Importing a Car from France to the UK
France is one of the most popular countries to import a car from — whether it's a Peugeot, Citroën, Renault, Alpine, or a French-registered German or Italian car that's cheaper on the continent. Since Brexit, the process has changed significantly. You now need customs declarations, NOVA notifications, and potentially vehicle approval before DVLA will register your car.
This guide covers every step from buying in France to driving on UK roads, with verified figures from official government sources.
Why Import from France?
French imports are attractive for several reasons:
- Lower prices — many models are significantly cheaper in France than the UK, especially used cars
- Proximity — France is the closest major car market, with multiple transport options
- Zero customs duty — French-built or EU-origin cars qualify for 0% duty under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)
- Wider selection — access to French-market models, specifications, and colours not available in the UK
- Classic car market — France has excellent stock of Citroën DS, 2CV, Peugeot 205 GTi, Alpine A110, and other classics
Step 1: Buying in France — Documents to Collect
Essential French Documents
Carte Grise (Certificat d'Immatriculation)
The French vehicle registration document. The seller must sign the carte grise, mark it as sold ("vendu le" with the date), and hand you the original. You need this for DVLA registration.
Certificat de Situation Administrative (Non-Gage)
Confirms the car has no outstanding finance, liens, or legal holds. The seller must provide this — it's free from histovec.interieur.gouv.fr and must be dated within the last 15 days.
Contrôle Technique (CT)
The French MOT equivalent. For cars over 4 years old, the seller must provide a valid CT dated within the last 6 months. Check the results carefully — a CT with major faults ("contre-visite") means the car failed.
Bill of Sale / Invoice
A written receipt showing the purchase price, date, buyer and seller details, and vehicle description including VIN. HMRC will use this to calculate VAT. If buying privately, both parties should sign.
Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
A European Certificate of Conformity from the manufacturer confirming EU type approval. Essential for DVLA registration. If not provided by the seller, you can order one from the manufacturer (typically €100-200). Services like 321CoC and Euro CoC can help source these.
Important: Make sure the VIN on the carte grise matches the VIN plate on the car. Any mismatch will cause serious problems with UK registration.
Step 2: Getting the Car to the UK
Transport Options & Costs
Eurotunnel (Le Shuttle)
Ferry (Short Crossing)
Ferry (Longer Routes)
Driving It Yourself
If you drive the car across, you'll need:
- Valid insurance — your UK insurer may offer temporary European cover, or you can arrange French temporary insurance. Post-Brexit, a Green Card is no longer required for UK drivers in France (since 2023), but check with your insurer
- A valid driving licence — your UK licence is accepted in France
- The French registration document (carte grise) — carry the original
- Headlight beam deflectors — LHD headlights dip the wrong way for UK roads. Apply temporary beam deflectors for the drive home
At the Border (Post-Brexit)
Since 1 January 2021, bringing a car from France to the UK is an import from outside the UK's customs territory. When you arrive at the UK border:
- You do not need to make a customs import declaration at the border if you're driving the car yourself
- You must notify HMRC within 14 days using the NOVA service (Step 3 below)
- HMRC will tell you if you need to make a formal import declaration and pay duty/VAT
Step 3: NOVA — Notify HMRC Within 14 Days
NOVA: 14-Day Deadline
You must tell HMRC about your imported vehicle within 14 days of it arriving in the UK using the Notification of Vehicle Arrivals (NOVA) service. You cannot register or tax the vehicle with DVLA until this is done.
What You'll Need
- Invoice or bill of sale
- Current market valuation (if bought over 6 months ago)
- VIN / chassis number from an official document
- C88/E2 customs documents or MRN (if applicable)
How to Apply
- Go to gov.uk/nova-log-in
- Create a Government Gateway account if needed
- Complete the NOVA declaration online
- Receive NOVA reference number
HMRC will assess your NOVA declaration and tell you how much VAT (and any customs duty) you owe. Once you've paid, you'll receive confirmation that you're eligible to register and tax the vehicle with DVLA.
Step 4: Customs Duty & VAT
Tax Calculation
EU-Origin Vehicle (Most French Cars)
Non-EU-Origin Vehicle
How VAT Is Calculated
VAT is charged at 20% on the customs value:
Customs value = Purchase price + Transport costs + Insurance + Any duty payable
For a car bought for €10,000 with €200 transport and 0% duty:
VAT = (€10,000 + €200) × 20% = €2,040 (paid in £ at HMRC exchange rate)
Rules of Origin: When Does 0% Duty Apply?
