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Not sure where to ask this question so will try this section.
We have a LHD motorhome registered in the UK and will probably retire to France in the next year or two.
We would want to take our MH with us and register is there, so far not too big a deal we think.
It is a 4600 kg GVW Hymer which I thought I had read a while back makes for a different type of registration and possibly a different test regime, as against a MH up to 3500 kg GVW?
Can anyone point me in the direction of someone who has done this in the past or what we would have to do to register in France please?
We have done it with our mercedes Hymer 670, whatever you do, DO NOT GO NEAR THE DRIRE!!! they would get you to change so much in the van that it would not be worth bringing it to france, you need a certificate of conformity, you need proof that you don't owe anything on it, you need a controle technique, you have to visit the tax office and then you take all the relevent papers to the Sous Prefecture and it is just a change of address, we take the connexion newspaper and for 5 euros you can get lots of help guides including how to fill in your tax forms, so useful!! Bambi 2
Sorry to contradict you Bambi2 but the DRIRE which is now DREAR will have to be involved!
When we emigrated here we bought our Euramobil 810 with us with a view to getting it French registered, unfortunately because I was naive and did not research the necessary steps completely enough it took a while and a few trips to the then DRIRE and Prefecture before we got all of the necessary documents assembled, once all was available the DRIRE inspection was just that, an inspection to confirm that the vehicle was as the various Certificates of Conformity stated and that the vehicle was fitted with left hand drive headlamps and the high intensity rear fog light was on the correct side, no changes had to be made.
I have mentioned Certificates of Conformity (CoC's) for ours we had to have 3 one for the Fiat part one for the Euramobil part and one for the Alko chassis, this was because it was manufactured prior to 2003 had it been after that the process would have been extremely straightforward (as was the Pilote we replaced the Eura with) for that all was required was a single certificate from Pilote and no inspections at all just complete the formal paperwork and a single trip to the Prefecture pay your money and walk away with new registration documents. The registration process has recently been changed to a more central one which means you don't actually get your new "Carte Grise" (log book, French V5) but you do get the new number. The CoC's will cost you, the Pilote one was €150 and they will need to be in French (contrary to what some will tell you).
Some of the relevance of a vehicle over 3500Kgs are higher insurance costs, yearly CT's (MOT) with 6 monthly smoke tests, instead of two yearly ones, speed limit restrictions and a lot of smaller villages prohibit your entry.
France is a very Bureaucratic place which thrives on paperwork and whilst the rules are supposed to be the same for all Departments it would appear that some make it up as they go along, the above relates to the Mayenne region Dept53 and the Laval Prefecture
______________________________________________________________ John
Just an addition to my previous post, you will be classified as a "Poids Lourdes" (lorry) and as such the CT has to be carried out at a commercial centre (much like the Ministry ones in UK), they cost a bit more than the "normal" up to 3500Kg ones. You will be required to display 3 round speed restriction stickers on the rear of the vehicle (same as all lorries), not all owners comply but there are fines for non compliance.
There have been a lot of Brits out here that didn't bother to comply with the law i.e. register your vehicle within 6 months of residence, most would get a French CT, French insurance and stay on UK registration plates, the authorities are at last clamping down, CT stations will now require proof that the registration is in progress and the insurance companies are refusing to re-insure if not French registered.
I'm not suggesting that you would have considered doing that, just mentioned it for info.
______________________________________________________________ John
Just an addition to my previous post, you will be classified as a "Poids Lourdes" (lorry) and as such the CT has to be carried out at a commercial centre (much like the Ministry ones in UK), they cost a bit more than the "normal" up to 3500Kg ones. You will be required to display 3 round speed restriction stickers on the rear of the vehicle (same as all lorries), not all owners comply but there are fines for non compliance.
There have been a lot of Brits out here that didn't bother to comply with the law i.e. register your vehicle within 6 months of residence, most would get a French CT, French insurance and stay on UK registration plates, the authorities are at last clamping down, CT stations will now require proof that the registration is in progress and the insurance companies are refusing to re-insure if not French registered.
I'm not suggesting that you would have considered doing that, just mentioned it for info.
Thanks for your very detailed answer, how did you get so involved in this?
What you have written about Poids Lourdes is the part that may bother me. We previously had a 5.6t MH and had to use a UK Ministry test station. That was ok just a little inconvenient.
To do the same at a French truck testing would prove challenging maybe, don't know how they view their customers in France?
I am surprised that the view towards larger MH's is so different within the EU, but there again not that surprised on reflection.
Will have take all this into consideration when we decide on the future of our motorhoming, thank you again.
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