twmffat

Hi!
Been stuck over in UK for almost 2 years now, (due to covid, family, illness etc..).My car is registered in France but has been off the road (but maintained properly). I'm now in a position to return to my home in Charente. What do I need to sort out so I'm OK driving.

Many thanks!

cyrian

You need your current driving licence; a controle technique vignette on the windscreen if your car is over 4 years old; your insurance vignette on the windscreen; your registration document (carte grise); your insurance certificate (carte verte).
I think that is everything.
HTH

EuroTrash

If you're going to be driving a long distance in the UK, maybe also your carte de séjour to prove you live in France.
Without knowing which documents you are referring to as "expired", we're not really able to advise. On the face of it there shouldn't be a problem.
CT obviously you can't get in the UK so if a CT is required and you don't have one, you would have to wing it. But it's very very unlikely you would be fined for that and even if you are, the fine isn't massive
No obvious reason why there would be a problem with your DL or carte grise.
The insurance shouldn't have lapsed - France requires continuous insurance so French insurance doesn't lapse, it rolls over automatically unless the policy is cancelled, and the insurer won't normally cancel a policy unless either you switch to a different insurer in which case the new insurer arranges things, or you provide a justificatif to show you have sold or scrapped the vehicle.

cyrian

The thread title is: Driving back with expired docs (unspecified)

EuroTrash

Yes it is mysterious, that's the title of the thread but then the content of the thread asks a different question and doesn't explain what documents the title might be referring to.
.

dmu

It isn't clear whether the OP's car is "off the road" somewhere in the Charente or in the UK...
The Contrôle Technique hasn't been done for over 2 years - is it that which has expired? No problem if it's in the Charente, take it to the nearest C.T. Centre immediately upon arrival, together with your travel documents in case there's a gendarme check on the way there. I guess that the French company has deducted the annual Insurance premiums by Direct Debit during all that time, and the OP should have received all the windscreen vignettes and green Certificates? The Carte Grise doesn't expire unless the car is sold or scrapped. If you're a French Resident with a French DL, it won't have expired.
As said, it's difficult to advise without knowing what documents are concerned and where the car is at present....

twmffat

Hi
The car is in UK. I drove over expecting be be returning to France in a month. Still here almost 2 years later!

dmu

Fair enough, but has the car been insured all this time, with the valid vignette and green certificate? Without them you wouldn't be driving on French soil legally. No idea about what happens at the port of entry if you haven't got the C.T. sticker, I always fly. Those who do this regularly will tell you what vehicle documents you have to show.... Whatever, be prepared for the risk of a gendarme check between the Channel port and the Charente....