Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

26/02/2010, 17:17 Will Joined on 22/09/2004 Sussex & 50 (Mortainais) Posts 6,077 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK? May not be erroneous. I remember something somebody wrote to Honest John in the Telegraph about a year ago: "Regarding the matter of a UK resident driving a foreign registered car, previously deemed illegal by the DVLA, I received last week a letter from DVLA. Amongst other comments the letter states that 'In the circumstances where a UK resident is using an EU registered vehicle in the UK on a temporary basis, on a visit from their holiday home, for example, they are entitled to use the vehicle when visiting the UK." Allegedly the DVLA web site was going to be updated to that effect, but I can't find it if it has. The actual article seems to have gone from the Telegraph website, in company with much of HJ's other archive material, but the above is a second-hand copy from another discussion. There was some pedantic discussion at that other place about how could a 'resident' be 'visiting' but allowing for the possibly unfortunate choice of words it could apply to a lot of people, myself included. We keep two cars, one UK-registered and one French-registered, so we should be able to cover all eventualities, but I am sure some clever s0d could deem us to be illegal in some way or another. Will intentionally blank signature http://www.vienormande.com    Report

26/02/2010, 17:40 Chancer Joined on 16/07/2006 Picardie, Sussex Posts 4,706 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK? Actually that is exactly my situation regarding visits to the UK. Not that I have ever let it bother me and as I dont have a tendancy to be agressive towards les flics or the old bill I shall continue to be insouciant despite what legal experts write on forums.    Report

26/02/2010, 17:45 Sunday Driver Joined on 07/10/2005 Deux Sevres (79) Posts 4,284 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK? Latest DVLA website version: Temporarily importing a vehicle Visitors to the UK can usually use a vehicle displaying foreign numberplates for six months provided all motoring taxes are paid in the originating country. This can consist of one single or several shorter visits in any 12 month period.   European Union vehicles EU vehicles brought into the UK can be used for six months in any 12-month period. You do not need to register the vehicle in the UK as long as you can show that the vehicle complies with the registration and tax requirements of its home country. It’s the responsibility of the driver to prove how long the vehicle has been in the country. Producing ferry tickets can do this. If the keeper of the vehicle becomes resident in the UK, the vehicle must be immediately registered and taxed in the UK. UK residents are not allowed to use a foreign registered vehicle on UK roads. The exception is when a UK resident: is employed or self-employed in another EU member state  uses a EU registered company car temporarily in the UK for business purposes   So, other than clarifying the 'business use' exemption, there's no change really......   Waddya mean it's only Saturday......    Report

26/02/2010, 19:04 bigears Joined on 16/07/2007 Posts 365 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK? hi the trouble is its difficult to prove where you are resident.  You can be tax resident in more than one state at the same time.  What docs do you french resident x-pats carry on you when you drive to the uk?  In practice I've not had a problem, if asked I would say I'm french resident.     Report

26/02/2010, 19:30 Dog Joined on 24/08/2004 Lost in France Posts 2,593 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK?  Will wrote: Most police forces are perfectly OK with visitors, and even seem pretty lenient about long-term use of foreign registered vehicles. Since the incident mentioned by Cooperlola I've been watching a few foreign vehicles; a German neighbour has now registered her car, but there have been a Polish (I think) minibus and a French Mercedes in constant use here in a certain town in West Sussex for at least four years; both are kept at very expensive houses so it's not a matter of being impecunious expats returning. In some other counties, notably Northamptonshire, you can fall foul of the 'six month rule' in that if a foreign vehicle is noted twice by police, more than six months apart, you are deemed to be in breach of the law, regardless of whether or not you are foreign resident, or dual resident, and can prove you have returned 'home' in the meantime. If you doubt this, look up 'Operation Andover'. Thanks for the info - I visit The Rose of the Stalinistic Shires and have been known to accidently trigger the odd stealth tax camera each visit. The blue coated early retiree easy work picking on middleclass stealth tax website doesn't quite say it as you have but it would be best to keep a low profile in Norfhamtunshire. Espouse elucidation and eschew obfuscation!    Report

