwise you may have to wait months, for the Customs to get around to it!
Finally if you cannot get a Certificate of Conformity or something which very closely resembles it from at least a quasi-official body - don't even try!
The Prefectures used to do this (prior to ANTS and in its early days) but no longer.
Most of the websites have the correct document listing - but do check the government site for the Customs (Douanes) - these requirements are not optional and in addition to those of simply registering the vehicle, without the Douanes certification nothing will happen!
We tried to use an outfit called Cartaplac - they comprehensively messed things up, to the point where we had to cancel the application and start again! We tried again with Automobile-Club des Deux-Sèvres, who after a mere two and half months sent us a provisional carte gris.
My advice try and find a local-ish outfit who you can visit and phone - two things which were not possible with Cartaplac who refused to answer the phone!
We have now imported all three of our cars - one via the Perfecture (easy as pie!), one pre-Brexit via the FFVE process and one post Brexit - with the new Customs provisions. Allow lots of time. Try and get the form 846A signed as the vehicle arrives, otherwise you may have to wait months, for the Customs to get around to it!
Finally if you cannot get a Certificate of Conformity or something which very closely resembles it from at least a quasi-official body - don't even try!
I've never had problems myself, but there's a Facebook group Registering Vehicles in France and the resident expert Mark Rimmer is very well thought of and knows the system very well being a garagiste here.
Worth paying him a small price to sort it for you.
Don't use a so called hand holding service, they then to be pretty much ineffective.
Worth paying him a small price to sort it for you.
Don't use a so called hand holding service, they then to be pretty much ineffective.
I've never had problems myself, but there's a Facebook group Registering Vehicles in France and the resident expert Mark Rimmer is very well thought of and knows the system very well being a garagiste here.
Worth paying him a small price to sort it for you.
Don't use a so called hand holding service, they then to be pretty much ineffective.
Worth paying him a small price to sort it for you.
Don't use a so called hand holding service, they then to be pretty much ineffective.
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