I've tidied up this thread in the hopes it gives useful info to folk importing cars to France
Abbreviations in this thread
CoC = Certificate of conformity
CT = Contrôle Technique = UK MoT test
Quitus Fiscal- Free from Centre des Impots to show no TVA to pay - not a problem with a second hand car for your own use.
Carte Grise - registration document from the Préfecture once you've got your Contrôle Technique + Quitus Fiscale

 

'Late models' and 'vehicules de collection' hardly belong in the same sentence. By default a 'Vehicule de collection' will be at least 30 years old before it can be registered as such.

To correctly insure a vehicle in France, it must be French registered, although you might find a UK based company who will take you on as an expensive addition to your UK policy, an the car must carry UK road tax, mot etc.

Of course if you are resident in France, this will not apply and you will need to go through the import mill and get French plates for the car.

For French registered vehicles, you can get limited mileage policies.

Usually less than 5000km/an with a 'floating' reserve of unused, that over the years can build to a spare 5000.

Apparently Generali are offering 30% reductions for declared less than 8000km/an.

Pay as you drive policies also have started to appear, but you need to have a device installed by the insurer to transmit distance driven.

I have used a few different French firms over the years, but sadly there is always a premium to be paid for a non-French manufactured vehicle.

Your best bet would be to contact your local broker, or even your bank and have a friendly chat.

I have no idea what sort of premiums an XKR is going to generate, but don't forget there are all sorts of limited cover policies, from very basic public liability to fully comp.

Currently using Allianz, but have used others.

 

Caveat to the above, a situation I had with a client a few years ago.

Sadly this lady's husband died. Although they had been together for 30 years they did not have a formal marriage certificate, long story...

However, their French registered family car was only registered in the Husbands name.

This caused a problem because it became part of his estate and as such automatically went to the children of his first marriage from decades ago.

Long story and many letters later, all the offspring involved had to provide notarized letters stating that they relinquished any rights to this part of his estate, and these letters had to have notarized translations.

All of this could have been avoided if both the lady and her husband had been named on the French Carte de Grise when the car was first registered in France because she would have remained as the surviving keeper of the car.

Worth remembering, when you register your cars, and not something that we tend to think about in the UK.

Back to insurance, Axa are offering to insure UK registered cars on a temporary basis providing that they are in the process of being registered in France (3 month time limit or thereabouts).

Bit of a Catch 22, because the 6 month ownership rule for TVA is outstripped by the legal requirement to register the car within 3 months.

From experience, try to have the UK car registered in your name in the UK for longer than 6 months before you bring it to France

You probably know all this already, but this web page is pretty straight forward.

France Guide Vehicles.

The biggest headache I ever had was with the import of a UK road legal ride on lawn tractor. Here it was neither a lawn mower (not road legal) nor a Tractor (could be road legal) had all sorts of fun proving that it was designed to be road legal from a documents point of view before it could receive a Carte de Grise and then Bonjour insurance companies, who all could not find it in their computer data bases and therefore it did not exist. Even though I drove it around to the broker's and parked it outside for him to see!!

 

You will need to obtain a Quitus Fiscal from your local Centre des Impots. This is free.

But, if you can have all your car related documents, V5, purchase receipt, in your name and dated anterior to the 6 month period before you go for the Quitus, then there is no risk of having a TVA 'discussion'.

Yes, there are a few costs to consider, but even though you pay for the Carte de Grise, you only pay once, and there is no annual road tax.

Headlights are another hit (but not so much for you, just think of big rectangular XJ40 lights and weep).

The whole process is reasonably straight forward, even if a little wrapped in Red Tape.

 

M ZUNINO ERIC
14 RUE DE THIONVILLE
75019 PARIS
Tél : 01 42 03 36 06
Fax : 01 42 03 05 56
Email : agence.zunino-paris@axa.fr
€558/year, all risks, 8000km for my XKR.
Insured by AXA which is a highly reputable company.
Seem serious and very helpful.
No, I'm not on commission!

 

You don't have to pay for a Certificate of Conformity to get your Carte Grise and you don't have to pay the DREAL either, only if you want them to give you a paper copy

If go to the DREAL and ask for a récipisse de depôt de dossier they will give you a nice printout with the RF flag on top giving you all the details the CT people need to issue your CT.
That's all you need. It is free and then they fax the Préfecture with the puissance fiscale and that's it.

 

Hi Steve,

I also choose this insurer, that's a good advice.

