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Registering a UK bike in France - the pitfalls


Bob T
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I work in the UK - where I have 2 UK registered vehicles.  My family lives in France where we have a french registered vehicle.  I occasionally visit on a UK registered motorbike but do not leave it in France - I try to use Ryanair for most visits.  If you are resident in France then your vehicle should be french registered.  If you work in the UK and occasionally visit France then your vehicle should be UK registered.  Trying a fudge will end in tears 'cos the authorities will ask, after an incident and/or they are suspicious, for proof that you are just visiting with the UK registered car - proof such as a ferry ticket with the registration number on it.

Simple as that really - looks like you need reassurance that what you are doing is right ......... just wait for the next answer that suits your situation, print it off then use that as your convincing arguement with the authorities.

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Chez

Not looking for reassurance as I already asked " what do I have to do to be legal both in France and the UK", surely that implies I want information to act on.

If there is no fix then if someone can say so, at least I know. My car is here in my garage, covered in dust, where it has been since early May, I probably won't drive back until christmas time. It will then sit in the UK until I want to drive it back again. While I am here I use my french car and bike. I like having the second car so I only have to drive one way at a time. If I had only 1 car I would always have to make a return trip by road which just eats too much of my time off.

If the only way to be legal is to drive the car all the way back even when its not convenient then I will accept that. It means there is no legal way for me to keep the car here at my convenience.

I also usually fly back and forth, but as I said occasionally drive if I want to transport something.

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[quote user="oakbri"]

Hi Bob

The car is taxed, MOT'd and insured in the UK. I pay the extra for the permanent green card status as my insurance originally had a limit for how long the car could be overseas.

For the insurance company how would they define my residence ? I live in France and pay tax here etc. However if I had a bump on my way to Calais I am a UK passport holder, driving on a UK licence a fully insured UK car to my UK house. How do the insurance company decide on your resdidence?

I am not tying to justify it, as I originally said, how do I do it legally?  I am just asking if anyone else has similar experiences and knows how to stay on the right side of the law in both France and the UK.

[/quote]

The green card has nothing to do with this problem. The contract that you signed will say in the small print that it is for UK residents only. The insurance company don't have to prove where you are resident, you will have to do that, if they are a little suspicious. Residency can be checked if needed through phone and electricity usage in a house. I think that we are all aware that insurance companies will do whatever they can to avoid a payout and it will not take them long to cotton on to the fact that you live in France, which means that you are in breach of contract. If you don't believe this then ring the company concerned and ask them if you would be allowed to insure with them whilst you are a French resident, don't tell them your name. I'll tell you what the answer will be - no.

When it comes to a personal injury claim, which could total hundreds of thousands of euros, the insurance company will willingly spend a few thousand to defend themselves for not paying out. As individuals most of us cannot afford the lawyers to fight them in court, so you could be selling your house and all your goods to settle the claim.

If you have the car French registered and leave it in the UK now and then, you are allowed to drive it as a French resident who is visiting. You would save a small fortune by not having to pay for road tax and annual MOTs as French cars don't have road tax and the CT is every two years.

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Many thanks Bob T

Sorry for imposing on your original thread.

I will go to the prefecture and look at importing my car. Do you know if the French insurance companies do an equivalent of the permanent green card insurance so I don't fall foul of the UK law if it stays there 8 or 9 month next year.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hello Bob, Interesting topic you've got going here. Unfortunately I'm a geriatric old git who can't concentrate long enough to take on board the mass of useful info that's here on your thread. Would therefore greatly appreciate any info you may be prepared to offer regarding my current wee problem... if you can't be bothered, I fully understand. Anyway, I live in France but I'm still not officially registered here, however I have a French registered car. Also have a UK reg Africa Twin which I've been meaning to get registered in France for quite some time but have developed a mental block about doing so due to all the paperwork involved so the bike's laid dormant in my shed for over a year (now SORNed with UK DVLA - or is it DVLC?). Obtained a form or two from Honda France about a year ago which I understand to be something to do with 'homologation' (whatever that may be). On this form are various questions regarding spark plugs, tyres, rear lens, etc., plus (I think) a request for proof of VAT being paid by the original UK owner (do not have a copy of original receipt to prove). If I manage to squeeze myself out of my armchair I might just be able to provide most of the required bike info but not proof of VAT. Does this mean I will have to pay VAT (on top of the 100 euros for Honda France to 'okay' the bike, plus any further costs that the prefecture at Gueret will demand in order to register the bike)? Also, do you happen to know if I'll have to get a KPH speedo and right-dipping headlight fitted? Sorry to burble on for so long but any advice would greatly appreciated. Regards GT.
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Frank

A bit difficult reading your post - if you could split your points/queries into paragraphs, it'd make it easier for us shortsighted old gits to read and answer....[;-)]

Nevertheless, here goes...

