What are the requirements for registering a vehicle purchased abroad?

Verified 10 October 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Pre-Requisite

For to circulate in France, a vehicle shall be complies with safety and construction regulations provided for by the traffic regulations. This obligation applies to vehicles acquired abroad, in the European Union or in the departments and communities overseas.

License plates

To his entry into France, the vehicle must have valid registration plates. If they're not, you're at risk immobilization of the vehicle by the police forces.

Some countries issue temporary plates for export. When the plates are no longer valid, the vehicle must be driven with a special registration certificate WW.

Other countries require the removal of the vehicle from their national registers and/or the return of registration plates before leaving their territory.

To find out the rules specific to each country, contact the consulate of the country concerned in France.

Formalities with customs

In some cases, you will have to go through customs and tax formalities

These formalities differ according to the origin of the vehicle, depending on whether it comes from a overseas department, a overseas collectivity, of a country of the European Union (EU) or another country.

The website of the Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes provides the following information:

Purchase of a vehicle abroad or in a Dom or Com

Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes

Pour en savoir plus

Tax Formalities

If you bought a new or used vehicle in a Member State of the European Union, you must apply for tax discharge.

In some cases, formalities with the Dreal: titleContent concerning the technical conformity of your vehicle

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Vehicle from an EU country

If you are importing your vehicle from an EU country, the formalities differ depending on your department of residence in France.

General case

You must obtain an Isolated Receipt Report (ISR) from the Dreal: titleContent competent according to your domicile if you do not have one of the following documents:

  • European Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued by the manufacturer (it may be issued in the form of a digital document) oru certificate of identification of the vehicle with the Community type issued by the manufacturer or his representative in France or Dreal
  • If you have an EU harmonized final registration certificate (EUCC), the certificate of verification of technical data issued by Dreal
Who shall I contact
Departments 75, 77, 78, 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95

You must obtain an Isolated Receipt Report (ISR) if you do not have one of the following:

  • European Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued by the manufacturer (it may be issued in the form of a digital document) oru certificate of identification of the vehicle with the Community type issued by the manufacturer or his representative in France or Drieat Île-de-France: titleContent.
  • If you have an EU harmonized final registration certificate (EUCC), the technical data verification certificate issued by the Drieat Île-de-France: titleContent.

Vehicle from a non-EU country

If you import your vehicle from a country outside the EU, the formalities differ depending on your department of residence in France.

General case

You must obtain an Isolated Receipt Report (ISR) from the Dreal: titleContent competent according to your domicile if you do not have one of the following documents:

  • Certificate of conformity to a type EC: titleContent issued by the manufacturer. It may be issued in the form of a digital document.
  • Or certificate of identification to an EC type
Who shall I contact
Departments 75, 77, 78, 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95

You must obtain an Isolated Receipt Report (ISR) from the Drieat Île-de-France: titleContent competent, if you do not have one of the following:

  • Certificate of conformity to a type EC: titleContent issued by the manufacturer. It may be issued in the form of a digital document
  • Or certificate of identification to an EC type

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Carte grise For information about

    carte grise 34 00 - Information on the

    Carte grise National interactive voice server providing automated answers regarding the following:

    Carte grise If the user does not get the answer to his question about the taking of the vehicle or the driving license, he will be put in contact with an advisor of the National Agency for Secure Titles (ANTS).

    By telephone

    From the metropolis:

    34,00 (cost of a local call)

    From overseas:

    09 70 83 07 07

    From the foreigner:

    +33 9 70 83 07 07

  • To get information for paying taxes

    Department in charge of taxes (treasury, tax department...)

  • For information about calculating taxes

    Customs services