Approval comes before registration
Approval is the act by which the administration certifies that a vehicle meets the technical requirements for safety and emissions. Without it, no registration is possible.
For a production model, the manufacturer obtains a type approval and gives each buyer a certificate of conformity (COC). When the vehicle does not fall under any approved type, the French highway code provides for approval on an individual basis, at the request of the owner or their representative (article R321-15).
RTI, new-vehicle approval, AVDT: the differences
| Procedure | For which vehicle | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Type approval | Production model, at the manufacturer’s request | Certificate of conformity (COC) |
| Individual approval (RTI) | Used vehicle, already registered, not conforming to an approved type | RTI approval report issued by the DREAL |
| “Réception individuelle” | New vehicle: never registered, or registered for less than 6 months | Individual approval report |
| AVDT | Car or light van already registered in the EU with a complete harmonised registration certificate | Technical data verification certificate |
Not sure which route applies? The 5-question test points you in the right direction.
The applicable rules
- French highway code, articles R321-15 to R321-24: national approval by type or on an individual basis.
- Order of 19 July 1954, article 14 bis: the central text for used imported vehicles. Its current version comes from the order of 10 November 2025, in force since 23 November 2025.
- Regulation (EU) 2018/858, Annex II: the list of regulated areas.
- Order of 9 February 2009: registration rules, including temporary WW registration.
Good to know. The RTI01.2 form distributed by the DREAL offices dates from 2018. It still cites Directive 2007/46, replaced by Regulation 2018/858 since 1 September 2020. Where they differ, the 2025 text applies.
What article 14 bis says
- It covers used passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (categories M1 and N1), registered outside France, not conforming to an approved type and imported in order to be registered.
- The vehicle must meet the requirements applicable on its date of first registration, with evidence for at least nine essential areas.
- The other areas are checked by the DREAL when the vehicle is presented.
- A vehicle already registered in the European Union with a harmonised registration certificate can take the simpler AVDT route. If it is rejected, the RTI remains possible.
Driving without approval: the penalties
Article R321-4 of the highway code penalises the lack of approval. One DREAL sums it up as follows: a €750 fine for putting or keeping a non-approved vehicle on the road, and €1,500 for offering it for sale or selling it.