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Driving
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 07/01/2007, 19:02
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pogo
Joined on 21/12/2006
Posts 67
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Hi.Does a caravan have to be registered,to a specific address,and can an ex-brit one be changed to french registration without too much cost/fuss? Thanks.pogo
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07/01/2007, 19:56
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Bob T
 
Joined on 05/10/2006
Dordogne
Posts 955
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I think that it needs its own Carte Gris, so I assume it will be registered to an address. I am not a caravaner but have heard that it can be very difficult to import a UK van to France.
Someone with much more knowledge than me will be along soon.
Bob T 24
http://bikesindordogne.blogspot.com/
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07/01/2007, 20:59
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Sunday Driver
Joined on 07/10/2005
Deux Sevres (79)
Posts 2,879
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Yes, a caravan will be over 500kgs so it'll need it's own registration - and its own insurance.
As most UK caravans are manufacturered for the UK home market, your particular van model is unlikely to have been type approved for France. That means it'll have to go through its own type approval technical inspections before it can be certified for importing into France.
You will first need to submit it for a check of the gas and electricity installations for conformity to French safety standards. This is usually carried out by an organisation called Bureau Veritas and the cost will be approximately 250 euros. To comply, you may have to change gas regulators (if your's is an older van) and replace UK three-pin sockets with continental ones.
It will then have to be submitted to the DRIRE for a single vehicle approval inspection. You will need to obtain technical specifications from the UK caravan manufacturer so that the French inspectors can assess whether your van complies with French saftey regulations in terms of chassis, braking system, tow hitch etc. If it does, then you'll be called in for a quick physical inspection, following which, you will receive a DRIRE type approval certificate which will be sufficient for registration at your local prefecture. The cost for this will be 86 euros.
Some cost and hassle involved, but not an impossible task.
Waddya mean it's only Saturday......
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29/03/2007, 18:13
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Logan
Joined on 23/08/2004
Posts 739
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 Sunday Driver wrote: | |
Yes, a caravan will be over 500kgs so it'll need it's own registration - and its own insurance.
As most UK caravans are manufacturered for the UK home market, your particular van model is unlikely to have been type approved for France. That means it'll have to go through its own type approval technical inspections before it can be certified for importing into France.
You will first need to submit it for a check of the gas and electricity installations for conformity to French safety standards. This is usually carried out by an organisation called Bureau Veritas and the cost will be approximately 250 euros. To comply, you may have to change gas regulators (if your's is an older van) and replace UK three-pin sockets with continental ones.
It will then have to be submitted to the DRIRE for a single vehicle approval inspection. You will need to obtain technical specifications from the UK caravan manufacturer so that the French inspectors can assess whether your van complies with French saftey regulations in terms of chassis, braking system, tow hitch etc. If it does, then you'll be called in for a quick physical inspection, following which, you will receive a DRIRE type approval certificate which will be sufficient for registration at your local prefecture. The cost for this will be 86 euros.
Some cost and hassle involved, but not an impossible task.
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Dear SD.
I have been advised by my insurance agent in France that a caravan under 750kg does not need separate assurance or a carte gris. The towing vehicle covers this for civil responsibility and the number of the car is placed on the back of the caravan. Aka the UK.
Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
(Horace).
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29/03/2007, 18:44
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Jacqui Too
Joined on 23/08/2004
Shropshire / Dordogne 24
Posts 669
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Friends of ours took a large twin wheeled UK caravan to France several years ago, to go house hunting.They found a place, moved over permently and registered their car soon after, they were either unable to or it was to difficult to register the caravan. As they had put it on a site along way away from where they lived, it became ilegal for them to tow it with their French regestered car and the caravan was tecnically marrooned in France!
They were left with 2 fiesible options 1. get a british car owner to take it back to the UK, 2. get it transported by lorry back to the UK.
Thats were we came in, we wanted a caravan, so we went over and towed it back, needless to say we had a good deal!
But it solved their problem
Now we are taking it back to live in France!! (caravan not us)
Chipie
P.S. Can we please have a spell checker??????
Jackie
At least with a spell-checker I can appear somewhat educated!
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29/03/2007, 19:41
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Sunday Driver
Joined on 07/10/2005
Deux Sevres (79)
Posts 2,879
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Logan
Sorry, but your insurance agent has given you incorrect advice.
Code de la route Art R322-1:
Tout propriétaire d'un véhicule à moteur, d'une remorque dont le poids total autorisé en charge est supérieur à 500 kilogrammes ou d'une semi-remorque, qui souhaite le mettre en circulation pour la première fois, doit adresser au préfet du département de son domicile une demande de certificat d'immatriculation en justifiant de son identité et "de" son domicile.
So, any trailer (and that includes caravans) with a gross weight over 500kg is required to be registered. Any trailer over 750kg has additionally to be braked.
Trailers under 500kgs are covered by the towing car's registration, and therefore by its insurance. Trailers over that weight require their own insurance under their own registration number.
Waddya mean it's only Saturday......
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30/03/2007, 9:10
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Logan
Joined on 23/08/2004
Posts 739
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Thanks for that Sunday Driver. I have copied your reply in French and sent it to my Agent for his 'further advice.' The conflicting advice you receive from French professionals really is dire. What chance we have when things go wrong is no chance. Learned that to my cost. An attitude persists in France that you believe what folks say at your own risk. Wonderful. No wonder the French are so sceptical about everything.
Chipie.
It is a myth that it's totally illegal to tow an English caravan behind a French car. The problem is that English caravans are not separately matriculated in the UK with their own carte gris. If they were then it would be legal in France. Spanish caravans for example are separately matriculated and can be legally towed behind a French car. I maintain that if you separately insure an English caravan, have a registration number on the back which is registered to you in UK and have some documentary proof of that ie: a CRIS registration form and the DVLA formV5 registration in your name it goes a long way to being legal in France. Only a legal test case would prove otherwise.
In another example. Haulage companies in Europe have separately registered tractor and trailer vehicle units registered in different EU countries and are legally used in France.
Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
(Horace).
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30/03/2007, 13:22
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Logan
Joined on 23/08/2004
Posts 739
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No the number on the back must be registered to them in UK at their UK address and have separate caravan insurance with that number on the green card and the other documents I mentioned. I believe you then comply with the law in France until it's tested in a court. Of course if you become a resident in France then the rules of registering vehicles to French matriculation still apply.
Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
(Horace).
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France Forum » Living » Driving » Re: caravan registration
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