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Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Old Aug 14th 2020, 3:16 pm
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Question Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Hi there,

I know this questions has been asked as I found this thread, but if someone could help me clarify, I would be grateful.
https://britishexpats.com/forum/fran...k-no-ct-882090

I am in the process of moving to France, and I bought a French registered car in the UK, and its control technique will run out by end of August (originally runs out in May, extend to August 2020 due to covid). I know I should not have done it, I should have checked out this forum first.

The car was bought from a private seller, not from garage in the UK. I understand the car could not been sold to a private buyer if the control technique is older than 6 months. I also now understand without a valid CT, the ownership of the car could not be transferred and I could not get a cart grise. Plus, I don't have a French residency yet.

My questions are:
  • Can I book a CT appointment in France first and tow this car into France to have one? Is it OK even if I am not technically the owner?
  • I also understand that the ownership needs to be transferred within 15 days of the sell, whereas I could not have a French residency within that 15 days, where would I stand in terms of the ownership? When does this 15 days starts to count?
  • Are there any 3rd party/agency would do this transfer?

Many thanks in advance.
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Old Aug 14th 2020, 5:11 pm
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Aargh.
Changes of ownership have to be done online now. Maybe that makes it less of a minefield than it used to be.
Has the seller given you the computer generated code that you will need to do a transfer of ownership? I think you will need that before anyone can start the process.

I don't see why you can't get it tested as long as you have the old carte grise, I don't think it will matter that it's not in your name.
Yes there are third parties who will do the change of ownership for you, a lot of people use them. When you insure it you may find that your insurer provides this service for free, quite a lot do. I thought you had 30 days to do the change of ownership, is it only 15 days now.
Bear in mind that you can't legally drive this car anywhere until it's tested and insured, and as a UK resident you can't legally drive a foreign registered car in the UK at all.
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 6:45 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Thank you. Good to know the insurer could to the transfer.

I read somewhere it says 15 days to transfer the ownership. Not sure when do this 15 days start.
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 7:19 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Originally Posted by EuroTrash
Aargh.
Changes of ownership have to be done online now. Maybe that makes it less of a minefield than it used to be.
Has the seller given you the computer generated code that you will need to do a transfer of ownership? I think you will need that before anyone can start the process.

I don't see why you can't get it tested as long as you have the old carte grise, I don't think it will matter that it's not in your name.
Yes there are third parties who will do the change of ownership for you, a lot of people use them. When you insure it you may find that your insurer provides this service for free, quite a lot do. I thought you had 30 days to do the change of ownership, is it only 15 days now.
Bear in mind that you can't legally drive this car anywhere until it's tested and insured, and as a UK resident you can't legally drive a foreign registered car in the UK at all.
I'm still in the throes of changing my Carte Grise after "buying" my car in March after a 3 years' lease. Covid hasn't helped the process, neither has my chronic illectronism. I got my daughter to do the change of name on-line on the ANTS site and I've finally heard that my application has been rejected. Without giving a reason.
The Renault garage didn't want to bother with it, nor the Lessor, but I didn't think of asking my Insurer who has been patiently waiting for my new Carte Grise. I'll contact them on Monday before ringing the ANTS.... Thanks for the tip! Otherwise, who are the "third parties" who can do this service? What category do I search for in the Pages Jaunes?
Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but it does demonstrate that changing a carte grise is a minefield....
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 7:57 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

In biggish towns you used to see little offices that advertised Carte Grise services. No idea whether they survived lockdown or not.
Zoys didn't say whether she has the code from the previous owner but I have a feeling that code is key to the process..
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 8:46 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Frankly no you should not have done it In order to re register the car you will need to have insurance the CT and a current driving licence and proof of residence in France eg a Utility bill
You will either need an online code from the previous owner or a signature on the Carte Grise from the previous owner stating that he has sold the vehicle to you
AS the situation is a bit complicated I do not think that an insurance company will be willing to do it frankly You will be better off going to a company such as Cartaplac or similar and see if they can help you ;at least you can speak to someone face to face The biggest fly in the ointment is the insurance IMO If the vehicle has been out of France for sometime has it been covered by French Insurance albeit illegally? If not if you cannot show a French insurance history for the car many French insurers will not touch it as they then become liable for any backdated claims Lastly you have the problem of ANPR cameras especially in the UK Has the seller been driving round in the French vehicle over a period of time enough to make the DVLA suspicious of it or doing other illegal stuff Sorry to be a bit negative but years of living in France means I have seen decent people like yourself caused problems by the antics of other Brits
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 8:47 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Just a thumbs up for the 'third party' carte grise' services. I was warned that even the french can have trouble with the online application. From memory I was charged around 25 euro to have mine done in Agde. I just googled where I had mine done and it was through a chain called norauto. Their website has a store finder and they seem to be open.
This is only part of the OP's problems, but I thought it money well spent.
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 9:33 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