You need to visit your local tax office and obtain a quittus fiscal certificate.  It shows there's no import VAT to pay on your second hand bike.

If your speedo reads in kph as well as mph, then you don't have to change it.  Honda may ask to see a garage letter proving you've changed/modified the headlamp before issuing their certificate, but if they don't, then when you present everything to your prefecture for registration, they're unlikely to query anything.

PS:  As you've permanently removed the bike from the UK, you should have notified the DVLA that it has been permanently exported.  That way, you don't have the hassle of keeping the SORN up to date and it means you can ride it here for a short time whilst you sort out the registration.

 

 

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Hello again,

Many thanks for all that advice and apologies for lack of paras - immediately rectified.

Will visit local tax office (in France I presume) and ask for a quittus fiscal certificate and thereby avoid paying VAT.

Speedo has primary MPH and secondary KPH so maybe I'll be okay. Will keep fingers crossed that Honda don't mention headlamp issue. Also, will eventually inform DVLA of export once bike's been officially registered in France.

Once again, many thanks for all your help. Much appreciated.
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Frank,

I was going to answer your post so please don't think that I was ignoring you, but SD got there first and everything that I know about bike importation, I have learned from him!

The only thing that I have against SD, is that he told me that I should get the latest Flight Simulator for the PC. I did,  now I have to go and spend my hard earned money on another microlight. It is all SDs fault.

Can't say that I am not going to enjoy it though.

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What, a BMW engine? You must be joking. That is a 4 cylindar 100 bhp 4 stroke made by Rotax for aircraft use only.. The Blackbird engine would not help as the weight limit for a passenger is down to the wing loading and the maximum take of weight of 450 kgs to fit into the microlight class.

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With French car insurance you are automatically covered to drive anywhere in the European Union, also in France it is the vehicle that is insured, not the driver, so cover extendeds to all drivers over age (set by insurerers) with appropiate licence.

Hope this helps,

Rayminksi (resident in France since March this year).

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Welcome to the forum, Rayminski.

Why don't you put your location in your profile so we know which part of France you live in? Then if you have a bike, you'll get invited to rideouts and things.

Also means we can take the Micky out of you without worrying if you're going to come round and sort us out.....[:-))]

 

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Two things (just stumbled across this interesting thread).

Microlights are restricted to engines approved by the Air Authorities. Rotax has this sewn up, despite the fact that it is glorified sewage pump that keeps breaking down. A friend has one (has a death wish I think) and tried to get me up in this flysheet with string and recycled bedposts contraption..no chance!

Next thing is this bhp rule:

If I moved to France and wanted to re-register a bike with 143bhp (eg my Fazer 1000), then may I assume that this will not be a problem?

Last thing:

If I buy a grey import Japanese vehicle that is legally registered in the UK, with SVA etc, can I re register that in France? Even if the vehicle is not an official import into the UK?

Oh, and another one:

If I am resident in the UK whilst a house is being renovated in France, is there a legal way of keeping a vehicle in France permanently that I can use while I am there. I am thinking of a cheap pick up truck in France, and travelling to and fro on the bike?

Sorry for intruding...

I'll get me coat.

Rob G

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[quote user="Wibblywobbly"]

Next thing is this bhp rule:

If I moved to France and wanted to re-register a bike with 143bhp (eg my Fazer 1000), then may I assume that this will not be a problem?

This has all been covered before ('Search' is your friend...), but here goes again....

If the bike was manufactured post 2003, then it will come with  EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval and can be registered in France without modification.  Be sure to obtain the EU certificate of conformity from Yamaha UK rather than Yamaha France who will insist on the bike being restricted to 106bhp before they'll issue the certificate.

If the bike was manufacturered pre 2003, then it will have to comply with French national type approval and be need to be restricted before it can be registered .

Last thing:

If I buy a grey import Japanese vehicle that is legally registered in the UK, with SVA etc, can I re register that in France? Even if the vehicle is not an official import into the UK?

Only if you are prepared to put up with the hassle and expense of putting it through a French SVA test.  Cheaper to buy one in France....

Oh, and another one:

If I am resident in the UK whilst a house is being renovated in France, is there a legal way of keeping a vehicle in France permanently that I can use while I am there. I am thinking of a cheap pick up truck in France, and travelling to and fro on the bike?

If you have a French address, then you can purchase a cheap French registered pick up truck and re-register it here in your name.

Sorry for intruding...

I'll get me coat.

Rob G

[/quote]

 

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