Registering a UK Car in France 2023

Looking to move to France from the UK? Unsure about what you will need to do to register a UK car in France in 2023?

EUROCOC is the European market leader in Certificate of Conformity mediation for vehicles and has been since 2008. If you need a Certificate of Conformity for your vehicle when travelling or relocating abroad, then you are in the right place. Grab your COC now. 

This blog post will cover all you need to know about registering a UK car in France in 2023. You will discover what documentation you need to bring a car into France, you will learn about the French MOT, and you will find out more about a Certificate of Conformity.

Need to know what a car registration looks like in France? Looking for car registration information in the UK? Click these links to read more.

Importing a UK Car Into France

Registering a UK car or vehicle in France is a relatively straightforward process, although it does require a few different documents, and there are a number of potential costs to factor in such as the cost of a Carte Grise  and the associated taxes (which will be covered further down.) 

Before bringing the vehicle to France:

Before you bring your vehicle from the UK to France, you should ensure you have all the relevant documentation needed to register your UK car there. You will need: 

• Your passport and valid driver’s licence
• Proof of your French address
• Proof of car insurance
• Vehicle registration document or V5C 
• Dated and signed Application for Registration of the Vehicle in France which you can download here.
• Signed ‘Mandat d’immatriculation form
• Certificate of Conformity (COC)
• Import tax Certificate or 846 A 
• Contrôle Technique certificate (a French MOT certificate) 

Contrôle Technique (French MOT) 

The Contrôle Technique is a test carried out every two years on vehicles over 4 years old. It is the equivalent of the UK MOT. 

As with an MOT, the purpose of the Contrôle Technique is to ensure that your vehicle is safe and in good condition to drive on French roads. 

Your vehicle must have successfully passed a French or European Contrôle Technique, and you must begin your registration process for your vehicle within 6 months of the Contrôle Technique being carried out.

A Contrôle Technique can be carried out at many garages in France. Simply search for a garage local to you that will carry out the service here.

A frequent area where UK cars fail the French Contrôle Technique is headlights. You should consider changing or adjusting the headlights of your vehicle before importing the vehicle into France. 

Will you need to change the headlights on your UK car?

It is likely that you will need to change the headlights on your UK car when importing it to France.

In order to pass a Contrôle Technique in France, the headlights on your car will need to meet French standards. Simply adding a deflection sticker will likely not suffice.

Whether or not your headlamps can be adjusted for a left-hand drive or need to be completely replaced depends upon the vehicle and headlamps in question. It is wise to find this out before you decide to import a vehicle from the UK.

Replacing headlamps can cost upwards of €500. It is worth comparing prices in both the UK and France as, depending on the make of the vehicle, you may find one is much cheaper than the other. 

If purchasing a new vehicle in the UK, consider negotiating the headlamps into the sale price.

Carte Grise 

When importing a vehicle into France, you may need to obtain a Carte Grise or a ‘certificate d’immatriculation.

The Carte Grise is an official document which is used during the registration of your vehicle in France. It is always issued in French by the manufacturer or their official representative in France. 

The process of applying for a Carte Grise is now carried out online. The application process is simple, but don’t forget to ensure that you have all the relevant documentation (mentioned earlier in this post.)

Eplaque.fr is a website that can help with this process. The online platform allows you to add and save all your documents for your Carte Grise and/or license plates. 

They also have a free English language helpline and can provide guidance on where and how to obtain documentation for your vehicle, and how to complete the Carte Grise process if you are struggling.

How much does a Carte Grise cost?

The cost of a Carte Grise includes the cost of taxes and additional fees. 

Included in the cost are the Regional Tax (Taxe Régionale) and the Pollution/Carbon Emissions Tax (Taxes sur les Véhicules Polluants).

Regional Tax (Taxe Régionale)

The Regional Tax is calculated by taking into account a base tax level for each region known as the ‘Cheval Fiscal.’ This base tax level is usually between €27 – €52. 

This base level is then multiplied by the vehicle’s ‘Puissance Fiscal’ (PF) which is calculated according to the vehicle’s Horsepower and Carbon Emission (gr/km). 

You should also note that there are other factors taken into account when deciding upon the level of tax you will pay. For example, there is a 50% reduction in tax for vehicles over 10 years old. 

There are also exemptions in place for electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles that can range from 50%

For example, the French government website states that a petrol car under 3.5 tonnes, with a taxable horsepower of 5 and a carbon emission rating of 103 g/km de CO2 registered in the Île-de-France department, would total: 231€

Pollution Tax (Taxes sur les Véhicules Polluants)

If you are looking to register a new vehicle in France, especially a petrol or diesel car with a high CO2 emission rate, perhaps the most significant cost will be the pollution tax. 

This tax can range from €0 for vehicles under 133 CO₂ to €30,000 for a vehicle over 218+ CO₂.

As of 1st January 2021, this tax is no longer applicable to used vehicles. So only those registering a brand new vehicle in France need to worry about this tax.

You should get an estimation of the registration costs of your vehicle before you import it to avoid any unwelcome surprises. This is especially important if you’re looking to purchase a new petrol or diesel vehicle with high carbon emissions. 

This online Carte Grise calculator will help you to get a good idea of the cost of importing your car to France before you get there. 

Other Taxes and Customs Duty

Since Brexit, it is likely that you will now need to pay Customs Duties (Droits de Douane) and VAT (TVA) when importing a vehicle from the UK into France.

From 1st Jan 2021, all UK registered non-commercial vehicles being imported to France will require an 846A certificate (Certificat de Dédouanement). This is issued by your local customs office (in France) which you can look up here. 

You will need to send two copies of the Déclaration d’entrée en France en franchise de biens personnels en provenance de pays tiers à l’Union Européenne, along with a copy of your proof of former residence in the UK, the Vehicle Registration certificate, and the Car Bill of Sale. 

You will then be informed of any customs or tax payable and, upon receipt of payment, will be sent your 846A certificate.

More information about other taxes and customs duties you will likely need to pay can be found here and here. 

Certificate of Conformity (COC)

When you travel to France and want to bring your car for a long period of time, or are moving to France you will likely need to get a Certificate of Conformity (COC) for your vehicle.

In EU Law, a COC (Certificate of Conformity) is required as a declaration of conformity with the type approval of the European Commission. In brief, the COC guarantees the homogeneity of goods in the EU that are subject to registration, including passenger vehicles, light goods vehicles, and motorcycles. 

How to Obtain a COC For Your Car

The original COC is free and delivered when you buy a brand-new car from a car dealer.

If your car is second-hand, you will bring a used car to France, or you are driving a scooter, motorcycle or light goods vehicle, or even if you have simply lost it, then you will need to request a duplicate COC from the manufacturer. 

This will incur a cost and can also be difficult. Negotiating with the manufacturer can be a lengthy and confusing process. Fortunately, EUROCOC is a simple way to get your COC for France. 

We can help you get a COC for whatever car you drive. Our process is simple, just fill out the information and then your COC will be delivered to the address you provide within the expected delivery date.

What Cars Need a COC in France?

All brands of cars may need a COC when you register them in France. EUROCOC can help you get a VW Certificate of Conformity for France, a BMW Certificate of Conformity for France, and a Peugeot Certificate of Conformity France and we can also help you get your Certificate of Conformity Citroen France. 

EUROCOC is not just limited to these brands and whatever car you drive, we can probably help. 

Click here to get started and make registering your car in France easy with the correct documentation.

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