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Importing a used car from another EU country: the step-by-step process

By Rédaction Quelle Occasion · updated on 28 October 2026

Buying a used car in another European Union country requires no customs formalities, but you then have to register it in France. You have 1 month after the purchase to apply for the new registration certificate (the carte grise), and the application requires in particular a tax clearance certificate (quitus fiscal), proof of roadworthiness testing and a proof of technical conformity.

The steps at a glance

  1. Check the car's history and the documents before buying.
  2. Sort out VAT depending on the seller (private individual or VAT-registered).
  3. Arrange valid plates to drive to France.
  4. Obtain the technical conformity document (COC or identification certificate).
  5. Have the roadworthiness test done if the car is subject to it.
  6. Apply for the tax clearance certificate (quitus fiscal).
  7. File the registration application on the ANTS website.
  8. Wait for the final carte grise, driving with the provisional certificate.

1. Before buying: history and papers

A car bought abroad has a past you cannot see from France (mileage, accidents, successive owners): a history report based on the VIN helps avoid unpleasant surprises.

Check the car's history: 20% off → (new tab)Partner link

Before paying, make sure the seller will hand over the original registration certificate and an invoice (or a transfer certificate if it is a private individual): the full list is in our guide to the documents for importing a car. For country-specific points, see buying a car in Germany, in Belgium, in Spain or in Italy. The general advice on spotting a scam also applies abroad.

2. VAT: it depends on the seller and the age of the car

According to French customs, acquiring a "Community" vehicle, new or used, in another Member State is not subject to customs formalities.

  • Used vehicle bought from a private individual: the purchase is not subject to VAT in the seller's country.
  • Vehicle bought from a VAT-registered seller: VAT is paid in the seller's country, and the transaction is not taxable in France.
  • New vehicle: for tax purposes (Article 298 sexies of the French General Tax Code), this is a vehicle less than 6 months old at the delivery date or that has covered less than 6,000 km. VAT must then be paid in France, to the tax authorities, and not in the country of purchase.

The tax clearance certificate attests that the vehicle is in order for VAT (see step 6).

3. Plates to drive to France

According to customs, the vehicle's foreign registration plates must be valid as soon as it crosses the border. The following are not considered valid: registrations reproduced on French plates, temporary transit plates whose validity has expired, and more generally plates that do not comply with Articles R.317-8 and R.322-3 of the Highway Code. Also bring proof of insurance to bring the vehicle back.

According to Service-Public.fr:

  • some countries issue temporary plates intended for export; when they have expired, the vehicle must travel with temporary plates and a special WW registration certificate;
  • other countries require the vehicle to be deregistered or the plates to be returned before leaving their territory; to find out each country's rules, contact the country's consulate in France;
  • if the plates are not valid when entering France, you risk the vehicle being immobilised by the police.

The WW provisional certificate (CPI WW) issued by ANTS is a different case, used once in France: see step 8.

4. The technical conformity document

To drive in France, the vehicle must comply with the safety and construction rules of the Highway Code. For a car coming from the EU, the registration file must contain one of these documents:

  • the European certificate of conformity (COC) issued by the manufacturer, possibly in digital form;
  • or the identification certificate of the vehicle to the Community type, issued by the manufacturer or its representative in France or by the Dreal;
  • or, if you have a definitive EU-harmonised registration certificate (CIEU), a technical data verification certificate issued by the Dreal;
  • in all other cases, an individual type approval (RTI) issued by the Dreal.

The COC only covers vehicles under 3.5 tonnes whose first registration is after 1996, and not old or collector vehicles, modified vehicles or prototypes. For any question, contact the Dreal of your département.

5. The roadworthiness test

You must provide proof of a roadworthiness test, unless the vehicle is exempt. For a passenger car more than 4 years old, the test must be less than 6 months old on the date the application is filed; if a retest was prescribed, the 2-month period to carry it out must not be exceeded. Beyond that, a new test is needed. It must have been carried out in France or in an EU country if the vehicle was registered there. To understand the report, see reading a roadworthiness test report.

6. The tax clearance certificate (quitus fiscal)

The quitus fiscal (or tax certificate) indicates that the vehicle is in order for VAT. It is required to register a new or used vehicle bought in another EU country, and must be requested after the vehicle has been delivered. The procedure depends on your département:

  • general case: you email your request to the tax office of your département of residence, with form no. 1993-PART-D-SD;
  • départements 06, 44, 57, 59, 62, 67, 69 and 75: the request must go through the ANTS online service; for a private individual, it is made at the same time as the registration application.

Documents to present: purchase invoice (purchase from a professional) or transfer certificate (purchase from a private individual), foreign registration certificate, the buyer's ID, proof of address in France, and a power of attorney if someone else is doing the procedure. For a new vehicle never registered, a certificate of conformity may be requested, and a certified translation may be requested if the invoice or registration certificate is not in French. Any VAT due is paid by bank transfer in the general case, or by bank card or direct debit via ANTS in the départements listed above.

7. The carte grise application on ANTS

You have 1 month after the purchase to make it, on the ANTS website (login via FranceConnect), or through an approved professional (who charges for the service). For a car coming from the EU, you need to scan:

  • the original registration certificate (or an official proof of ownership); if the foreign authorities kept it, an official document saying so or a valid international certificate for motor vehicles;
  • proof of address less than 6 months old;
  • form cerfa no. 13750;
  • proof of roadworthiness test, unless exempt;
  • the tax clearance certificate, unless a waiver mention was granted by the tax authorities;
  • the transfer certificate or the seller's invoice, with cerfa no. 15776 completed and signed by the former and the new owner;
  • the technical conformity document (step 4).

You must also certify on your honour that the applicant has vehicle insurance and a driving licence for the vehicle's category. Details in documents for importing a car.

8. Timing and driving while waiting for the carte grise

At the end of the online procedure, you get a file number, an acknowledgement of registration and a provisional registration certificate (CPI) to print, which lets you drive for 1 month, in France only. A CPI WW can be issued if the vehicle was previously registered abroad: it covers in particular vehicles bought abroad whose file is under review or whose conformity or tax document is not yet available. A standard CPI WW is valid for 4 months, and its validity abroad remains subject to the agreement of the State concerned.

Processing the application can take a few days, or several weeks for the most complex cases, depending on the time of year. The final carte grise arrives by La Poste tracked mail; you can follow the application online.

How much to budget

The official sources consulted give no total cost. It is made up of items to add together:

  • the carte grise taxes and fee: see the cost of the carte grise for an imported vehicle and, for the malus, the malus on an imported car;
  • VAT possibly due in France if the vehicle is new for tax purposes;
  • the roadworthiness test, the conformity document (COC or certificate) and, where applicable, the RTI;
  • the fees of the approved professional, if you entrust the procedure to one (price set freely by them);
  • transport or plates, and insurance, to get back to France.

For a car from outside the EU, the procedure is different: see importing a car from outside the European Union.

Sources

Before you buy: check and equip

Check the history

Before paying, check the administrative status (lien, objection, declared claims) and the mileage recorded at the roadworthiness test.

Read fault codes

An OBD scanner plugged in under the steering wheel shows stored fault codes, even with warning lights off: useful during the test drive.

Parts and maintenance

Compare prices of car parts (timing, brakes, filters) to estimate the repairs to plan for.

Insure the car

Insurance prices vary widely from one model to another: get a quote before signing.