SETTLING IN - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 174

the stamp. Tickets paid within 30 days are given a remise
(discount), but you pay more than double if you exceed
the three months' deadline. EU citizens should note that
unpaid tickets might be forwarded to your home country for
payment. If your car is not where you parked it (especially
if you have parked near a sign saying stationnement gênant
(with a picture of a car being towed away), it might have been
remorquée et mise à la fourrière (towed and impounded). Go
to the nearest commissariat to determine at which of the six
préfourrières (car depots) the car is being kept. After 48 hours
the car goes to one of four central fourrières (car pounds).
Fines for retrieval include towing and storage charges, plus
the original parking ticket.
Bringing a Car into France
Cars entering the country by road are not usually recorded by
French customs; nonetheless it is important to have the car's
registration and insurance papers with you. For shipped cars,
the shipping company will be issued a déclaration d'admission
at customs, given to the owner when the car is delivered.
Cars that have been owned for more than six months (and
on which no previous taxes are due) are considered intended
for personal use and are generally exempt from customs
duties; this does not apply to trucks and utility vehicles. Bring
all ownership and tax payment documentation pertaining
to the car.
Generally, cars that will remain in the country for less than
three months do not have to change their registration. For
stays longer than three months, the car should have French
plaques d'immatriculation (licence plates). You must convert
its registration to the French carte grise within a year at the
Préfecture or mairie . Bring your carte de séjour , proof of
residence and car title.
Automobiles brought into France must conform to
countrywide regulations, such as being equipped with a
catalytic converter, and will be tested to ensure that they do.
If your car is a make that is sold in France, you might call
a dealer there to determine in advance what adjustments
your model needs. Since not all parts for imported cars are