ITER DIPLOMATIC BENEFIT FOR CAR PURCHASE AND REGISTRATION
“ITER staff members (who are not French and not resident in France) have the right to import or acquire in France a motor vehicle without payment of taxes and duties during their employment in France, which vehicle shall be registered in a special (diplomatic) series.”
(Article 13-3 of the ITER Headquarters Agreement)
As ITER direct employee, you will benefit from specific procedures for the purchase and for the registration of your car in France, as long as you hold a French special residence permit (with code AT or FI).
You can:
- Import one car to France without any taxes or duties (if from a non EU country) OR
- Buy one new vehicle* without any VAT (Value Added Tax = 20% in France)
* Only private passenger vehicles or motorcycles (no camping-cars nor commercial cars): to check the eligibility of the vehicle to the VAT-free purchase, please contact the WO
* Diplomatic registration is also possible for a second-hand car.
– bought from another ITER direct employee
– bought from a third party: in that case, since the tax has already been paid, there is no VAT benefit (except on the dealer’s margin, if any).
If you are married (or in a legally recognized union) and if your spouse is coming to reside with you in France (if she holds a French special residence card too), you will be entitled to 2 tax- and duty-free imports or purchases (or 1 import and 1 purchase).
Be careful, all car documents should anyway be in your name only for the diplomatic registration.
The Welcome Office will be the interface for those formalities.
Keep in mind that even with a French diplomatic registration, “no immunity shall apply in the case of a motor traffic offense, nor in the case of damage caused by your vehicle” (Article 13-1-a of the ITER Headquarters Agreement).
Should you fail in complying with the rules, you may be fined or prosecuted and sentenced to jail.
If you do not hold the French special card, only the French standard rules will be applicable to your car.
You will find below important information on the rights, benefits and obligations linked to a French diplomatic registration, please read this 2-page document carefully if you intend to use this type of registration.
Car diplomatic registration-Rights and Obligations
For details about the diplomatic registration card itself:
Driving a car with diplomatic registration card
PROCESS FOR A FRENCH DIPLOMATIC REGISTRATION
If you wish to register your newly-bought car under a French diplomatic registration, please see the applicable information sheet according to your case:
Diplomatic registration – New car purchase in France
Diplomatic registration – New car purchase in the EU
Diplomatic registration – Used car purchase in France
Diplomatic registration – ITER staff used car
PROCESS FOR A FRENCH STANDARD REGISTRATION
You may also opt for a standard registration for your car.
If you buy a new car from a French car dealer, the dealer will register the car for you.
For a second-hand car, you will find information sheets below: