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QUESTIONS ON BUYING FRENCH CAR & UK LICENCE


Lynn Jennings

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Hi

I have read posts about purchasing a car but it seems a minefield. I have a french holiday home that I visit frequently so looking to purchase a car and leave it in France. I think it will be easier to purchase in France with a french registered LHD car and register it to my french address.

Can anyone please advise on following questions:

If it is registered to me at my french house am I still ok driving with UK licence?

What documents do I expect to receive from seller and is there specific things that I should check? I understand about the CT but I take it it should be like our MOT have the car reg on it etc.

Once purchased how do I register it and is there anything I need to do if its from a different dept.

Regards Lynn
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Hi Lynn, somewhere on the forum you will find a very lengthy thread on whether or not a UK resident can legally buy a car in France and register it at their 2nd home address, I think the conclusion was that technically it is probably not legal, but of course people do it.

UK driving licence not an issue.

CT should be no more than 6 months old i.e. at least 18 months left to run. Seller and buyer fill in a certificat de cessation.

You register it at your prefecture, need to take various documents including cert de cessation, carte grise, proof of address, you'll find the list of docs somewhere. If it has a new style reg number (ie no dept suffix) you will keep the same number, otherwise you will be issued a new one and need to get new plates made.

It's not a minefield really, only question is if it's legal! but that is a mere technicality.

Happy motoring.
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Hi Eurotrash, thanks for your response. I managed to find the very lengthy topic from Oct 2010. 'Pickles' posted the following:

28 10 2010 19.31 Pickles

1) The French registration system only deals with French addresses (the original question). In regards to the registration application form, as a non-resident you are not declaring that you are resident, merely giving an appropriate French address at which the car is based.

So it appears to me that it is ok to register it to our holiday home and seeing as how it will be staying there all should be well!

I just now have the task of finding a suitable car in France.

Regards Lynn

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From what I have read on other threads, the situation only gets complicated if you then drive said car in the UK.  It is there where you come unstuck iirc.  Hopefully Sunday Driver will post and clarify.[:)]

Be prepared to pay more than you'd expect for a second hand vehicle over here.

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