Registering an imported car in France: carte grise and tax
Registering an imported car in France: quitus fiscal, carte grise documents, the regional tax per CV and the 2026 CO2 and weight malus on used imports.
· 8 min read
Registering an imported car in France takes three steps: a VAT clearance certificate (quitus fiscal), a carte grise application through ANTS with the foreign registration certificate, a CoC and a recent roadworthiness test, and payment of the registration taxes. These are a regional rate per fiscal horsepower plus, for many used imports, a CO2 and a weight malus reduced by age.
Why the French end price needs careful calculation
France has its own price structure because French-brand cars dominate local supply while German premium models carry registration taxes on import. According to listings tracked by MyCarDealer in October 2026:
| Model | France | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Peugeot 3008 (2019–2021) | €12,980 (45 listings) | €15,990 (124) |
| Tesla Model 3 (2020–2023) | €26,490 (61) | €28,000 (243) |
| BMW X3 (2019–2021) | €29,990 (38) | €27,700 (173) |
| Audi Q5 (2019–2021) | €31,900 (30) | €27,500 (152) |
French cars are cheaper in France, so importing a 3008 rarely makes sense. German premium SUVs are dearer in France, but the gap has to cover the malus, which can be large for heavy petrol and diesel SUVs. That is why the tax calculation below decides the deal. Our overview of car auctions in France covers the opposite direction: buying French cars for export.
Step 1: The quitus fiscal
The quitus fiscal is a certificate from the French tax administration confirming that the car's VAT position is in order. It must be requested after the car has been delivered, and the carte grise application only needs its number.
For a car bought in another EU state, private buyers use form 1993-PART-D-SD and businesses form 1993-PRO-D-SD. Form 846A, often mentioned online, is the customs certificate for cars from outside the EU, not for EU purchases.
How to obtain it:
- Online via ANTS – compulsory for residents of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais, Moselle and Bas-Rhin départements, where the procedure has been digital since September 2023.
- From the tax office of the département in other cases, by e-mail or by appointment.
- Dealers buying for resale who do not yet know the final buyer can use an ANTS procedure reserved for professionals.
Documents usually requested: proof of address under six months old, ID, the foreign registration certificate, the invoice or certificate of sale, a power of attorney if someone else applies, and certified translations where needed. A complete file is typically processed the same or the next working day.
When VAT has to be paid in France
If the car is a "new means of transport" – under six months old or with under 6,000 km – French VAT of 20% is due. Private buyers pay it before the quitus is issued; VAT-registered businesses declare it on their VAT return. For an ordinary used car bought from an EU dealer under the margin scheme, no French VAT is due.
For car dealers
Know your margin before you buy
MyCarDealer compares any car from an auction or listing with the market in your country and shows the net margin after VAT, transport and costs – and the maximum bid.
Request accessStep 2: Documents for registering an imported car in France
According to the official French administration portal, a used car from another EU state needs:
| Document | Note |
|---|---|
| Foreign registration certificate | The original, all parts |
| Proof of roadworthiness test under 6 months old | Carried out in France or in any EU country |
| Proof of address under 6 months old | Of the future holder |
| Form cerfa 13750 | Registration application |
| Quitus fiscal | Its number is entered online |
| Invoice or certificate of sale | Proof of acquisition |
| Form cerfa 15776 | Declaration of transfer |
| Technical proof | CoC, a manufacturer or DREAL attestation, or an individual approval |
The technical proof is where imports get stuck. With a European CoC the process is routine. Without one, you need an attestation from the manufacturer's French representative or an individual approval from the regional authority (DREAL), which costs time and money. Our article on individual vehicle approval without a CoC explains the alternatives; order the CoC before transport whenever you can.
Step 3: The ANTS application and timing
Applications are filed online at the ANTS website or through an authorised professional, who charges a fee. Many dealers are authorised themselves and register cars for their customers.
- After submission, a provisional registration certificate is issued straight away. It allows the car to be driven for one month, in France only.
- The final carte grise arrives by registered post, typically within a few days to several weeks.
- The owner must apply within one month of the purchase.
For a dealer, the bottleneck is usually not ANTS but the paperwork before it: the quitus, the test certificate and the technical proof.
