GUIDE TO
Whether you are on holiday in France or planning a move, there are always areas where French rules and regulations will differ slightly from those in the UK, and it’s important to be aware of these, as Catharine Higginson explains
Once you’ve mastered driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, motoring in France is fairly simple, and made easier by the generally empty roads, nearly all of which are maintained in excellent condition. However, you do need to make sure you are fully compliant with all the necessary requirements as traffic stops are frequent and on-the-spot fines can be issued for any transgressions.
If you are moving to France and planning to bring your car with you, or perhaps you live in France and want to import a British-registered vehicle, there are things you should consider before making that decision. Firstly, post Brexit there are new rules and regulations that govern the importation of vehicles from the UK into any EU country. Depending on when your vehicle was first registered, you may be required to pay customs duties, VAT and other taxes when importing it into France. You will also need to make sure that your vehicle meets French safety and emissions standards before it can be registered and driven on French roads.
Secondly, you should think about the cost and practicality of maintaining a British-registered vehicle in France. You may need to find a specialist mechanic familiar with British cars, and you may also find you pay more for spare parts that need to be imported from the UK.
Many urban myths abound when it comes to the topic of car registration in France with lots of debate on forums. However, the official French government website makes the position quite clear; although you don’t need to register a car for short-term stays (you are allowed to drive your UK-registered car on a UK licence for six months), anyone moving permanently or already resident in France, must register the car with the French licensing authorities, and this process needs to be started within a month of the vehicle being brought into the country. This also applies if you have found the car of your dreams in the UK (often the case with classic cars, 4WDs etc); you will need to import it into France.
CUSTOMS CLEARANCE
One of the repercussions of Brexit has been the reestablishment of fiscal borders between the EU and the UK which means a UK-registered vehicle will have to be cleared through customs just like an import from Japan or the USA coming into the UK. French customs duty, applied when the vehicle or motorcycle crosses the border, is 10% plus 20% VAT, depending
