Any members in France who shipped a car from USA to France?

[oliver]

I am interested in knowing what would be involved in moving a car from USA to France. If someone on the Forum has ever done it, I would appreciate some info.; particularly regarding how much is involved on the French side with regards to titling the vehicle and making it legal. Thank you.

 

[Samplingman]

@Xavi3r has done this and he lives in France. @oliver is the New Yorker going overseas?

 

[Xavi3r]

Hi i have done it several times, but before covid. I do not know for now, but prices were higher after covid.

Container was around 1200$ and there was loading and unloading charges too, import taxes... for everything it was around 3000€.

There is a special status for old cars in france but cars must have 30 years minimum. There is not much to do to make it legal.
Car must be original, no mods are allowed now ( you can still lie but at your own risks ( i think that you do not risk much )).

To make a title in france you will need :
- original title
- 846a ( certificat after paying customs ) this paper is very important you can't have title without it.
- certificat of conformity. For this you have to ask to the FFVE that certify that your old car is all original and can have a title. Cost is 60 euros. You have to provide pictures of the car.
- security check ( controle technique ) that says that the car is safe for the road.
- and of course forms for the title demand.

You can make it online, on the ANTS. It is very long.
It can appear hard but it is quite easy. I can help.
Do not ask to professionals they do not know how to deal with old cars. The procedure is different for modern cars, and easier. There are a lot of scam online.

For the costs of title :
- 60€ for ffve
- 846a depends of the value of the car and shipping ( 5.5% of the value ).
- Ants : i think around 2.5€ for post fees
- title : cost depends on where you live in france. In france. For example i live in haute-garonne, it is 44€ every " cheval fiscal " and a 440ci is rated 44 chevaux fiscaux. You will have a 50% discount when the car pass 10 year old. So a title for a big block is always around 1000 euros.

We can go further in the details if you want.
For example :
- when the car arrive in france you have the choice either to drive it home or to move it with a trailer. By the law you can't drive it home, but there is a large tolerance.. ( i personnaly drove car without plates without incident, but this is very risky ). NEVER drive without insurance, car will be confiscated if police get you.
You can make temporary title that is very safe and legal. This will allow you to drive the car legaly for 4 months.

 

[HWYCRZR]

@oliver, I am going to France around May 8, want me to drive it over.

Ok, just kidding about driving it over.
I usually go to the Nantes France area (Loire-Atlantique) a couple times a year for work. I see a lot of old Pugoets and Citrons, but have yet to see any C’s

 

[Xavi3r]

@oliver, I am going to France around May 8, want me to drive it over.

Ok, just kidding about driving it over.
I usually go to the Nantes France area (Loire-Atlantique) a couple times a year for work. I see a lot of old Pugoets and Citrons, but have yet to see any C’s

Ok it is totally diffrent if you do not stay in france for a long time. Under 6 months, it is not considered as your residency.
I will do some research but i think that you can keep your us plates and title. There are no customs ( but beware if you want to sell the car, customs lust be paid ) i think.

If the car will stay in france you have to make a title it can be a secondary adress in france.


It is peugeot and citroen.
There are 3 big car maker, historical : renault, peugeot and citroen. You will see theses cars everywhere.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Ok it is totally diffrent if you do not stay in france for a long time. Under 6 months, it is not considered as your residency so it is easier.
I will do some research but i think that you can keep your us plates and title. There are no customs ( but beware if you want to sell the car, customs lust be paid ) i think.

It is peugeot and citroen.
There are 3 big car maker, historical : renault, peugeot and citroen. You will see theses cars everywhere.

I always thought it would be cool to transport on of my cars there for me to use.
Containers, sort of un predictable, hard to plan a trip around unless you have someone to hold on to the car.
RoRo (Roll on Roll Off) a little more predictable.
Yes, your regular plates work, limited to 6 months. Might need special insurance.
Haven't looked into the details too much as this wouldn't be for several years.


Alan

 

[Xavi3r]

Yeah i think that for someone that does not stay for long the us plates are fine, but i the car stays in france for more, it will need to be titled in france. But i think tou can keep the us plates as long as the car does not drives every month and the risk of being controled by police is very unlikely. But if you do not make french title and the cars stays here and if you want to sell it or if you do not want to take the car back to the usa, the car can never have a title because only the owner can make it in france : all the papers must be at the owner's name. ( you can of course sell it with the us title ).

