PeterMacd1

Hi everyone ... I will keep this as short as possible as I know it is a topic which seems to attract many different views My situation is this ... I drove over here to the Haute Savoie area of France (Just on the border with Geneva) to visit family. The opportunity has arisen for me to stay on far longer than I thought ( ... ie years not months.) After trawling through all the threads here regarding what I need to do with my car to keep driving it here I have a sore head - every other post seems to tell me something different.

Can any good soul out there just tell me who I need to approach for the definitive, legal and above board information.

Im the kind of guy who likes to keep the right side of the law.

Many thanks

frenchtony

where is the car currently registered?

PeterMacd1

Its Registered in the UK and I am driving it with european cover which runs out in 2 weeks.

dennerlymum

This has been covered many times on this thread but Martin's advice on this thread

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...r+registration

is very good

It really isnt too difficult so be brave and go for it!!

PeterMacd1

Many many thanks for this ... I somehow missed this thread on my previous searches ... now at least I have a far better grasp on this.

merci du derangement ...

French Lessons are next on the agenda!

Ka Ora!

Welcome to the Forum, If you get any issues give me a shout

Peabrain

Personally I wouldn't bother, unless your car is a priceless vintage collector's item. I'd ony do it for an E-type Jaguar or something similar. It's not worth the hassle. They do have cars in France, with the steering wheel on the "right" side of the car, whereas you'll be stuck on the wrong side, you'll have to get the lights done and the damn thing registered, amongst other things. Is it really worth it?
The only advantage is, I suppose, that it's less likely to be stolen.
PB

dennerlymum

It isnt really a case of whether it is worth it or not peabrain; without registering in France a car is technically uninsured and so if there is a crash there is no pay out!

Im_and_Er

Unfortunately the link provided by dennerlymum contains some misleading info.

'So long as you have owned it more than 6 months and have more than 6000 km on the clock, there won't be any tax to pay.'

Strictly speaking this is correct but in practice length ownership is rarely if ever never taken into consideration and as long as the car is over 6 months old there will be no tax to pay. Nobody will ever check the kms.

'You will need the vehicles registration certificate, proof of address and identity, the purchase receipt for the car and C of C.'

You will definitely not need a C of C for the quittus fiscale.

A non registered vehicle will not be insured but may be covered for 3rd party risks only.

loy loy

We recently did this, it was quite a process.

Our car plate was 57 and we still had to pay a tax, it wasn't much though.

Im_and_Er

On what basis was tax demanded, are you sure you are not confusing the registration fee you paid at the Prefecture with TVA ?

A 57 plate should not have been liable to TVA but if it had been due you would have paid it to the Impots in order to get your quittus fiscale so anything you paid anywhere else was not TVA.

loy loy

Quite right,

I just checked with my wife who did it all, and what we thought was tax was fee's. This is what we did.

Change lights on car
Certificate of conformity
Control Technique
Quittus fiscale
Fees
Carte Gris

She said if you need any help along the way let us know and she'll dig out her notes and fee's etc. This was just off the top of her head while hoovering.

PeterMacd1

Many thanks for all your input and advice ... loy loy, I may very well contact seeing as you have actually gone through the process! After speaking to a few people around here - a couple of french garage owners included - there seems to be a huge difference in consensus of local opinion - I get the impression that a lot of people just keep driving and insuring their uk registered car through uk insurers and hope that the "grey area" wont need dealt with! And knowing my luck - Id get caught out immediately!

dennerlymum

we have done it twice and it really was easy! I have read at least 2 accounts on other forums of insurance companies not paying out on uk reg'd cars...

Kontiki

This document will help in regards to some of the rules regarding assurance.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/attac...1&d=1321820471

I have just bought a Citroen c15 and the difference in price is great between France and the UK The same vehicle in France would have cost me between 2000€ and 4500€ I paid a total including all paper work 150 to Citroen, 60€ Control T, 250+11 for plates and that is a total of 321€+800. Of course I did not include the ferry because it tied in with other things I had to do.

Like all things its swings and roundabouts, however I can tell you that Citroen UK are having a great deal more people asking about export of vehicles.