How to register a foreign vehicle in France
Updated 2026: see the current foreign vehicle registration hub, plus tax clearance, COC, temporary WW plates, and 2026 fiscal horsepower rates.
Buying a new or used vehicle abroad can have real advantages — but when the time comes to register it in France, the paperwork isn't always easy to navigate.
There are two possible scenarios:
- Buying a new or used vehicle in a foreign country.
- Moving to France with a foreign-registered vehicle.
We have put together the list of mandatory documents and the steps required to obtain your French registration certificate (carte grise).
1/ Buying a new or used vehicle abroad:
You've just bought a foreign vehicle. The seller hands you a stack of documents, but you're not entirely sure what to do with them…
You have ONE month from the date of purchase to start the registration process. In practice, the full registration process usually takes longer than that month.
So, to drive in France with your new vehicle in the meantime, your first step should be to apply for a temporary "WW" registration certificate, which lets you drive freely for 4 months. This application is made through a service accredited by the French state, or on our website officecartegrise.fr
During those 4 months, you must complete the French registration itself, either on the ANTS website or through a state-accredited service — prefecture counters are now closed for these procedures.
When putting together your file to register a foreign vehicle, you will need to provide:
- Proof of address less than 6 months old,
- Proof of identity,
- Your driving licence,
- The roadworthiness test (contrôle technique) — except for two-wheelers or vehicles less than 4 years old,
- A valid insurance certificate,
- Proof of purchase or ownership (an invoice, or the transfer certificate (certificat de cession) for used vehicles),
- A certificate of conformity (COC),
- The tax clearance certificate (quitus fiscal) or the customs clearance certificate,
- The foreign registration document.
a/ The tax clearance certificate (quitus fiscal):
For a new vehicle, the seller absolutely must give you the purchase invoice — you will need it to obtain the tax clearance certificate from the tax office covering your commune.
The quitus fiscal certifies that VAT has been paid on the vehicle somewhere in Europe. If VAT has never been paid (for example on a company or leased vehicle), you will have to pay it to your tax office in order to obtain the certificate.
For a vehicle bought outside Europe, you must instead go through French customs to obtain form 846A. This document is issued once the customs duty and VAT have been paid.
Start the process to obtain your tax clearance certificate.
b/ The certificate of conformity:
In most cases, this document is essential to register your vehicle in France. It certifies that your foreign vehicle complies with European standards.
Every manufacturer has a homologation department you can contact for it. The price varies from one manufacturer to another.
If the vehicle was not built for the European market, you will not be able to obtain a certificate of conformity.
It is still possible to obtain an individual approval report (RTI — réception à titre isolé): the file is submitted to your nearest DREAL (the regional environment and planning authority), which will call the vehicle in for inspection.
If your vehicle is more than 30 years old, you can instead apply to the FFVE (Fédération Française des Véhicules d'Époque — the French federation for historic vehicles).
Start the certificate of conformity process
2/ Moving to France with a foreign-registered vehicle:
Whether you are relocating to France or buying a second home here, you may keep driving your foreign-registered vehicle only if you can prove that you live outside France for 8 months of the year. Otherwise, you must register the vehicle in France.
In both cases, the steps to register the vehicle are the same as for a purchase: you will need proof of ownership and proof of a French address less than 6 months old to obtain your tax clearance certificate and your registration certificate. The process must be started within one month of settling in France.
To sum up: buying a vehicle abroad can turn out to be expensive if you don't check every piece of information and every document the seller gives you.
For all these reasons, we are here to guide you and make the process simple.