If you’re living in France with a UK registered car, it’s high time you registered it locally. The good news is that cars which were bought onto French territory before Brexit, can still apply for a carte grise (car registration document) under the previous system.
As with all French administrative tasks there are multiple steps to take. Here’s a run-down:
Quitus Fiscal (tax exemption document)
The first thing you need is a certificate provided by the local tax office confirming there is no VAT due on the vehicle.
Since Brexit, Quitus Fiscal are only delivered for cars imported before 1st Jan 2021. If you cannot prove you imported the car before this date, you’ll need to liaise with customs.
To get the quitus fiscal you’ll need to provide the following:
- Proof that your car was imported before Brexit with car registration number.
For example, your ferry ticket or Eurotunnel ticket - Proof of recent mileage. A service invoice will work.
- Recent (less than 6 months old) utility bill for proof of your residency in France
- Vehicle invoice with mileage at time of purchase
- VC5 for proof of vehicle registration
MOT OR Contrôle Technique (< 6 months)
If you have a recent English MOT this will suffice. If not, you’ll need to book a Contrôle Technique. Expect to pay between €70 and €100.
When cars are imported from the UK, the headlight alignment needs switching in order to pass the controle technique which can now be done by buying stickers.
The sticker option is much cheaper as it can be done yourself by watching a Youtube video.
Certificate of conformity
This document is delivered by your manufacturer and, depending on the manufacturer, the price varies from free to €200.
Top tip, English certificates are valid and often cheaper than in France!
Also, if you have an entry on line K on your VC5, you may be exempt from having to provide a certificate of conformity.
Applying for the Carte Grise
Once you’ve gathered the documents above, you can (finally) apply for the carte grise, the French equivalent of the British VC5.
To apply you will need to use ANTS (link to https://ants.gouv.fr/) website. You will need to identify yourself through one of your FranceConnect logins (ie Ameli, impots, Laposte logins).
How I can help
If you need any help with any of the above, let me know. Errors can also occur in the system and it can be time consuming and frustrating to sort them out.