Under the TCA, a car qualifies for zero duty if it "originates" in the EU. This means:
- French-manufactured cars (Peugeot, Citroën, Renault, Alpine, Bugatti) — 0% duty
- EU-manufactured cars registered in France (e.g. a VW Golf made in Germany, a Fiat 500 made in Poland) — 0% duty
- Non-EU-manufactured cars registered in France (e.g. a Toyota built in Japan, a Hyundai built in South Korea) — 6.5% duty may apply if TCA rules of origin aren't met
The exporter (seller or dealer) can provide a statement of origin on the invoice to confirm EU origin. For private sales, the original Certificate of Conformity (CoC) typically shows the country of manufacture.
Classic Vehicles (Over 30 Years Old)
Cars manufactured over 30 years ago may qualify for a reduced VAT rate of 5% instead of 20%, provided the vehicle is in original condition and meets HMRC's definition of a collector's item. No customs duty applies.
Step 5: Vehicle Approval
Do You Need Vehicle Approval?
Vehicles first registered or manufactured more than 10 years ago are exempt from vehicle approval. You can go straight to DVLA registration.
Get a European Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from the manufacturer. This proves the car meets EU type-approval standards, which the UK still accepts. Most French cars will already have one — check with the seller.
If the car is left-hand drive, you need both the CoC and a certificate of GB Conversion IVA. This is a simplified IVA inspection costing £199 (basic inspection during working hours). It checks the car meets UK road safety requirements for LHD vehicles.
Most French Cars Are Left-Hand Drive
This is the key difference compared to importing from, say, Japan. Almost all cars bought in France will be left-hand drive (LHD). This means:
- Cars under 10 years old need the GB Conversion IVA (£199) in addition to a CoC
- LHD is perfectly legal to drive in the UK — there's no requirement to convert to right-hand drive
- You'll need to adjust or replace headlights so the beam pattern doesn't dazzle oncoming traffic
Step 6: Vehicle Modifications for UK Roads
Required & Recommended Modifications
French (LHD) headlights dip to the right, which dazzles oncoming UK traffic. You must either fit RHD-pattern headlight units or have the beam pattern permanently adjusted. Temporary deflector stickers are acceptable for the journey home but not as a permanent solution. Modern projector headlights may need the internal "mask" swapped. Budget £100-500 depending on the car.
French cars display speed in km/h. For cars under 10 years old at point of import, the speedometer must display mph. Many modern cars can be switched via the dashboard settings. Otherwise, you'll need a conversion sticker or replacement dial. Budget £50-200. Cars over 10 years old don't legally require this but it's strongly recommended.
UK regulations require at least one rear fog light on the offside (right side) of the vehicle. French cars may have the fog light on the nearside (left) only. Check your car and add a right-side fog light if needed for MOT.
You do not need to convert a left-hand drive car to right-hand drive. LHD vehicles are fully legal on UK roads. Thousands of LHD cars are registered and driven in the UK every day.
Step 7: MOT Test
If the car is over 3 years old, it needs a valid UK MOT before you can register and tax it with DVLA.
- A French Contrôle Technique is not accepted as a substitute for a UK MOT
- You can drive the car directly to a pre-booked MOT test without tax or registration — this is one of the legal exceptions
- MOT cost: £54.85 (maximum fee set by DVSA)
- Common MOT failure points for French imports: headlight beam pattern, speedometer units, rear fog light position, emissions
Step 8: DVLA Registration (V55/5 Form)
V55/5 Registration Checklist
Once you have your NOVA confirmation, vehicle approval (if needed), and MOT (if needed), you can register the car with DVLA using the V55/5 form (Application for First Vehicle Tax and Registration of a Used Motor Vehicle).
Documents to Send to DVLA
- Completed V55/5 form
- NOVA confirmation from HMRC
- Original carte grise (French registration)
- Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
- GB Conversion IVA certificate (if LHD, under 10 years)
- Valid MOT certificate (if over 3 years old)
Also Required
- Proof of identity (passport or driving licence)
- Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement)
- £55 registration fee (cheque/postal order to DVLA)
- First year's Vehicle Excise Duty (VED)
- Insurance certificate or cover note
Key V55/5 Tips for French Imports
- Box 3 (Date of first registration): Use the date from the carte grise ("Date de première immatriculation"), not the date you're registering in the UK
- Box 6 (Body type): Use the DVLA body type codes — e.g. SALOON, HATCHBACK, ESTATE, COUPE, CONVERTIBLE
- Box 7 (Wheel plan): Typically "2 AXLE RIGID" for standard cars
- Box 19 (VIN): Copy the 17-character VIN exactly from the carte grise. The VIN on French cars is also stamped on the bulkhead or visible through the windscreen
- Box 48 (Engine power): French documents show power in kW. To convert: multiply kW × 1.341 to get bhp. For example, 110 kW = 147.5 bhp
Step 9: Insurance & Vehicle Tax
You must insure the vehicle before driving it on UK roads (except for the direct journey to a pre-booked MOT or IVA test).
