How can I get French plates for a UK caravan without a certificate of conformity?
Not all such vehicles sold in the UK were built to EU type-approval standards, even before Brexit
While a number of websites offer certificates of conformity, these can only be obtained from the manufacturer
Aastels / Shutterstock
Reader question: We recently moved to France from the UK and imported our second-hand 2013 caravan (paying the correct import fees, etc). The local DREAL told us to contact the manufacturer for a certificate of conformity but they said this was not possible as our vehicle was a ‘prototype’. What should we do?
Vehicles imported into the EU from a non-EU country often require a certificate of conformity to support a registration application.
There are several possible reasons why the owner of a caravan used in the UK pre-Brexit may not be able to obtain such a certificate.
One is that the caravan was manufactured before 2010, when there was no requirement for manufacturers to obtain EC Whole Vehicle Type Approval for caravans.
If the caravan was produced solely for the UK market under a National Small Series Type Approval scheme, 'prototype' may not necessarily mean it was an experimental model, but simply that it does not correspond to a type approved under the European type-approval system.
While a number of websites offer certificates of conformity, these can only be obtained from the manufacturer.
As you have already done, the first point of contact should be the vehicle’s manufacturer in France, if one exists.
They may be able to provide either a European certificate of conformity or an attestation d'identification à un type CE, confirming that the vehicle corresponds to an approved EU type.
If not, they may instead be able to provide a certificate of partial conformity or one stating that the vehicle does not conform.
Keep your correspondence with the manufacturer as evidence.
In the absence of a certificate or attestation confirming the caravan is of an EU-approved type, it will have to undergo an individual approval inspection by the DREAL, known as réception à titre isolé.
Where approval is refused, the authorities generally explain the reasons, allowing owners to obtain further documentation or make modifications before submitting a new application.
However, success is not guaranteed, particularly where key technical information is unavailable.
Depending on the non-conformities, you may also need UTAC (Union Technique de l'Automobile) to test the vehicle, at additional cost.
If you obtain clearance from DREAL, you can then apply to register the caravan.
