Exporting a Car from France 2026: ANTS Cession Declaration, WW Transit Plate and Customs

Exporting a car from France in 2026: the legal framework

The rules for permanently exporting a vehicle from France are governed by the Code de la Route, the Code des Douanes, and the European Directive 1999/37/EC on registration documents. Since November 2017, all administrative procedures for vehicles have moved to the Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (ANTS) at ants.gouv.fr — physical prefecture counters no longer accept vehicle files.

The 2026 process has three phases: (1) request the certificate of de-registration (certificat de cession pour exportation), (2) obtain the temporary export plate (WW garage or plaque export) if you drive across borders, (3) register the vehicle in the destination country within the legal grace period (typically 30 days for EU/EEA, 6 months for some destinations).

Step 1: De-registration via ANTS

Log into ants.gouv.fr with your FranceConnect identity. Select ”Vendre ou donner mon véhicule” → ”Cession à l’étranger”. Provide: the vehicle’s Certificat d’Immatriculation (carte grise) original, your French ID, technical inspection certificate (contrôle technique) less than 6 months old for vehicles over 4 years, proof of foreign residence (registered address abroad), and the vehicle’s Certificat de Conformité Européen (CoC) if available.

The system generates a Certificat de Cession with a unique number and a Code de Cession for the buyer or destination country authority. The original carte grise is invalidated digitally — you can no longer use it on French roads. The whole process is free and takes 1-3 business days for standard files, up to 4 weeks if documents need verification.

Step 2: The WW (export) plate

If you intend to drive the vehicle across borders, you need a temporary plate. Two options:

Plaque WW garage (”essai”). Issued by the prefecture for short-term use (max 4 months), typically used by garages for test drives. Cost: €100-150 + insurance. Not always available to private individuals.

Plaque export (white plate, red letters). The proper export plate, valid up to 6 months, issued by the customs office (Direction Régionale des Douanes). Required documents: invalidated carte grise, valid French insurance, proof of destination country, technical inspection. Cost: €50 for the plate + administrative fee €30. Insurance during the export period costs €100-300/month.

If your destination is an EU/EEA country and the vehicle is registered immediately on arrival, the plaque export is rarely needed — the local registration plate replaces the French one within days. For non-EU destinations (UK, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Australia), the plaque export is essential.

Step 3: Customs and tax considerations

Within the EU, the so-called ”used vehicle” rule applies: if you have owned the car more than 6 months and used it in France for personal use, you can move it tax-free to your new EU residence. Outside the EU, the customs and VAT obligations of the destination apply.

Special cases: classic cars, leased vehicles, electric vehicles

Classic cars (collection vehicles)

Vehicles over 30 years old with a Carte Grise Collection have simplified export rules. They are exempt from technical inspection at export. The CoC is replaced by an attestation from the Fédération Française des Véhicules d’Époque (FFVE). Many destination countries (UK, Switzerland, USA) have reduced import duty for classic vehicles — verify with destination customs.

Leased vehicles (LOA, LLD, crédit-bail)

Leased or financed vehicles cannot be exported without the express written consent of the leasing company (BNP Paribas Personal Finance, Cetelem, Cofidis, Crédit Mutuel Auto, etc.). Most leasing contracts prohibit residence change without immediate buyout. Budget early termination fees of 10-20% of remaining capital. Some lessors offer pan-European leases that allow cross-border use.

Electric vehicles and hybrids

EVs benefit from reduced or zero customs duties in the EU. Outside the EU, separate certifications apply: UK EVA homologation, Swiss type-approval (~€500), USA FMVSS adaptation (very expensive — often not viable for non-Tesla vehicles). The bonus écologique (purchase incentive) does not need to be repaid on export, except if you owned the car for less than 6 months.

Practical timeline

Day -60: Verify carte grise is in your name (transfer if not). Schedule contrôle technique. Request CoC from manufacturer (often free, 5-15 business days). Notify leasing company if applicable.

Day -30: Insurance check — confirm cover during export and first month abroad. Pre-fill ANTS de-registration. Apply for plaque export if needed (4-week processing).

Day -14: Submit ANTS file. Receive Certificat de Cession with Code de Cession. Print plate and certificate. Confirm destination registration appointment.

Day 0 (move): Affix plaque export (if non-EU). Carry: carte grise (invalidated), Certificat de Cession, CoC, French insurance, French ID, foreign residence proof. Border crossing: declare to customs at exit (mostly automated for EU borders).

Day +30: Register in destination country. Pay local registration tax. Obtain destination plates. Confirm French ANTS file is closed (online dashboard).