Importing a Foreign Vehicle & Getting French Registration
43 étapes
- Verify the vehicle meets French standards (Euro emission norms, headlights, speedometer in km/h)
- Check the 17-character VIN number — must match all documents
- Obtain a vehicle history report (Carfax, AutoCheck, or Histovec for EU vehicles)
- Verify the vehicle has no outstanding finance or theft record in the country of origin
- Check first registration date and mileage
- Original title of ownership / foreign registration certificate
- Purchase invoice showing the price in euros or with certified conversion
- Sworn translation of documents if not in an EU language
- For non-EU vehicles: proof of customs clearance (customs declaration / DAU)
- Present to French customs with invoice and foreign title
- Pay customs duty (6.5% for passenger vehicles + VAT if new vehicle)
- Obtain the Document Administratif Unique (DAU)
- New EU vehicle (< 6 months or < 6,000 km): declare and pay French VAT (20%) at the tax office to obtain the quitus fiscal
- Second-hand EU vehicle: complete the online DES declaration — no VAT or quitus required
- Non-EU vehicle: compile file for DVNI (Direction des Vérifications Nationales et Internationales)
- Submit the DVNI file and wait for the quitus fiscal
- Contact the manufacturer or official importer in France with the VIN number
- Order the COC
- If COC unavailable (brand not on French market): plan for a Réception à Titre Isolé (RTI)
- Submit the RTI file to the DREAL of your region
- Provide: VIN, photos of all sides of the vehicle, original documents, technical expert report
- Have the vehicle inspected by an approved expert (at your expense)
- Pay the RTI filing fee (varies by DREAL)
- Wait for the homologation decision
- Book a contrôle technique if the vehicle is over 4 years old
- Obtain a favourable result (no critical or major defects)
- Keep the procès-verbal (test certificate) — required for ANTS registration
- Take out French insurance before driving on any public road
- Log in to ants.gouv.fr →
- Upload: quitus fiscal (or DES declaration), COC or RTI decision
- Upload: contrôle technique certificate, proof of insurance
- Upload: ID, proof of French address, Cerfa form 13750*03
- Pay the regional tax (varies by region and horsepower) + forwarding fee (2.76€)
- Receive the Certificat d'Immatriculation Provisoire (CIP) — valid for 1 month