Procedure for re-registering a car in France

The process for registering an imported car to have French plates has recently changed and can now only be carried out online via an account at the site of ANTS (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés) at https://ants.gouv.fr/monespace/s-inscrire

You are asked to identify yourself using FranceConnect (franceconnect.gouv.fr), a way of signing in to several official state website, such as tax offices and health Cpams, without having to repetitively identify yourself with different passwords. You can join it using details from one of the member sites and once you have completed this there is no need to keep entering the details to access any of the sites. Once you have created an ANTS account you will receive an email to click to confirm it.

You will need to complete form Cerfa 13750*05, which can be downloaded here: service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/R13567

Most of the information required can be found on the car’s existing registration document. This includes the plate number (numéro d’immatriculation), date of purchase, date on the current registration document and date of first registration (shown in section 4 of a British V5C registration document) and an 11-figure number called in the UK the Doc. Ref number and in France the Numéro de formule du certificat d’immatriculation.

Enter the make and model (found under D1 and D2 on EU registration documents), the vehicle identification number (E), and colour and whether light (clair) or dark (foncé). You also need to obtain a document called a quitus fiscal, which proves that the car has had any relevant VAT paid on it. Ask for this in person at your tax office (many now have online processes for this so check first) taking the purchase bill, original registration document, your passport and proof of residency in France (eg. a recent utility bill).

To complete the online application for the new carte grise you need a scan of the quitus fiscal and form Cerfa 13750*05 plus other documents (clear photos from a mobile phone will do):

• Original carte grise of the vehicle (or other proof of ownership); if the original was retained by the other country’s authorities then an official document stating this.
• Proof of your address, less than six months’ old (eg. a utility bill).
• If the vehicle is older than four years, a certificate of contrôle technique not more than six months old (one from an EU country, like a UK MOT, is acceptable).

Should you not be able to supply the existing registration document (or if it does not have all the relevant information, such as if it is old and pre-dates EU standardisation) you may also need a European certificate of conformity from the manufacturer (failing this it may be necessary to have the car inspected by a body called the DREAL, as is required for cars brought in from outside the EU).