MOT Test in Calais??????????

[Sarahd]

Hello there.

I have heard on the grapevine that it is possible to obtain an M.O.T. test in Calais, France??

We now run an English registered car which is insured under a special arrangement with Lloyd's of London via a French Brokers in Cognac. Basically a motor policy which provides a permanent "Green card" for Brits to use their English cars full time un France. I'm sure many others are aware of this new arrangement available to U.K. nationals living in France. Obviously this saves the requirement, if one choses to, to re-register/import a U.K. car in France and obtain a Carte Grise.

Anyway, part of the insurance arrangement, unsurprisingly, is that you have to maintain a valid MOT which is only to be expected.

Does anyone know anything about this rumour that it is possible to obtain a legitimate MOT in Calais/elsewhere in France and avoid the necessity of returning to the U.K. for the MOT test?

Sounds unlikely to me..........but you never know.

Many thanks in advance.

[Teamedup]

When did registering a car in France become a choice? Have the rules changed and are these european rules?

[Sarahd]

Well, from what I think I understand according to European law it is permissable to use a car registered in England (or any other E.U. country) on a regular basis in any other E.U. member country provided one has suitable & legitimate motor insurance in place. The stumbling block arguably has always been the insurance aspect.

Having said that this type of thing is always subject to supportive interpretation & negative interpretation by the authorities of individual member states. Rather like the Carte de Sejour issue which the French government has now changed its position on after pressure from Brussels.

I guess to answer your question such provision has arguably always been there under E.U. law .........it's just a matter of interpretation and practical application of the law.

I'm sure Lloyd's underwriters & their advisors checked this issue out extremely carefully prior to offering/marketing this insurance product to ex-pats in France.

Anyway, that is what is now on offer and available to English ex-pats in France. Full knowledge of the situation is held by underwriters and an extended green card is furnished to the client accordingly. No misunderstanding on the part of either party is involved I can assure you.

Anyway, I am extremely doubtful concerning the availability of MOT's in Calais .......but on the off chance has anyone heard anything????????????? 

 

  

[Anton Redman]

LGV aka HGV vechiles cannot get it done and there was demand until recently.  I know of two people who have tried to get approval for running MOT test station approad despite having full CT stations in France. There are no mentions on the UK websites of any facilites outside the UK.

I would be very cautious of anybody claiming to offer the facility.

[Ron Avery]

I wonder what would be the reaction in Dover if a French company started doing CT's for French cars in the UK?

Of course you can use a UK registered car in France with an MOT and UK insurance, but that is only if you are NOT a resident here.  If you really want to keep a MOT then go over to Dover/Folkestone/Ashford and get one, day trip for less than £20.

 For some reason known only to them some friends used to drive all the way back to the UK for a MOT,  I never understood why, unless of course they were not really REAL residents here as although they live here all the time, they had all their gite rentals sent sent to a UK bank account

[Will]

As far as I was aware EU law says that vehicles have to be insured and registered in the country in which they are normally kept. But the whole thing is open to so many interpretations. I understand French insurers have been a bit laissez faire about it in the past, but the signs are that they are tightening up their act - after all if  insurers can find a reason not to pay out, they probably will. I would have thought that either you had to retain a UK address, UK road tax, UK insurance, MoT etc (which sounds a bit dodgy if you are resident in France) or do everything in France.

I have never heard of an MoT station in Calais - it sounds very unlikely. Surely if such a thing existed in France it would be better situated somewhere which has a high proportion of British peoples, rather than having to drag all the way to Calais - if going there, they might as well do the extra short ferry trip to Dover.

[Ron Avery]

Might be a  business opportunity for a MOT station at Calais, have it done while you shop at Cite Europe, mind you could have a problem if it fails and you have to go back for a retest