Is it possible to sell a second-hand right-hand drive car in France?
An imported car will need to be registered for use in France
Right-hand drive cars are less popular in France than the UK for obvious reasons
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Reader Question: I want to sell the car I brought over from the UK and buy a new vehicle. Is it possible to sell a right-hand drive car in France, or will it only be possible to scrap it?
There are no restrictions on using – or selling – right-hand drive cars in France, though in some cases it is necessary to have the headlights adapted. Note that, as with any car sale, it will need to have had a recent (last six months) roadworthiness (contrôle technique, or CT) test, and post-Brexit a UK MOT does not qualify.
A hard sell
However, it may be difficult to find someone to purchase your car, if it is right-hand drive. French road infrastructure is made for left-hand drive cars, and most French people will not want or see any need to make the switch.
This means some second-hand car dealerships may not want to purchase the vehicle, or you may have to drop your asking price significantly to entice them or a private buyer to take an interest.
Read more: Selling a used car in France - explained
This said, there is a market for right-hand drive cars, due to the number of Britons who live in France. If you are in a place with a high number of British people, you can ask around or post ads on social media sites such as Facebook marketplace to see if anyone is interested.
Plates swap
Remember, however, that if you move to France and continue to use your vehicle from the UK, you need to change the plates.
If you have been driving on UK plates – which should have been changed to French ones when you moved – you will need to re-register the car, as it is unlikely people will be willing to go through this extra administrative step to purchase your vehicle.
Read more: Process, costs, carte grise: How to register a car in France
If you are unable to find a buyer, and do not wish to keep or return the vehicle to the UK you can scrap it.
Unlike in some other countries, however, you are unlikely to be able to ‘sell’ the vehicle for scrap, and usually simply hand it over to a scrapping centre.
Read more: How do I scrap a foreign-registered car in France?
