Q: We have a second home in France and our local déchetterie has requested proof of residence and a carte grise.
We either drive our UK-registered vehicle over or use hire cars so how can we obtain a déchetterie permit?
A: You should have no problem obtaining a déchetterie permit but the process for accessing the site with a hire car will differ slightly, depending on where you live.
Several local authorities confirmed to us that it is possible to sign up for a permit using a UK-registered vehicle.
Read more: UK residents CAN legally register a car at their French second home
In the communauté de communes Vaison Ventoux (Vaucluse, Drôme), for example, you would then need to show the rental agreement for a hire car if you do not come with the car used to register.
You will not be automatically turned away when your number plate is scanned.
“It’s done by a person with a beeper so if they see it is not the same number plate, they will ask why,” the CdC said.
The website for SICTOM Nord Allier, which manages several recycling centres in Allier, however, states that you will be turned away if your number plate is not registered.
It does, however, add that you can use a rental car if you add it to your account and attach the rental agreement.
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The relevant authority in Poitiers informed us that there, contrary to what is stated on the internet, providing the carte grise is not an obligation.
Many déchetteries have introduced cards to access their sites and ask for the vehicle registration.
This allows them to collect data on how their facilities are used, ensure residents do not exceed a certain number of visits, and verify they are not using a vehicle that is too large.
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