New website tracks contrôle technique cost in France

As every motorist knows, the cost of the mandatory biennial contrôle technique (CT) for vehicles can vary from town to town and from test centre to test centre.

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Now official consumer protection agency DGCCRF has set up a price comparison site that allows drivers to find the centre near them that offers the best value.

Some 4,500 of the 6,404 approved CT centres in France have signed up to the site and officials said remaining firms would be reminded to add details in coming weeks.

You can search on the site by department and type of CT, for example for a voiture particulière (personal car) running on petrol (essence). In Pas-de-Calais, for example, prices vary from €45 to €85, according to the site. In the Bouches-du-Rhône, they cost from €65 to €110.

Last year, some 24.8million vehicles went through the 132- point official roadworthiness check. CTs have been compulsory since 1992, but Transport Ministry agency Organisme Technique Central said some 739,000 vehicles that should have been checked were not.

Consumer association 60 Millions de Consommateurs has warned of sites charging over the odds to process cartes grises vehicle registration documents.

Site Immatriculation is the official website to register ownership of a vehicle is but some private agencies are also licensed to offer the service – for a price.

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