952€ full comprehensive, unlimited kilometers, One claim 2 years ago.
That's less than I pay for a Chrysler 300C...

On top of that, Zunino accepted to cover the car with Italian export plates for 1 month, letting me time to get French papers.
Great price, and very nice people!

 

I've found them most helpful and easy to deal with. They extended my insurance on UK plates to 2 months when the Préfecture lost my documents.
Incidentally if you're getting French papers you DON'T have to pay for a certificate of conformity OR pay the DREAL either, only if you want them to give you a paper copy.
Go to the DREAL and ask them to fax the details to the Préfecture.
It is free and instant!

 

I Steve,
I choosed this insurer too.
M. Zunino is effectively helpful.
480 €/year all risks for my X350 4.2.

 

As we all know if the car was first reg in any European country after the 1st of Jan 2003 it does not need a separate CoC, to be imported into France, or indeed any other Euro country, as the info is already on the 'V5' as the UK call it.

The CT man by now should know that post Jan cars don't need a CoC so should be OK to proceed without one.

I've done a few post 2003 cars recently, the first one was done by the CT man more on faith than knowledge, but subsequent ones were all fine.

The Préfecture where I register them is fully up to speed as far as cars go, but due to France not having a CT for bikes, there is not other mechanism for checking the headlight and speedo other than the CoC process.

Dave

 

Hi,

it might be bit late to reply but I also recently found Zunino from AXA in Paris for full coverage less than 8.000km per year for about 475€ for a 2001 xk8 convertible. COC online and no prob with contrôle technique, quitus fiscale and préfecure.

Best regards,
Nicolas

 

Hi Dave,


as said by Richard, the famous Certficiate of conformity (COC) is needed here in France to get is registered. There is an alternative but I decided to go that way and found an internet company called Eurococ.com for the price of about 220€.

The contrôle technique is as well requested for registration but usually if the car is in good shape shouldn't be a problem (except for english headlamps.)

I just went through the process :-)

Cheers,
Nicolas

 

Hi Nicolas, obviously I wanted clear enough. I have imported a number of cars for myself and friends so I'm clear about the procedures.

The element I wasn't clear about in your post was:

"no probs with the CT" - did you have to change your headlights for LHD ones, or were you able to get a pass merely by adjusting them?

Many thanks
David

 

Morning Dave, I believe that some members have scored a pass by adjusting the lights on a modern XK8.

No chance on the older Halogen systems.

I've used piecesavenue.com to source lights over here. Great service, helpful over the phone, fast delivery.

Oddly the lights I bought for the Toyota when delivered were Made in England!

Had to chuckle.

 

If you've got HID lights you can swap the beam shaper -
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-change-68469/
Also, as I said earlier in this thread you don't need a CoC. Go to the DREAL and they will send a copy to the Prefecture for free.

 

What I've found is that there is a common agreement across the European Union that for all cars 1st registered after 01/01/2003, the Conformité information must be on the originating country's registration document.

I have since bought a sept 2003 Picasso and an April 2005 Rover 75 Tourer (UK origin) and they passed through the Préfecture without CoC or DRIRE documents. Incidently the Rover has projector lights and they have an adjuster for correcting the dipped beam.

 

Hi Dave,

sorry I might have missed the point. No I did'nt have to change the headlights I just went to the CT this year August with the car as I bought it (no xenon). They were adjusting a bit and that was all (was I lucky I had no idea that this can happen?)

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Nicolas

 

That's great Nicolas and thank you.

And yes......................you were lucky

Cheers
Dave

 

Hi Steve I've done the paperwork for a lot cars a lot of cars importing into France, but I'd not come across the route you suggest in your post.

Is this for post Jan 2003 cars only? Or for any age of car?

Recently I imported my Picasso and the UK V5 had all the info on it,ast standard, so the Préfecture could fill all their boxes without further questions or documents.

I would welcome knowing more about the route you suggest as I'm on the point of buying a 2001/02 XJ or a 2003 S-type 4.2.

Over ten years old sees my carte grise cost diminish by 50%, but I thought I would need a Coc (maybe not in view of your comments??) or 2003, no CoC costs but 100% for the CG fee.

Cheers
Dave

 

Dave - I had no problems with the DREAL, just bring your logbook and tyre size.
As I said earlier ask for a récipisse de depôt de dossier they will give you a nice printout with the RF flag on top giving you all the details the CT people need to issue your CT.
Check with the Préfecture before going that the DREAL has sent them the CoC.
Don't forget passports for all owners (see Richard's post#3 - very important)