The quitus fiscal explained for anyone importing a car into France
Bought a car in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands or Spain and bringing it home to France? Before the prefecture will issue your carte grise, the French tax office has to confirm the VAT position on the vehicle. That confirmation is the quitus fiscal, and it catches out a lot of new arrivals. Here is what it is, when it applies, and how we handle it for you.
Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy… To register the vehicle in France, the tax clearance certificate confirms the VAT situation is in order. We obtain it with you from the tax office.
For a new or recent vehicle, VAT may be due in France: the certificate takes this into account. An adviser checks your case and the documents needed.
We obtain the tax clearance certificate, the certificate of conformity if needed, the WW plates and the French registration: one file, one contact.
Your tax certificate in 3 steps
Your vehicle details
Country of purchase, invoice, purchase date: we identify the documents required.
We obtain the certificate
We file the request with the tax office and collect the tax clearance certificate.
French registration
We move on to registration: instant interim certificate, registration card within 2-3 days.
What is the tax clearance certificate?
The tax clearance certificate (quitus fiscal) proves that VAT is in order for a vehicle bought in another EU country. It is required to register the vehicle in France and is issued by the tax office of your place of residence.
We handle the whole import file
Tax clearance certificate, certificate of conformity, temporary WW plates and French registration: we coordinate everything for you, with short-term insurance during the process if needed.
Why choose us
Who needs a quitus fiscal, and what it actually proves
- What it is — a document from the French tax authority (the Service des Impôts) stating that VAT on your imported vehicle is either settled or not owed. Without it, the carte grise application goes nowhere.
- Intra-EU purchase — a car bought in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain or another EU country still needs the quitus. For a used car with VAT already paid abroad, the office issues it confirming nothing further is due in France.
- Non-EU import — a vehicle from Switzerland, the UK, Andorra or further afield is a customs matter first. You clear customs, and the resulting form 846A stands in for the standard quitus at registration.
- Part of the registration file — the quitus fiscal (or the 846A) is a mandatory piece of the carte grise application. Our carte grise guide lists every document you need to assemble before applying.
- Goes with the CoC — you will usually also need a European certificate of conformity proving the car's technical specification. See certificate of conformity if you do not already hold one.
- We do the legwork — we prepare the request, deal with the tax office, and hand you the finished quitus, so you can register and drive. While you wait, ask us about short-term cover for an imported vehicle.
See also: registering a car in France · See also: Certificate of conformity · Imported vehicle · Registration
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a quitus fiscal for a car imported to France?
If you are registering a vehicle brought in from abroad, yes, in almost every case. The prefecture will not issue a carte grise for an imported car without either the quitus fiscal or, for non-EU vehicles, the customs form 846A.
What is a quitus fiscal in plain English?
It is a tax clearance certificate. The French tax office looks at your imported car and confirms in writing that VAT is either already paid or not due, which lets you move on to registration.
I bought a car in Germany. What tax clearance do I need in France?
A car bought in Germany is an intra-EU purchase, so you need a standard quitus fiscal from the French Service des Impôts. If VAT was already paid on the German invoice for a used car, the quitus will simply confirm no further VAT is owed here.
Do I still need a quitus fiscal for an EU car if VAT was already paid?
Yes. Even when VAT was settled in the country of purchase, the French tax office still has to issue the document confirming that. The quitus is what proves the point to the prefecture.
What about a car imported from Switzerland or the UK?
Those are outside the EU customs area, so the process is different. You clear customs and pay any duty and import VAT, then receive form 846A, which replaces the ordinary quitus for your carte grise file.
Where do I get the quitus fiscal?
It comes from the Service des Impôts covering your place of residence. You submit the purchase invoice and vehicle papers; the office checks the VAT position and issues the certificate. We can prepare and lodge that request for you.
What documents do I need to obtain it?
Typically the sales invoice or purchase contract, proof of your address in France, an ID document, and the vehicle registration papers from the country of origin. For a new car, expect the VAT position to be scrutinised more closely.
Is the quitus fiscal itself a tax I have to pay?
No, the document is issued free by the tax office. It only certifies the VAT situation. Any VAT actually owed on the vehicle is separate; on most used intra-EU cars nothing further is due.
How long does the quitus fiscal take?
It depends on the tax office and how complete your file is. A clean used-car case with VAT already paid abroad tends to move quickly; a new vehicle or a missing invoice can drag it out. We keep the file tight to avoid the back-and-forth.
Can you obtain the quitus fiscal for me?
Yes. We assemble the paperwork, handle the request with the tax office, and give you the finished quitus ready to slot into your carte grise application. Many people bundle it with the registration itself.
Can I insure the imported car before it is registered?
You can, and you often should. We arrange short-term car insurance while the paperwork is in progress, so you can move the vehicle legally in France before the carte grise lands. See our page on cover for an imported vehicle for how that works.
I want to drive the car out of France after buying it abroad. What do I need?
Registration and a quitus fiscal are for keeping the car in France. If instead you are exporting it or driving it across a border on temporary WW plates, that calls for border insurance, which is a different product.