Exemption from fees to register electric car to end across most of France from May

The cost of registering an electric vehicle will increase across France from May 1. 

Drivers purchasing an electric car (powered by electricity, hydrogen or a combination of these two types of energy alone) have previously been exempt from fees when applying for registration documents (certificat d’immatriculation or carte grise) in France. 

This incentive was introduced in 2020 to encourage buyers to invest in zero-emission vehicles, but will come to an end at the start of next month. 

The only region expected to maintain the exemption is Hauts-de-France.

The French car magazine AutoPlus states that the overall cost of a carte grise for an electric vehicle could reach up to €750 depending on the region and vehicle model.

The updated loi de finance (finance act) for 2025, adopted on February 14, gave regional authorities until April 30 to decide whether to keep the current zero tax rate for eco-friendly vehicles or apply the full rate, matching the cost of registration certificates for petrol and diesel cars. 

Until this date, the total exemption from paying regional tax for eco vehicles is still in place throughout France.

Read also: Car-sharing: How do new road lanes work in France and how are drivers checked? 

Calculating regional tax

The regional tax is the main element of the cost when first registering a vehicle and is based on the power of the vehicle, measured in cheval fiscal. The more powerful the vehicle, the more tax its owner must pay. 

The prices are for ‘one’ cheval fiscal however only the least powerful petrol and diesel vehicles have this rating. Most vehicles have multiple chevaux fiscaux, with the tax that is paid multiplied by this number.

Tax prices in some regions have already increased this year for petrol and diesel vehicles, with four regions setting the €60 maximum tax charge. 

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is also set to introduce the €60 rate from July 1, increasing by €5 which is expected to raise an additional €4 million in the region’s annual budget, according to Carte-Grise.org. 

France’s national average price per cheval fiscal is €48.78.

As an example of a popular electric car, the Renault Twingo E-Tech has a rating of ‘3’ chevaux fiscaux. If this car is registered in Brittany, the total regional tax will cost €180 after May 1. 

Further fees

Other taxes are added on when registering a vehicle. These include: 

• Tax for the development of training in the transport sector

• Tax on polluting vehicles

• A flat tax of €1

• Fee for delivering the certificate

Hybrid vehicles and those powered by GPL, GNV, and E85 energy have also been impacted by the recent lowering of the threshold for the malus écologique, triggering extra taxes on cars which go above weight and CO² emission limits.

Up to 60% of all revenue from the maluses is predicted to come from hybrid vehicles in 2025, raising more than petrol and diesel cars combined.

The high cost of electric vehicles combined with the end of the regional tax exemption could impact overall sales of eco-friendly vehicles in France. 

Read also: How to check whether you will be fined for a speeding offence in France

If you are unsure of the total cost of registering a vehicle for the first time - or if changing the name registered to a second-hand car - you can use a government simulator to help estimate the price. 

You do not have to pay the full registration amount if ordering a replacement certificat d’immatriculation for your vehicle. 

Read more: What is the process for ordering a replacement vehicle registration in France?