WW Plates in France: drive your car legally before final registration
WW plates are France's provisional registration. They let you drive a car that isn't yet registered in your own name, whether you've just imported it or you're about to take it out of the country. The plate is only half the job though: no French registration, provisional or not, is valid on the road without insurance. We arrange both together so you can move the car this week, not next month.
Vehicle bought abroad? WW plates let you drive in France while you obtain the French registration. We handle the file.
Registration in progress? WW plates avoid immobilising the vehicle: you keep driving. Short-term insurance possible alongside.
We collect the documents, request the WW plates and move on to the final French registration: one contact from start to finish.
Your WW plates in 3 steps
Your vehicle details
Vehicle and ID documents: we check what is needed.
We obtain the WW plates
We file the provisional WW registration request.
Final registration
We then move on to the final French registration.
What are temporary WW plates?
Provisional WW registration is a temporary registration that allows you to drive legally in France while waiting for the final registration. It is especially useful for an imported or newly bought vehicle, while you gather the certificate of conformity, the tax clearance certificate and the other documents.
We handle the whole file
WW plates, certificate of conformity, tax clearance certificate and French registration: we coordinate everything, with short-term insurance during the process if needed.
Why choose us
What WW plates are, and who actually needs them
- What a WW plate is — a temporary French registration (série WW) that lets a vehicle circulate legally while its permanent carte grise is still being processed. The number starts with WW and is issued in your name.
- Validity — a WW registration runs for four months. It's meant as a bridge to the definitive plate, not a way to drive indefinitely, so you should file for the permanent registration during that window.
- Freshly imported cars — bought a car in Germany, Belgium or elsewhere in the EU and driven it home? Until the French file is complete you can run it on WW plates. See our imported-vehicle insurance page for the cover side.
- Exporting a car — taking a vehicle out of France to Romania, the Balkans or the Maghreb usually means WW temporary plates plus a green card, which is exactly what our border insurance is built for.
- Insurance is compulsory — a WW plate does not exempt you from third-party cover. Police can and do check, and an uninsured WW car is as illegal as any other. We issue the attestation the same day.
- We handle the paperwork — you tell us whether the car is coming in or going out, we sort the provisional registration and the matching short-term policy, and email you the proof of cover so you can drive off.
See also: registering a car in France · transit insurance · See also: Certificate of conformity · Tax clearance certificate · Registration
Frequently asked questions
What are WW plates in France?
WW plates are a provisional French registration, recognisable because the number begins with WW. They allow a car to be driven legally in your name before its permanent carte grise is issued, typically while an import file or a change of ownership is still being processed.
How long are WW plates valid for?
A WW registration is valid for four months. It's designed to cover the gap until the definitive plate comes through, so you're expected to complete the permanent registration inside that period rather than keep renewing indefinitely.
Do I need WW plates to drive an imported car?
If you've bought a car abroad and it isn't yet registered in France, WW plates are the usual way to drive it here legally in the meantime. Once the French file is finalised you swap them for the permanent number.
Can I use WW plates to export a car out of France?
Yes, that's one of their main uses. To take a car to Romania, the Balkans, Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia you generally need temporary WW plates plus valid insurance shown on a green card, which is what our border product provides.
Is insurance required with WW plates?
It is, without exception. A WW plate is a registration, not a permit to drive uninsured, so third-party cover is mandatory and checked. We can put a short-term policy in place and send the attestation by email the same day.
Does the insurance cover me while I drive the car back to France after buying it abroad?
That's a cross-border journey, so the right product is border insurance rather than the standard French policy. Tell us the route and dates and we'll set it up with the green card that lists the countries crossed.
How do I get WW plates?
You apply through the French system with the vehicle's ownership and conformity documents. In practice most people ask us to arrange the provisional registration alongside the insurance so it's handled in one go instead of chasing two separate offices.
What documents do I need for a WW registration?
Broadly: proof of who owns the vehicle (invoice or foreign registration), an identity document, proof of address, and, for imports, a certificate of conformity. Tell us your exact case and we'll confirm what applies before you start.
Can I drive on WW plates in the UK?
No. This cover is for a vehicle circulating in France, Corsica, the French overseas territories and the European Union as shown on the green card. It does not extend to driving inside the UK.
I have a non-EU driving licence. Can I still be insured on a WW car?
A foreign licence held for more than two years can be accepted, but a non-EU licence is only valid for cover if you also hold a valid residence permit, or a passport carrying entry stamps. If you're on a foreign permit, see our foreign-licence insurance page for the detail.
How short can the policy be?
From a single day. If you only need to move an imported car for a week before permanent registration, or drive to a border to export it, you pay for the days you use, from 1 up to 90, renewable.
How much does WW-plate insurance cost?
There's no flat rate. The premium depends on the vehicle, the driver's licence and age, and how many days you need, so we quote your exact situation rather than quoting a figure that wouldn't hold. Send the details and you'll get a real price back.