Planning on taking a car to France from the United States? It may seem like a pretty tough undertaking for some, however, with the right information and a reputable shipping company as your guide, you should have no hassle taking your car to France safely and in no time.
Below is a summary of some very important things that you need to be aware of if you’re intent on taking a car to France:
- All vehicles imported to France from the United States whether new or used usually attracts Custom Duties and it must be paid at the port of entry.
- A Value Added Tax (VAT) at the uniform applicable rate of 19.6% will also be collected by the French Customs and Excise Service at the port of entry for every vehicle imported.
- Importation of Vintage cars (25 years or older) attracts an “Old Timers” duty of 5.5% (these rates are however subject to change)
- If the car is newly bought, then your name must be written on the front of the Title as the registered owner
- If the vehicle is old, then both the Seller and Buyer would have to sign the back of the Title in the spaces as provided on the back of the Title
- For safety reasons, vehicles being imported cannot have more than a ¼ tank of gas.
The list of documents necessary for taking a car to France includes the following:
- Original Title with VIN
- License plate numbers
- Inventory or packing list
- Proof of residence
- Registration card
- Purchase invoice
- Original Title of ownership with no liens on the Title
- Customs entry certificate
Some common ports in France:
There are various ports available in France where your car shipment will arrive, the common ones are:
- Fos Su Mer
- Le Havre
- Marseille
The port of Le Havre is known to be the most common and cheapest of all the ports and it is located in the north of France. Shipments for this port are usually more regular and faster than the others. It usually takes 4-5 weeks on the ocean when shipping from the west coast, and 2-3 weeks of port to port sail time when shipping from the east coast.
France Vehicle Shipping Service
Having acquired the necessary transportation documents needed for taking your car to France, and selecting which port to deliver your car, the next step is to decide on which mode of shipment to use.
This involves choosing from two primary options which are either to ship using your own 20ft sole use container or using a shared container service which means loading your car and transporting it along with others in a 40ft container.
There are more entry ports available for shipping cars to France using containers and it is more cost effective and secure to use a shared container service instead of paying for your own 20ft sole use container.
Also, as a US citizen planning on taking a car to France as part of a relocation, perhaps for work, you can import the car as part of your personal effects, granted that you have owned it for over a period of 6 months. This way, you will not need to pay the VAT tax, you only need to pay the 10% duty based on the value of the car.
Due to the constant changes experienced with the tax rates in recent times, it is advisable that you contact the French Embassy at 4101 Reservoir Rd NW Washington, DC 20007 or visit https://www.ambafrance-us.org/ to confirm what the latest customs duties and taxes are for the car you are importing. If you’re in France already, you may want to contact the French Customs Office at http://www.douane.gouv.fr/
You can always count on us to provide you with expert information for the safe and secure transportation of your vehicle to France. Including information about the rules and regulations applicable to you.