Registering Vehicle in France & "Type Mine" nu

But - there is a UK company that will insure a UK vehicle (Discovery 200 Tdi) that is permanently in France/Spain/Portugal.

We now have found a broker that insures our G (all risks) for about 800 Euros.

My brother is driving an NG and an MGA with english plate and insured with a French broker.......

Mules,

The type mine number is the result of your car having gone throught Mine test .... once your car has gone thought you will be given a Mine number.

Actually reading about it on internet its called the drire ....

http://www.drire.gouv.fr/

Fred

Hi Myles,
I've lived in France for 6 or 7 years now and have imported 2 cars one from England one from Germany. So I can give you some categorically correct answers to your problem.
The first was a MB E200 series 4 door petrol saloon which was RHD. I did this when we moved and made some mistakes some of which may help you.
Firstly, I've never had any problem going to a broker and getting either a quote or actual insurance for either car. I've never had, nor do I know what Mine number is. However, you are importing from ROI which is in the EU - so perhaps its different - that said I imported my second car a G300TD LWB (05/2000) last year and registered it here and still never came across a Mine number.

Normally to get a quote (it's just like the UK) you call up a broker or go into their office - give make, model, age of car, usual driver details etc.... and they can give you an approx. price for annual insurance - normally payable in one instalment or monthly - as you wish. To give you an idea, I' currently pay Euro 248 for my G300TD LWB with both me & my wife as drivers - that said I did tell them that I'd only do 8,000 KM per year.

In order to import a car (Germany and LHD is much easier that RHD UK in my experience) this is the process you need to follow:
1. Write to MB in Paris and ask for a homologation certificate. This will cost you Euros 125 and you will need to send an entire copy of your vehicle logbook/registration document (not the original). Normally this arrives back in 4 to 6 weeks.
Their postal address is:

Attn: Service Homologation
Mercedes-Benz France
Parc De Rocquencourt
BP 100
78153 Le Chesnay cedex
France

2. Take your car (when in France) to a Controle Technique station (French equivalent of UK's MOT. Assuming it passes (headlights being the biggest problem normally) they will issue you immediately with a Control Technique Certificate. This will cost you Euros 69

3. Next you need to go to your local tax office ("Bureau de Recette" or "Bureau des Impots" in France) and get a "Quitus Fiscal". This is a document to prove that you have paid the correct importation tax to bring the car into the country. Now since this is your car and it’s not new there shouldn't be any tax to pay. However you still need this document - no way out. I went through this with my G late last year and I'd purchased it from a dealer in Germany. Luckily I had a receipt showing that the car was second hand and that it was a private sales with no VAT - so no problem. Your situation should be even easier.

4. One you have the QF document, CT cert. + your homologation cert. all you then need to do is go to your local "Prefecture" when in France with these documents and register your car (known as gaining "immatriculation" or registration). This is where I made a mistake with the first car - I informed the UK DVLC that the car was no-longer in the UK and sent the registration document back to Swansea - they issued me with an "Export License" document which made the whole process in France near impossible. I suggest you hang on to your registration document.

5. When you go to register your car you will need an application form. You can get this and instructions from the web. Each region has its own site but I think the documents are the same. For my region you can go to:
http://www.vaucluse.pref.gouv.fr/demarches/demarche_imma_etrang.htm
all the documents, application forms, explanations etc... are there - but they are all in French & no English translations.

6. Finally, as you are registering your vehicle for the first time in France you will have to pay tax on it. This depends on various things, size of engine, Power, CO2 outputs etc.... my G300TD cost a woping Euro 3,200 as its less than 10 years old + has high CO2 output. You can find all the details at: http://www.vaucluse.pref.gouv.fr/demarches/demarches_auto_tarifs_CG_2009...
I can't remember the age or size of your car - but you can calculate it all from this sheet.

7. You will need to pay the fee - there and then (cash or Euro cheque) - they issue the new "Immatriculation" certificate known as a "Carte Grise" (grey card) there and then. You are then nearly legal.

8. Ultimately the only thing you then need to do is to go to the local "heel & key bar" at the entrance to a supermarket where you can get a new set of registration plates made. Generally made there and then - cost about Euros 20 -> 30 depending on style, metal/plastic etc... - You MUST take your new "Carte Grise" along to prove the number and ownership.

Other things to note while you are in France.
1. You must display on your windscreen 2 little square pieces of paper. The first is white & is proof of MOT (Controle Technique) the second is a Green square - proof of insurance.
2. There is no road fund tax in France any longer - so no tax disc.
3. You must at all times when driving be able to produce if stopped (and yes they really do set up lots of road blocks and stop and check every car, driver & documents) a) your driving license b) proof if identity & this is a real pain in the a**e (for Brits. at least as the only one that is acceptable is your passport!!! I wish we had a National ID card scheme that would at least fit in my wallet). A EU driving license is not an acceptable proof of identity for the French police. c) your "Carte Gris" - another pain - because you must never leave this in the car in case it's stolen as if someone has this + the car they can register it as theirs!!!! d) proof of insurance e) proof of "Controle Technique".
4. You must get your Controle Technique renewed every 2 years in France not every 1 like the UK. But I think this may be changing soon.
5. There are other motoring laws in France which you must adhere to:
a) you must carry 2 red warning tri-angles in case you break down
b) you must carry spare bulbs for all your lights
c) as of Jan. 1st this year - you must carry a fluorescent jacket that you can put on over all your clothes (before you leave the car) in case you break down. Keeping it in the boot is illegal - next time you are in France you'll see everyone has them hanging over their passenger seats.

All of these point can be (and often are) checked by the Police if you are stopped and checked.

I think that's all. The only other thing I can help you with is if you don't speak/write French - email me & I'll send you an MS Word letter to get your homologation cert. from MB in Paris - you'll just need to add your address + Euro 125 cheque.

It's a great country to live in, but the bureaucracy is maddening.
Let me know if you've any questions.
Hope that helps.
BW
FrogWagen