As a last resort you could get an MoT and register the car in the UK while you are still resident, then import it afresh into France. The MoT will be accepted for immatriculation purposes (until the end of the year at least).
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 11:46 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Originally Posted by Alianco
Just a thumbs up for the 'third party' carte grise' services. I was warned that even the french can have trouble with the online application. From memory I was charged around 25 euro to have mine done in Agde. I just googled where I had mine done and it was through a chain called norauto. Their website has a store finder and they seem to be open.
This is only part of the OP's problems, but I thought it money well spent.
Quite agree - my Anglo-French daughter obviously got something wrong.
Thanks for the suggestion. The nearest Norauto is a long way from me, but I'll search for a similar chain nearer to me. I could even contact my Renault garage again on Monday, with the same sob-story to my Insurer....
OP's situation is vastly more complicated than mine.....
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 12:24 pm
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Originally Posted by dmu
OP's situation is vastly more complicated than mine.....
No problem.

Thanks for for all your advice. I will try it out and update if there is any progress.
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 3:08 pm
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Originally Posted by dmu
Quite agree - my Anglo-French daughter obviously got something wrong.
Thanks for the suggestion. The nearest Norauto is a long way from me, but I'll search for a similar chain nearer to me. I could even contact my Renault garage again on Monday, with the same sob-story to my Insurer....
...
A little update from me re my problem, if you'll bear with me. I finally plucked up courage to get on the ANTS site again and, having found a window to send a Réclamation and written a suitably grovelling request for help to overcome the rejection, I found a mail inviting me to look on my Espace-Particulier (again). Which in turn stated that all that remains is for me to pay the necessary sum on-line in order to obtain my C.G. I was jubilant, until I realised that there was nothing to say how!! So, a reply by mail to politely ask them how I pay on-line (and how much?).
I could go to a professional who does this. The category to enter in the Pages Jaunes is "professionnel habilité au SIV" and my nearest one (in fact not near at all) is in Agde! I'd rather overcome my disorder and do it on-line, than drive so far in this heat!!
End of interlude...
I wish the OP all the best!
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Old Aug 15th 2020, 9:45 pm
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Originally Posted by EuroTrash
Aargh.
Changes of ownership have to be done online now. Maybe that makes it less of a minefield than it used to be.
Has the seller given you the computer generated code that you will need to do a transfer of ownership? I think you will need that before anyone can start the process.

I don't see why you can't get it tested as long as you have the old carte grise, I don't think it will matter that it's not in your name.
Yes there are third parties who will do the change of ownership for you, a lot of people use them. When you insure it you may find that your insurer provides this service for free, quite a lot do. I thought you had 30 days to do the change of ownership, is it only 15 days now.
Bear in mind that you can't legally drive this car anywhere until it's tested and insured, and as a UK resident you can't legally drive a foreign registered car in the UK at all.
@ET: having done it several times, registering or re-registering a vehicle here at our local prefecture used to be a doddle. Now it has to be done on-line, imho it is a minefield (I'll stop short at saying it's a near blood-bath). Mme TP purchased a new car last month, and on-line prepared the docs for the old vehicle to be sold. Creating an account on ANTS site was the easy bit. What turned into a long, painful procedure was understanding and then getting the 5 digit confidential code to precede for completion of the certificate de cession, and then certificate of non-gage. And as it was Mme in the pc driving seat it certainly wasn't a language issue.
What could have been a very simple procedure was a real pain in the derriere, due to (true-to-form) French over-complication. 'Why make it easy when it can be made complex springs to mind with most issues of French bureaucracy.
@DMU: I feel for the problems you've encountered when you say "I've finally heard that my application has been rejected. Without giving a reason," even though it was made by your Anglo-French daughter - no doubt with fluent French. I do hope you get your C-G sorted out eventually. Getting a reply from ANTS related staff can be a nightmare.
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Old Aug 16th 2020, 9:27 am
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Talking Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

That is why I always recommend the use of a third party service to do it all I always use Cartaplac they do everything including new plates if an import and you have a real live person in front of you to explain what you need or why there is a problem Why people mess around on line with a poor system in a language that many of them do not understand is beyond me Keep it simple and speak to real people You know it makes sense
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Old Aug 16th 2020, 4:25 pm
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Hey, just a bit of update about this vehicle of “mine”.
Eventually I have gone for the U.K. importing route, which is get it registered in the U.K., MOT and insured. Then take it to France and register it in France in due course. - A more straight forward option that fits my circumstance.
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Old Aug 17th 2020, 10:54 am
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Default Re: Buy a French registered car without Control Technique in UK

Yes agree with that Whilst the original problem was not entirely solvable it would have been a huge mountain to sort out Your choice is sensible given the circs
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