- Get a UK insurance quote using the French VIN — most UK insurers can cover imported vehicles
- Specialist importers' insurance may offer better rates for LHD cars (Adrian Flux, Keith Michaels, Reis Motorsport are well-known for import cover)
- Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is paid as part of the V55/5 registration. Rates from April 2026 depend on CO2 emissions — the standard annual rate is £200 for most cars registered after April 2017
Full Cost Breakdown
Example: €10,000 French Car (EU Origin, LHD, Under 10 Years Old)
Based on exchange rate of approximately €1 = £0.85. Actual costs depend on current rates, vehicle specifics, and transport choices. VED (road tax) and insurance are additional ongoing costs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Watch Out For These
The clock starts when the car arrives in the UK, not when you get around to it. Late penalties are £5/day and DVLA won't register without NOVA confirmation.
Without a CoC, you can't prove EU type approval. Ordering one after the fact from the manufacturer can take weeks and cost more. Always get this before or at the point of purchase.
A valid Contrôle Technique does not exempt you from a UK MOT. The tests check different standards. You must get a separate UK MOT for any car over 3 years old.
LHD headlights dip the wrong way and will blind oncoming UK traffic. This will also fail the MOT. Sort this out before the MOT test.
Just because a car is registered in France doesn't mean it was manufactured in the EU. A Japanese, Korean, or American car registered in France may still attract 6.5% customs duty if it doesn't meet TCA origin rules.
You can only drive an unregistered imported car on UK roads to a pre-booked MOT or IVA test. Using it for any other purpose before registration is illegal and could result in the car being seized.
Step-by-Step Timeline
Typical Timeline: France to UK Road Legal
Collect carte grise, non-gage certificate, CT, bill of sale, and CoC
Drive via Eurotunnel/ferry or arrange professional transport
Must be within 14 days. Pay any VAT/duty owed. Get NOVA reference.
Convert headlights, check fog light, set speedometer to mph
Book and pass a UK MOT (if car is over 3 years old)
Book and pass IVA inspection for LHD vehicles under 10 years old
Send completed form with all documents, fees, and VED payment
DVLA issues registration number, V5C logbook arrives by post. Get number plates made up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep driving on French plates while I sort the paperwork? No. You can only use an unregistered imported vehicle on UK roads to drive to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test. For all other use, the car must be registered, taxed, insured, and displaying UK number plates.
Is it worth importing from France? For EU-manufactured cars, yes — you avoid the 6.5% customs duty that applies to non-EU imports. The proximity makes transport cheap (£100-200 vs £1,000+ from the USA or Japan). If the car is significantly cheaper in France, the savings can easily outweigh the ~20% VAT.
Do I need to cancel the French registration? The French registration is automatically cancelled when you surrender the carte grise to DVLA as part of the V55/5 application. However, if you want to formally notify the French authorities, you can do so via the ANTS (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés) website.
What about electric vehicles from France? EVs follow the same import process. Under the TCA, EU-manufactured EVs qualify for 0% duty until at least 2027 (the rules of origin extension requires 40% UK/EU content for EVs until then). EVs pay £10 first-year VED from April 2026.
Can I use a French car insurance policy in the UK? No. Once the car is permanently imported and resident in the UK, you must have UK motor insurance. French policies won't cover a UK-resident vehicle for more than a short visit.
Need Help With Your V55/5 Form?
Our guided V55/5 tool walks you through every box — with built-in VIN decoding, DVLA code lookups, and validation to prevent rejections. Designed specifically for imported vehicles including French imports.
This guide covers the standard process for importing a passenger vehicle from France to Great Britain as of February 2026. Regulations can change — always verify current requirements with DVLA, DVSA, and HMRC. Northern Ireland has different rules due to the Windsor Framework. Consider professional advice for complex imports or high-value vehicles.