 

[oliver]

Hi guys,

Thank you for your replies and very useful insights, I appreciate it. @Samplingman, Here's the deal: I've been thinking about retiring in France where I own a house in Le Mans (@HWYCRZR, it's not far at all from Nantes). Bringing the New Yorker is a feasibility study at this point. Even tough I really don't do anything with it, the thought of parting with it totally breaks my heart. I know it's incredibly stupid but I am extremely attached to that car; and I feel it too would like to stay with Daddy.
I've done some research and contacted a couple of French agencies including Customs. @Xavi3r, Thank you for your excellent input!!! Everything you said confirms what I've been told by Customs and DREAL, including the 5.5% VAT tax. They also said that my best bet would be to register it with a "Collection" title. Administratively, there are surprisingly fewer hurdles than I first imagined.
I just sent someone to take measurements and the single largest obstacle at this point is that, while the car would barely squeeze into the garage, it would not make it in the driveway leading to the garage. OUCH! Alternative long-term storage would need to be secured, but garages there are not made to accommodate such barges.
@Xavi3r, @MrMoparCHP International shipper said RoRo is not an option and quoted me $5K+ in a private 40' container, door-to-door service, with an estimated 25-45 day turnaround time. Sounds unreasonable?

Thank you guys

 

[FredNY66]

It doesn't sound unreasonable these days, unfortunately. A recent quote from a friend on mine in this forum was a bit more than $4000 from an eastern US State to a French harbor (can't remember if it was Fos-sur-Mer or Le Havre). You can drive your car, as long as it has cleared the Customs, is insured, and with license plates rear and front. Theoretically, you can drive with foreign license plates/title for 1 month only. But as Xavi3r said, the process will take longer than that. Key point is to ensure that your insurance covers the car as long as necessary for the process to complete. Even if the car doesn't run and stays still in your garage, it is mandatory to have it insured.

Note that price-wise, you will need also to pay what we call the "transitaire", which will take care of the container, unload the car, and make all the Customs paperwork. It's usually around 900-1000 euros.

Finding a garage big enough to park your land yacht is not totally impossible, just a tad complex depending on where you live and what's available on the market. I got lucky.

 

[Xavi3r]

Hi guys,

Thank you for your replies and very useful insights, I appreciate it. @Samplingman, Here's the deal: I've been thinking about retiring in France where I own a house in Le Mans (@HWYCRZR, it's not far at all from Nantes). Bringing the New Yorker is a feasibility study at this point. Even tough I really don't do anything with it, the thought of parting with it totally breaks my heart. I know it's incredibly stupid but I am extremely attached to that car; and I feel it too would like to stay with Daddy.
I've done some research and contacted a couple of French agencies including Customs. @Xavi3r, Thank you for your excellent input!!! Everything you said confirms what I've been told by Customs and DREAL, including the 5.5% VAT tax. They also said that my best bet would be to register it with a "Collection" title. Administratively, there are surprisingly fewer hurdles than I first imagined.
I just sent someone to take measurements and the single largest obstacle at this point is that, while the car would barely squeeze into the garage, it would not make it in the driveway leading to the garage. OUCH! Alternative long-term storage would need to be secured, but garages there are not made to accommodate such barges.
@Xavi3r, @MrMoparCHP International shipper said RoRo is not an option and quoted me $5K+ in a private 40' container, door-to-door service, with an estimated 25-45 day turnaround time. Sounds unreasonable?

Thank you guys

5k for shipping sound right now. I think it can be lower but if it is good for you it is not insane.

For the collection title it is an obligation for old cars. Now you can't have an ordinary title for a 30+ year car ( or if you are motivated to go to the homologation and spend 5k+ $ or more ). A collection title is a huge bonus because the security inspection is every 5 years instead of 2 years for regular cars.

45 days soonds good. If i understand correctly it does not include the french title, but it not a bad thing you better have to do it yourself, but be sure to have all the paper from the shipping company otherwise thebcar will never have a title. ( keep a color copy of all you papers before giving them).

 

[ThisAwesomeCOLA]

I think you can get a better price than this, most shippers and importers quote about 1k-2k for shipping from the east coast to Norway, though it might have changed after COVID. See example here, fixed price $1855: Vehicle Transport | JetCarrier

 

[Xavi3r]

I think you can get a better price than this, most shippers and importers quote about 1k-2k for shipping from the east coast to Norway, though it might have changed after COVID. See example here, fixed price $1855: Vehicle Transport | JetCarrier

Do not forget to include all costs, when you get 1/2k$ quote it is from harbor to harbor, tou have to add the inland transport ( if needed ), load and unload, insurance, taxes, legal papers..
At the end it is always aroud 3/4k. I try to talk all costs included.