registration of motors for non-residents

[RicandJo]

Can I suggest looking here http://www.insurance.fr/import.html and give them a call.  They are very helpful and knowledgeable (?spelling?) with regards to importing processes and complications.

With regards to what you put in the 'residence principale' section I believe this the the address of your principal address in France, rather than your principal residence worldwide - i.e. you may own two or more properties in France, so your principal French one goes in here.  It's not a declaration about your main home, it's about the address where the vehicle will be kept and where you can be reached for any motoring offences.

 

[Will]

I totally agree with RicandJo; it's not your actual main residence, which les impôts will want to know about, but which is of no interest to vehicle licensing people. It's the principal address at which the vehicle will be kept in France.

Don't you love French paperwork and officials - it will soon become apparent that words often have different meanings according to whom you are talking to. Plus the fact that you will usually find one in any establishment whose aim in life is to confuse and make things difficult for anybody, particularly for the non-French. Congratulations on finding the one at your préfecture at the first attempt [;-)].

[frexpt]

[quote user="RicandJo"]

With regards to what you put in the 'residence principale' section I believe this the the address of your principal address in France, rather than your principal residence worldwide - i.e. you may own two or more properties in France, so your principal French one goes in here.  It's not a declaration about your main home, it's about the address where the vehicle will be kept and where you can be reached for any motoring offences.

 

[/quote]

Thanks, I did wonder that at the time and it certainly makes more sense.  However, the dragon was rattling on about domicile and was adamant that this couldn't be done.  I am sure there is nothing that would prevent us from buying a car in France and leaving it at our house, so why not import and leave, rather than have to trek back and forth, keeping it UK legal and trying not to flaunt the French six month rule?

 

 

[AnOther]

[quote user="frexpt"]It is important that we remain UK resident[/quote]There is, I'm sure you know, far more to that issue than the address to which your French utility bills are sent. Where is it asking for your Residence Principale BTW, it doesn't on the Demande de Certificate d'immatriculation d'un vehicule

I think RicandJo is (are?) right about it being your principal French address but without positive proof of that you will not be able to register your car. Regardless of where your bills go though you must have paperwork from the purchase of the property which might be acceptable.

[Will]

Just as an aside in UK domicile is a tax term that need not mean where you actually live; in France domicile and residence are virtually interchangeable, even for tax purposes. Which can make even the aforementioned double tax agreement rather fraught as far as discussions with les impôts are concerned when you qualify as resident in both countries - although the agreement itself is clear as to where any particular tax is payable. No doubt the dragon thoroughly enjoyed the confusion created.

[Benjamin]

[quote user="AnOther"]

 but without positive proof of that you will not be able to register your car. Regardless of where your bills go though you must have paperwork from the purchase of the property which might be acceptable.

[/quote]

If you have an invoice for a supply at one address sent to another address then the invoice will show both addresses. Then add the paperwork from the purchase of the property and you have a clear trail.

[RicandJo]

Your french property insurance certificate is enough.  See my earlier post with the section copied from the gov site now in red......

[frexpt]

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="frexpt"]It is important that we remain UK resident[/quote]There is, I'm sure you know, far more to that issue than the address to which your French utility bills are sent. Where is it asking for your Residence Principale BTW, it doesn't on the Demande de Certificate d'immatriculation d'un vehicule

[/quote]

The local dragon waved at me what looked like a blank official certficate (green in colour), but it was part of a pad of forms with carbonated (is that the right term or does that mean fizzy?) copies.   At the top right of the form was a box for "Residence Principale".  It certainly didn't look like the form to which you have kindly provided the link.

I'll download that one and give it a go.

 

[AnOther]

Was the dragon at the Prefecture or the Hotel des Impots. If the latter it might have been the quittus fiscale which is necessary to show that there is no TVA due on the vehicle, there will not be if it is more than 6 months old and with more than 6000km on the clock which I'm guessing will be the case.

I can't recall what was on that as mine were only in my possession for 1/2 an hour in transit from the Impots to the Prefecture. I do have some recollection that they were green and definately came off a carbon pad. There is no other document I know of required for registration which matches that description.

[frexpt]

You are right, it was the Hotel des Impots, not the Prefecture.........got a bit confused about where I had been altogether today........an age thing!

[AnOther]

Out of the gloom emerges light !

I have found an image of a quitus and I agree even more with RicandJo that the Residence Principale only relates to your French address and is nothing to do with residency or tax status at all.

[img]http://www.allersretours.com/imgalr/Divers/motos/IMG_3981.jpg[/img]