Stephen Smith (France) Ltd

[Site Admin]

They are a-changing. From 2008 French cars will no longer bear the number of the département ("county", I suppose) where their owner resides.

Currently a number plate bears four numbers, two letters and the département number e.g

9930 RY 23

The numbers run up to 9999 then one of the letters changes until the alphabet reaches the end - RY turns into SA, for example (I don't think there is an RZ, and do let me know if there is, but you get the idea). The 23 is the number of the département Creuse.

The new number plates will run from

A 11 A to ZZ 999 ZZ

This means that should you move from, say, Creuse to Saône-et-Loire (23 to 71) there is no longer a need to re-register the car.

What happens if I have an old-style number plate after 2008 and move, I don't know. Unless they re-register me with a new plate, I could be living in Paris on a 58 plate so will I get continued cheap insurance although I now live in a much higher risk area?

Answers please.

Lesley J.