Step 4: The registration taxes
The carte grise price is the sum of several taxes, of which the regional tax and the malus matter most.
Regional tax per fiscal horsepower
Each region sets a rate per fiscal horsepower (cheval fiscal, CV), capped by law at €60 per CV. For 2026, published regional decisions put the rate between about €42 per CV in Hauts-de-France and the €60 cap in regions such as Brittany, Normandy and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Île-de-France adds a 2026 surcharge for public transport funding. Most regions have also ended the full exemption for electric cars that applied until 2025.
On top come a fixed management tax of €11 and a delivery fee of €2.76. A 7 CV car registered in a €60 region pays €420 + €11 + €2.76 = €433.76 before any malus.
CO2 malus on used imports
The CO2 malus applies to cars registered in France for the first time, including used imports. Under the 2026 scale, effective from 1 January 2026, the malus starts at €50 at 108 g/km (WLTP) and reaches €80,000 above 191 g/km. Electric and hydrogen cars are not subject to it.
For a used import, the malus is reduced according to how long ago the car was first registered abroad: 3% for months 1–3, 6% for months 4–6 and so on, rising by 3 percentage points per quarter, until it is cancelled entirely from the 181st month. Cars first registered before 1 January 2015 pay no malus.
Weight malus
France also charges a malus on heavy cars. Under the 2026 scale, cars up to 1,499 kg are exempt; above that the rate per kilogram rises in bands from €10 per kg (1,500–1,699 kg) to €30 per kg from 2,000 kg. Fully electric cars are exempt, hybrids get a 100 kg allowance and plug-in hybrids 200 kg. Used imports benefit from the same age-based reduction, and the CO2 and weight malus together are capped at €80,000.
A worked example
Take a petrol SUV with a full CO2 malus of €4,000 and a mass of 1,750 kg, first registered in Germany 36 months ago:
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CO2 malus | €4,000 × (1 − 36%) | €2,560 |
| Weight malus | (200 kg × €10 + 50 kg × €15) × (1 − 36%) | €1,760 |
| Regional tax, 9 CV at €60 | 9 × €60 | €540 |
| Fixed tax and delivery | €11 + €2.76 | €13.76 |
| Total | €4,873.76 |
The CO2 malus figure is an assumption for illustration; take the exact amount for the car's CO2 value from the official scale.
How long French registration of an import takes
With all documents ready, the quitus takes a day or two, the ANTS application gives a provisional certificate immediately, and the final carte grise follows within days to a few weeks. A missing CoC is the most common reason it takes much longer. Plan the CoC and the roadworthiness test before the car arrives.
Pricing a car for French buyers
A French buyer looks at the total: price, carte grise, malus. For an older or light car the taxes are small; for a young heavy SUV they can exceed the price advantage over French stock. MyCarDealer calculates the market price of a car from comparable listings in your country and the margin after VAT and transport, and you can value one car for free. For a country-by-country view of registration taxes, see car registration tax in Europe.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quitus fiscal and how is it obtained?
It is a tax certificate confirming that the VAT on an imported car is in order. For cars from the EU it is requested after delivery on form 1993-PART-D-SD (private) or 1993-PRO-D-SD (business), online via ANTS in some départements or from the local tax office.
Which documents are needed for a French carte grise on an import?
The foreign registration certificate, a roadworthiness test under six months old (French or EU), proof of address, form cerfa 13750, the quitus fiscal, the invoice, form cerfa 15776 and technical proof such as a CoC.
Does the French CO2 malus apply to imported used cars?
Yes, at the first French registration, but it is reduced by 3% per quarter since the first registration abroad and disappears after 180 months. Cars first registered before 2015 and electric cars do not pay it. A separate weight malus applies to heavy cars.
How long does French registration of an import take?
The quitus usually takes a day or two and the ANTS application gives a one-month provisional certificate immediately. The final carte grise arrives within days to a few weeks, longer if the technical proof is missing.
How much is the carte grise for an imported car?
The regional rate per fiscal horsepower (up to €60 per CV), plus €11 and €2.76 in fixed fees, plus any CO2 and weight malus after the age reduction. A 7 CV car without malus costs about €434 in a €60 region.