How can I replace a lost car registration document?

You can obtain a ‘duplicata’ of your carte grise from your prefecture or, in fact, the prefecture of your choice if you are away from home. This could also be a sous-prefecture as opposed to the main one for the department, or in Paris you would apply to the Préfecture de Police.

However you should telephone first to double check, as some do not deal with cartes grises. Also some, but not all, accept applications by post, in which case it would be advisable to use recorded delivery post (lettre recommandée avec avis de reception). You will need the following documents:

• Carte grise application form. Form cerfa no. 13750*05 You can find it here in a version that can be filled in online: service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/R13567 Click télécharger le formulaire. In the first drop-down menu, select ‘duplicata’ and then identify yourself as a personne physique (a personne morale is a company). Note that for the traditional form, if you want to print it out and fill it in by hand, you should click the link à remplir de façon manuscrite.
• Form to declare loss of your original carte grise. Form cerfa no. 13753*02 See: service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/ R1417 Click télécharger le formulaire or click the link for the traditional form.
• Your last contrôle technique document both original and a copy, if the vehicle is more than four years old.
• Identity document (original and copy) for each listed driver – eg. Passport
• Proof of address for the person whose address will be on the card eg. A utility bill dated in the last three months.
• A cheque for the carte grise fee. You can find the fees (which are variable depending on vehicle type) using this tool: service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/cout-certificat-immatriculation

Note that most cars will now be of the numéro SIV type (current number plates). Numéro FNI refers to old-style plates. If the car still had these you will be issued with a new number and will have to change the plates.