26/02/2010, 20:05 AnOther Joined on 05/12/2006 Mer du Nord/W of Cahors (46) Posts 7,394 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK? I agree that residential status may not be immediately demonstrable to UK plods satisfaction but on the day the onus would be squarely on the driver to prove any claims but I really don't know what document or documents, if any, might be deemed conclusive to that end. I'll wager that the average woodentop will possess next to zero knowledge of the niceties and nuances of French residency, even those of us who live here and therefore hopefully should have a reasonable idea still constantly bicker over it I could imagine being in possession of a UK driving licence bearing the address of a retained UK property or one of convenience might present a significant hurdle in convincing someone that you are not UK resident so on that premis I'd say that a French licence might be useful starter for 10    When everybody is saying the same thing it's usually time to ask if they know what they are saying.    Report

27/02/2010, 9:02 bigears Joined on 16/07/2007 Posts 365 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK? hi I know ex-pats resident in france who still retain uk property and of course we are told that there is no compulsion in changing a uk licence.  So have you ex-pats resident in france driving your french reged vehicles to the uk had difficulty being able to prove to a suspicious pc where they are resident?     Report

27/02/2010, 9:15 Bugsy Joined on 15/11/2006 Vienne (86) The Nice Bit Posts 5,881 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK?  AnOther wrote:  I'd say that a French licence might be useful starter for 10    Agreed, and if you only speak french when spoken to, well, no worries. . "Growing Old is Inevitable - Growing up is Totally Optional"    Report

27/02/2010, 10:01 bigears Joined on 16/07/2007 Posts 365 Re: Use of a French Registered car in the UK? Bugsy your accent may be good but your uk passport might give you away.  Is it not domicle that you have to prove not residency.  The more you consider these issues the more you realise its a minefield.  Duckers and divers rule ok.  Is ron about to pounce and take me to task, he doesn't like any mention of duckers and divers.    Report

Page 2 of 3 (23 items) < 1 2 3 >

France ForumLivingDriving in Fran...Use of a French Registered car in the UK?

(please select) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password About This Forum (READ ONLY) |- About This Forum Moving |- Finding/Owning French Property |- Making the Move From Outside the EU |- Long-Term Letting |- Employment Vacancies in France Legal and Finance |- French Legal Issues |- French Finance Building and Renovation |- House Renovations |-- Working with Wood Living |- Earning a Living |- NEW - Money Saving Expat |- Driving in France |- French Education |- People with Disabilities in France |- Pets |- Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection |- French Satellite TV, French Internet and Telephone |- Health |-- Changes to Healthcare Entitlement, CPAM, CMU and Cartes Vitales |- Swimming Pools in France Owning/Running a Business |- French Artisans |- Gite Owners Forum |- Hotel and Restaurant Owners |- B&B/Chambres d'Hôtes Owners Leisure and Pastimes |- Gardening |- Sport, Leisure and Pastimes |- Shopping |- French Antiques, Arts & Crafts |- Photography in France |- Motorcycling in France |- Books and Literature |- Getting Married in France |- Pregnancy and Birth French Culture |- French Food and Wine |- French Culture |- French Language |-- French Language FAQs and Useful Links |- Wildlife/Nature/Environment |- French History Travelling to/from France |- Travelling to/from France |- Latest Good Value Deals to/from France Holidays |- Holidays General Discussion |- The Complete France Post Bag |- The Lighter Side |- Other Topics |- Forum Technical Support |- Useful Links About France/French Living Regions |- Central (Centre, Limousin, Auvergne) |- North East (Champagne-Ardennes, Lorraine, Alsace) |- North West (Basse-Normandie, Haute-Normandie, Picardie, Nord Pas-de-Calais) |- Paris Ile de France |- South East (Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur) |- South West (Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrénées) |- East (Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, Franche-Comté) |- West (Bretagne, Pays de la Loire, Poitou-Charente) |- Corsica and DOM-TOMs