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Homologating a non-EU car in France

Réception à titre isolé (RTI)

A vehicle imported from outside the EU almost never qualifies for direct registration in France, so it needs a réception à titre isolé (RTI): a case-by-case technical review carried out by the DREAL of your region (the DRIEAT in Île-de-France, the DEAL overseas). The vehicle is inspected in person, and only once the DREAL issues its RTI report can the carte grise (registration) be filed.

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The process, step by step

  1. 1
    Case filing on OCTAVE

    The vehicle's documentation is filed on the OCTAVE platform, the system DREAL uses to track RTI cases from opening to inspection report.

  2. 2
    Technical review

    The vehicle's specification is checked against French/EU technical requirements to identify what's already compliant and what isn't.

  3. 3
    DREAL inspection appointment

    The vehicle is presented to the DREAL in person, clean and in working order, with all documents ready.

  4. 4
    Modifications, if required

    Common gaps: lighting, emissions equipment, missing markings. We scope this before the appointment so the vehicle passes the first time.

  5. 5
    RTI report and registration

    Once compliant, the DREAL issues its RTI report and receipt, which are what's needed to file for the carte grise.

Typical timeline

DREAL's own process typically takes a minimum of 4 months from case opening to inspection report, longer if modifications are needed.

Cost

The DREAL inspection report itself is a fixed fee (roughly €87-€174 for a standard case), but that's separate from any technical dossier preparation or modification work the vehicle needs. We quote the full picture after reviewing your vehicle.

Authority: DREAL (Direction Régionale de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement)

Frequently asked

Which DREAL handles my RTI application?

The DREAL of the region where you'll register the vehicle, with two exceptions: Île-de-France cases go to the DRIEAT, and overseas territories go to the DEAL. We handle the routing as part of the process.

Why does RTI take so long?

DREAL offices process these case by case, and appointment availability varies significantly by region. Four months is DREAL's own typical minimum for a straightforward case, which is why we start the technical review and any modifications well before the inspection appointment rather than after.

Still need to source the vehicle?

HomologateMyCar handles what happens once the car is in Europe. If you haven't sourced it yet, our sister company DriveSino exports vehicles from China to France and has a dedicated import guide for it.

DriveSino's France import guide

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