Classic cars can now avoid contrôle technique

Classic or collector’s cars that were first in circulation in France prior to 1960 no longer have to pass the contrôle technique, the French equivalent of the MOT test.

The new rule, which came into force on 24 February, also applies to vintage vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, irrespective of their age. However, any other vintage vehicles which do not fall into one of these two categories remain subject to a contrôle technique every five years.

To be recognized as a collector’s car, the vehicle must meet new requirements:

• Be constructed or registered for the first time at least 30 years ago
• No longer be produced
• Be historically preserved and maintained in its original state (with no major changes having been made to the characteristics of its main component parts).

Owners of vintage cars should also be aware that they will only be exempt from ISF on them (Impôt de solidarité sur la fortune – a direct wealth tax whose trigger is having wealth over €1.3m, with tax due on net wealth over €800,000 according to bands at ascending rates) if their carte grise mentions that it is a ‘véhicule de collection’.