Duty on imported car

[Tomkat]

I read somewhere that if you import a used car from the UK into France and have owned it for less than 6 months, duty is payable before you can re-register it with the French system. Has anyone come across this, any idea what the duty is based on etc?

Dave

[Richardbk]

this is only if the car has been bought tax free. Before you can register on standard French plates you have to have a declaration from the 'centre des impots' that the VAT has been paid. E.g for cars < 12 months old they will generally want to see the original sales invoice. For anything older they usually accept that if it has been registered in another EU country on standard plates / registration document then the tax has already been paid.

regs

Richard

[Backleee]

I've just started to register my UK car - I bought it used 4 months ago.

I was a bit worried as I'd read that tax was liable as well - and even ploughed through the French tax websites but couldn't find anything.

Anyway I went to the Centre d'Impts last week and they didn't bother at all - not even asking for the original receipt. They just copied my V5 and helped me to fill the form in. The hardest part was converting the mileage to kilometres! ;)

So nothing to pay there - hopefully then just the DRIRE fee 67.38E standard for France and then the prefecture fee for the carte grise (I think this varies between depts).

Hope this help!

[Tomkat]

Thanks for your replies, looks like it will be fingers crossed my local Hotel des Impots is as relaxed as yours!

Dave