# Returning to France with expried motoring docs.



## graham.lucca

Hi
Been stuck over in UK for almost 2 years now, (due to covid, family, illness etc..).My car is registered in France but has been off the road (but maintained properly). I'm now in a position to return to my home in Charente. What do I need to sort out so I'm OK driving.

Many thanks!


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## Franco-Belgian Brit

graham.lucca said:


> Hi
> Been stuck over in UK for almost 2 years now, (due to covid, family, illness etc..).My car is registered in France but has been off the road (but maintained properly). I'm now in a position to return to my home in Charente. What do I need to sort out so I'm OK driving.
> 
> Many thanks!


I'm afraid I can't help. Not a nice position in which to be stuck. 

Maybe look up the French ministry for transport?


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## EuroTrash

It's not clear to me what documents exactly have expired. What am I missing?
If you have a valid UK or French (or other EU) driving licence, and you have kept your car insured, and you haven't changed your address in France, then all I can think of is that the car might need a new CT.
Where is the problem?


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## Clic Clac

EuroTrash said:


> It's not clear to me what documents exactly have expired. What am I missing?
> If you have a valid UK or French (or other EU) driving licence, and you have kept your car insured, and you haven't changed your address in France, then all I can think of is that the car might need a new CT.
> *Where is the problem?*


Also, where is the car?
Is it with you or at your place in Charante?


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## EuroTrash

Clic Clac said:


> Also, where is the car?
> Is it with you or at your place in Charante?


Ah yes indeed, that is probably what I was missing
f the car's been kept off the road in the UK and been uninsured for a while, then there would be a problem. 
Or perhaps several problems, but getting anyone to insure it again would be the big one.


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## Clic Clac

EuroTrash said:


> Ah yes indeed, that is probably what I was missing
> f the car's been kept off the road in the UK and been uninsured for a while, then there would be a problem.
> Or perhaps several problems, *but getting anyone to insure it again would be the big one.*


I wondered about that last week when talking to xM.

I 'happened to notice'  that her elderly neighbour who drives a wreck around the village seems to be lacking current insurance & CT certificates.

Are all cars supposed to carry continuous insurance?


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## EuroTrash

Clic Clac said:


> Are all cars supposed to carry continuous insurance?


Yes.
The problem as I understand it is that if you try to insure your car again after leaving it uninsured for a while, insurers won't want to know because by law, they would become responsible for anything that might have happened during the period when it was uninsured. Seems a bit odd but it's what I have read. So if you take it off the road and tell your insurers they will usually drop the policy down to a bare minimum just to keep things legal, then when you put it back on the road you simply reinstate normal cover.
Also from what you read there are loads and loads of cars driving around without insurance in France. If the elderly neighbour does have no CT or insurance she is far from alone.


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## Befuddled

More than likely the car remained insured because most people living here with a French registered car have the insurance paid by automatic direct debit so that probably won't be an issue. I have tried in the past to end my insurance policy when a car has had to be taken off the road to await repair. Flat refusal. In the end I had to scrap the car and get a mere €80 for it to avoid wasting many months of insurance payments. 
An expired CT would be the issue but not until it is noticed leaving the ferry on this side. Then at most it would only be a fine but on a lucky day the gendarme might just turn a blind eye.


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## Clic Clac

Befuddled said:


> *An expired CT would be the issue but not until it is noticed* leaving the ferry on this side. at most it would only be a fine but on a lucky day the gendarme might just turn a blind eye.


Sounds like a return to the good old days when a strategically placed windscreen wiper across the tax disc would do the trick. 😚


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## Bevdeforges

Don't know how carefully they check things at the ferry, but I can tell you that I one time literally just "forgot" and drove around for two full years with an expired CT. Didn't realize it until I took the car to the garage for what I thought was the appropriate date for the next CT. Everyone commented, but evidently there was no problem getting the car tested and a new, fully valid sticker.


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## Crabtree

If the OP is a Full time UK resident he cannot drive a non UK reg vehicle on the roads in the UK other than taking it for an MOT/repairs following MOT failure and I suspect that there is no insurance company willing to cover it but as the details are sparse we can can only guess at the circumstances


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## EuroTrash

Crabtree said:


> If the OP is a Full time UK resident





graham.lucca said:


> I'm now in a position to return to my home in Charente.


As you say, not enough info. We can only guess.


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## Clic Clac

EuroTrash said:


> As you say, not enough info. *We can only guess.*


I'm guessing :

I) He's French resident (_home_ not house). 

2) The car is in the UK. 

3) His internet is down. 🤣


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## Peasant

Clic Clac said:


> Sounds like a return to the good old days when a strategically placed windscreen wiper across the tax disc would do the trick.


That never worked with motorcycles.


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## ccm47

Clic Clac said:


> I) He's French resident (_home_ not house).


Surely if he's been stuck in the UK for 2 years, he has become UK resident by default?


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## EuroTrash

ccm47 said:


> Surely if he's been stuck in the UK for 2 years, he has become UK resident by default?


Again, we don't have enough information to do more than speculate do we.
When I returned to the UK for a couple of years I had quite a lengthy discussion with my tax office in France to decide whether or not they would continue to regard me as resident or not. Obviously I was going to be paying taxes in the UK in any case, but France were interested in other factors in addition to where I was actually going to be.


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## Franco-Belgian Brit

I guess we all await @graham.lucca to issue a second post with bated breath


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## graham.lucca

...and breathe...

Sorry people.
The car is in UK. Off the road but maintained by a British garage to UK MOT standards.
I've got insurance on direct debit.
Suppose I'll just risk the CT and pay the fine if needed.

A bit unsure about losing residency, I had been in France pretty much continuously for 7 years and own property out there.

(NB: This is actually not me. Its my friend who has early Alzheimer's and I'm trying to help. I'll be going over with him and try and sort out whatever mess he's left )


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## Clic Clac

graham.lucca said:


> The car is in UK. Off the road but maintained by a British garage to UK MOT standards.
> I've got insurance on direct debit.
> Suppose I'll just risk the CT and pay the fine if needed.


If your schedule permits you could book it in for a CT in the. arrival town for when you get off the ferry.

I think that normally if it fails you are allowed time to get it re-tested, but I'm not sure if that applies to a lapsed CT.



Clic Clac said:


> I'm guessing :
> I) He's French resident (home not house).
> 2) The car is in the UK.
> 3) His internet is down. 🤣


p.s. I guessed 2 out of 3.
Did I get the hat trick ? 😅🤗


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## SPGW

Good suggestion CC,
If you can show you’ve got an appointment booked (might be easier in the destination town in Charente rather than port of arrival) and you can explain why you have not been able to do the CT within the time limit ( OP’s circumstances cover that), you should be ok.


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