Car to France - long term

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Tue 18 Mar 2003 14:11
Car to France - long term - bcz
Hi all

I am probably being relocated to France in the next few months and I shall be taking BCZ with me. Does anyone know what I have to do in terms of documents, MOT, tax etc for a long stay - we are talking possibly years!

any help appreciated.

cheers

BC

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Tue 18 Mar 2003 14:13
Car to France - long term - DavidHM
I don't know unfortunately, but what is BCZ and why is it so much nicer than a Citroën BX with dented doors that smells of wet dogs?
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Tue 18 Mar 2003 16:12
Car to France - long term - CM
I lived in France 10 years ago, and had a UK car there. I kept up the insurance for it from the UK. It did not need an MOT or tax disc unless it was brought back to this country, where it would automatically need one.

In France, if you keep a car for more than 6 months you are supposed to register it in France. That means you will get rid of your UK number plate and get a French one and then be subject to their laws. (IIRC French "MoT" is once the car is 5yo). This also applies (or used to) if you bought a car in one department of France and lived in another (ie if you bought the car in Bordeaux on a 33 plate and registered as a Parisian you would have to change it to a 75 plate)

I kept my car in France for 3 years on UK plates, no MOT, no Tax disc but UK insurance and never had any probs.

Cave!
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Tue 18 Mar 2003 16:36
Car to France - long term - bcz
Thanks CM

Yeah i wondered about the plates issue. You see i run on private plates too - a warning to people thinking about buying them they are a lot of hassle! (and if they look irish you get stopped at customs more - don't know why luck of the irish?!)

I have considered even buying a wreck and garaging my car here, or transferring my plate to a wreck anyway - but i love my SRi
and would really miss it.

cheers

BC
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Tue 18 Mar 2003 17:00
Car to France - long term - pd
Under EU law, a car is legal in a "foreign" country as long as it is legal in its "home" country. Therefore, in theory, a UK registered car has to be taxed and MOT'd even if it resides in France.

Normally, you cannot keep a car in a "foreign" country on it's home plates for more than 6 consecutive months.

If you're going to be in France long term your best bet is probably to flog your RHD car, put your private plate on retention (£25/year) and buy a LHD car in France.

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Tue 18 Mar 2003 17:24
Car to France - long term - CM
If you're going to be in France long term your best
bet is probably to flog your RHD car, put your private
plate on retention (£25/year) and buy a LHD car in France.



Good advice!
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Tue 18 Mar 2003 18:32
Car to France - long term - martint123
www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/exptimpt.htm

You could get caught out with the SORN regs doing it your way???

Martin
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