New rules on registration certificates from May 1st – many drivers will be penalized
The cost of the registration certificate, mandatory in France for driving a vehicle, has increased again in 2025. In the space of a few months, 9 of the 13 French regions have revised their horsepower tax rate upwards, with four of them (Brittany, Normandy, Grand Est, Centre-Val de Loire) now reaching the legal ceiling of 60 euros. It is no longer uncommon today for a motorist to have to pay more than 300 euros to acquire the registration certificate for their new vehicle, whether new or used. This is an additional expense that some buyers have been able to avoid since January 1, 2020. But starting this Thursday, things will change.
Five years ago, the government decided to make registration documents free—give or take a few euros—for all buyers of electric and hybrid vehicles, or those running on super ethanol or LPG. The goal was to encourage the French to drive cleaner by giving them a little help when it came time to pay the bill. This was good news for motorists, but less good news for the regions for which registration taxes represent a significant source of income. In a search for cash, the government permanently cut off the tax on hybrid vehicles last February. Starting May 1st , buyers of all-electric cars will also have to pay the full price for their registration documents, like everyone else.
Since the price of the registration certificate depends primarily on the regional tax, calculated based on the vehicle's taxable horsepower, it was up to the regions to decide whether or not to end this state incentive. And all of them, with the exception of Hauts-de-France, where the registration certificate price is also the lowest, have chosen to end this financial assistance. If you buy an electric car after April 30, the registration certificate will no longer be free unless you live in Hauts-de-France.
And as mentioned above, this cost is not symbolic. A small city car with 4 tax horsepower, like the Peugeot e-208 or the Citroën ë-C3, will be taxed at 240 euros in regions where the regional tax reaches 60 euros per tax horsepower. A little more powerful, the new electric Renault 5 (5 CV) will see the price of its registration certificate climb to 300 euros if it is purchased near Brest, Caen, Strasbourg or Tours, a sum to which a few euros must be added to pay the management tax and the transport fee.
After the latest cuts to the eco-bonus, the end of free registration will not help boost sales of electric vehicles. A market that saw strong growth in Europe during the first quarter of the year, but not in France...
L'Internaute
