registering our old car here in the PO

Moira · Post by **Moira** » Tue 20 Mar 2012 12:19

Hi...we need to re-register our 1971 2cv van here...was originally French and is a left hand drive.
Have arranged assurance but when it went into garage for controle technique they said it needed a certificate of conformity...we have something like that from Citroen UK but they said we had to contact Citroen in Paris. Have spent a long time trying to work out the procedure of events but it seems all areas have different rules..surprise surprise..we know at some point we have to go to the impots at Ceret but not sure where to start and costs seem possibly horrendous...
Has anyone dealt with this even with a not so old vehicle..
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Moira

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Tue 20 Mar 2012 13:01

Moira wrote:Hi...we need to re-register our 1971 2cv van here...was originally French and is a left hand drive.
Have arranged assurance but when it went into garage for controle technique they said it needed a certificate of conformity...we have something like that from Citroen UK but they said we had to contact Citroen in Paris. Have spent a long time trying to work out the procedure of events but it seems all areas have different rules..surprise surprise..we know at some point we have to go to the impots at Ceret but not sure where to start and costs seem possibly horrendous...
Has anyone dealt with this even with a not so old vehicle..
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Moira

Moira

Your car predates European Certificates of conformity but there are special provisions for classic cars.

I found this on the web:-

Classic Vehicles

Classic vehicles over 25 years old are in a special category and can be re-registered without being taken to the DRIRE. In this case, you need first to put the vehicle through a "contrôle technique" then go to the Fédération Française des Véhicules d'Epoque (French federation of classic cars) where you can obtain a document that enables you to register the vehicle at the préfecture as a "véhicule de collection", or collector's car.

Try looking at http://www.ffve.org/

There have been lots of threads on here covering the normal process but I suspect your's is a special case.

Good luck

CD · Post by CD » Tue 20 Mar 2012 13:33

Have you still got a copy of the old French carte gris (or maybe carte vellum in your case!). This should negate the need for a Certificate of Conformity as it couldn't have been previously French registered without it conforming, especially if it was registered from new in France.

I'm due to do something similar in a few months with a French car we bought in the UK (and transfered to UK plates for a few months) when we move.

The dealer said we wouldn't need a CoC because it was a French registered car originally. I have a copy of the old Carte Gris plus other documentation and the old number plates.

Have another word with the Controle people.

Let us know how you get on...

Bon chance!

Chris

russell · Post by **russell** » Tue 20 Mar 2012 17:10

There is a disadvantage in registering it as a classic or collectors car. You will be limited to (I think) 5000 km/an and you cannot take it outside of France. The advantage however is lower insurance and CT that lasts for five years.

Russell

rhys · Post by **rhys** » Sat 24 Mar 2012 10:35

Out of curiosity only - how do they enforce the #no more than 5,000 kms per year # aspect ?

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Sat 24 Mar 2012 16:32

rhys wrote:Out of curiosity only - how do they enforce the #no more than 5,000 kms per year # aspect ?

I think you will find this restriction is for classic car insurance not the carte grise? Similarly there is no geographical restriction on classic cars.

One of our cars has a reduced insurance because it covers a low annual kilometrage. They say they monitor this by looking at garage bills but nobody has ever asked me for one although they might in the event of a. Claim.

Asking how you monitor whether or not a 40 year old van does more than 5,000 km a year is probably a bit like asking an octogenarian to prove he hasn't run too many 4 minute miles.

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