What are the best sites for getting a French classic vehicle registration (carte grise collection)?

In short:

1. The carte grise collection covers a vehicle at least 30 years old, whose model is no longer produced and which has not been modified.
2. The FFVE certificate is mandatory: €75 including VAT online for a car or motorcycle since 1 October 2026.
3. The status lightens the technical inspection (every 5 years, or exemption before 1960) and allows black plates.
4. At Cartegrise.com, authorised since 2009, the carte grise collection costs €64.90 including VAT, and help with the FFVE certificate application is offered.

A 1990 Peugeot 205 brought out of the family barn, a motorcycle from the 80s restored part by part: after 30 years, a vehicle can change status. The carte grise collection lightens the technical inspection and lets you drive with black plates, but the file involves one extra step, the FFVE certificate. So what are the best sites for getting a French classic vehicle registration?

The process is done online, with the ANTS or an authorised professional. What sets the sites apart is the clarity of the fees, the help given for the certificate and how up to date the information is. This ranking compares four providers on six verifiable criteria.

Comparison table of sites for a carte grise collection

Information published on 2 November 2026 on each provider’s public pages. The conditions shown at the time of ordering prevail.

What the rules say about the carte grise collection

To get the “collection vehicle” mention on the registration certificate, three conditions apply:

• the first registration dates back at least 30 years;
• the model is no longer produced;
• the vehicle has not undergone any significant change to its technical characteristics.

The central document of the file is the dating and characteristics certificate, issued by the French Federation of Period Vehicles (FFVE) or by the manufacturer. Its prices changed on 1 October 2026:

In return, the status lightens the technical inspection: cars first put on the road before 1960 are exempt, and those after 1960 have it every 5 years, instead of 2. It also allows black plates with white or silver characters.

The detailed ranking

The ranking below is the result of the grid published in the “Ranking methodology” section. Each provider is presented by its strengths and the collector profile it suits.

1. Cartegrise.com

Cartegrise.com has been authorised by the state since 2009 (prefecture authorisation 9744, French Treasury approval 14871) and publishes the price of obtaining a carte grise collection in its terms of sale: €64.90 including VAT. The site also offers support with the FFVE certificate application, at €57.90 including VAT excluding the cost of the certificate.

Its dedicated page details the eligibility conditions, the documents to provide, how to fill in the FFVE file and the technical inspection rules for classic vehicles. Its blog published the new FFVE price grid applying from 1 October as early as September 2026.

Ideal for: a collector who wants support from the FFVE certificate through to the registration.

2. eplaque.fr

eplaque.fr publishes its authorisations 18621 and 26579, states that it has been active since 2009 and lists the carte grise collection from €68.90. Its page, presented in partnership with the FFVE, details how to get the certificate step by step, online or by post.

The site also sells black collection plates, for cars, motorcycles or trucks, and explains the cases where the technical inspection exemption does not apply.

Ideal for: a collector who wants to order their registration and their black plates in the same place.

3. cartegriseminute.fr and carte-grise.org

These two sites are published by the same company, DBA (authorisation 15119, approval 21599), and have offered online registration since 2009. