Taking my Land Rover to France

[sueinbushey]

Advice needed - in really simple step by step instructions.

We will be relocating later this year to the Correze and we desperately want to take our Land Rover with us.

Do we need an export certificate? If so, how do we get this?

Do we need anything to actually import it into France?

How difficult is to to register the car there once we have gone through the process of actually getting it there?

Please help.

Our car is a 7 year old Defender 110.

Sue

[Catalpa]

it isn't difficult, just a variety of steps and hoops to jump through plus a few cheques to write. I'll get TOH to tell me exactly how he did it (this is in Manche - 50) for our elderly Disco a few months ago and post it tomorrow - by which time you may have an answer from someone else.

[Ron Avery]

If you look lower down in the Vehicles in France section, you will see lots of posts about how hard or easy it is to re-register a UK car in France.  Good to see that you are going to register your car in France, unlike the owners of the many UK registered scrap heaps with out of date tax discs I just saw at Rodez Airport.

[Mpprh]

Hi

If the vehicle is under 10 years old, originally registered in an EU country, and has not been modified, then it is straight forward.

It helps with the insurance grouping if your particular model (especially engine / transmission used ) was originally supplied in France.

Otherwise it can be difficult.

Costs are a certificate of conformity for your exact chassis No from the French importer (for a Peugeot I paid about GBP65) + structural costs (change headlamps etc) + normal French registration costs (mine was about GBP 100).

Bonne chance

Peter

 

 

[Catalpa]

as requested... step by step...

Landrover Discovery (12 years old) re-registered in France – February 2005 – Manche (50)

 Apply to Landrover France for “l’attestation d’homologation’

For this you’ll need:

1. A photocopy of V5C
2. Date the vehicle was first registered in the UK
3. A copy of the manufacturers’ plate from the engine bay of the vehicle (I took a photo and printed it)
4. The type of bodywork
5. The number of doors in the vehicle
6. The number of seats
7. Size of tyres
8. Type and number of engine
9. Your name and address in France
10. Cheque for 119.60 euros payable to FMC Automobiles SAS Landrover France

 

2. Send all of this information to:

Landrover France

Service Homologation

34 rue de la Croix de Fer

78127 St Germain-en-Laye  Cedex

 

4        When you get your l’Attestation, apply to your local tax office (in France) for a “Quittus Fiscal” which is a document confirming tax was originally paid on the vehicle. For example, a private vehicle purchased in England will likely have had VAT as part of the price; a commercial purchase or one made in Jersey might not so tax might be payable.

5        Take a copy of an EDF bill with you (or something similar with your French address to prove residence) as well as your passport – and all the car documents.

6        Next book a Controle Technique (MOT test). This is much the same as a UK MOT except the suspension test is computerised and therefore much stricter. I fitted ‘French dip’ headlamps – but I don’t know they are strictly necessary. Mine weren’t checked. Having said that, I’d fit them again if we were going through the same process.

7        Next step is a visit to your sous prefecture – ask for an application form for a carte grise. Fill in the information from the “Attestation Homologation”. Write out a cheque for the registration fee – amount depends on age of vehicle. Within 5 minutes you should have your carte grise.

8        Final step: go to a garage and get the number plates made up and rivet in place. I believe from posts on this forum that the plates must be rivetted so if you don’t have a rivet gun, get the garage to fit them for you.

9        Get your French insurance sorted and bon voyage!

 

If you are bringing over a trailer which exceeds 750kg, you will need to register and insure it separately. See separate post on registering a trailer.

 

Regards,

catalpa's OH

 

Ritual Disclaimer: This is what we had to do earlier in the year in Manche. The hoops anyone else has to jump through in another part of France might differ.

[Bones]

This will drive some forum users mad but...

If you are stressed enough as it is with your big move you can try the following:

Just take your Landie over but first check with your insurance provider whether you are fully covered to drive in France and for how long.

If time runs on and you still haven't re-registered in France you can get insured with a French company, you will need a letter from your Uk insurers giving a full breakdown of your insurance history (i.e. fault claim/ none fault claim history). French insurers will not penalise you for having your car stolen etc, i.e. you will only lose NCB for fault claims, so you may end up in a better position re NCB over here (I am).

You will thus be in a position where your vehicle will be UK registered, a French company may insure you but don't be surprised if there is something in the small print that says 'ignorance is not a defence and no we are not paying out for that crash!!'; even though they'll take your money. Also if you don't continue paying your UK roadtax, and don't re-register, you are still liable for it in the UK, same with MOT.

My advice is to do what you plan and re-register it in France.

Finaly, if your registration document is one of those new Euro style ones, I think that makes a difference re: homologation cert from Land Rover; not sure, but, you might not need one.

Do a search on the site and find out more, there are plenty of people far more in the know than I out there!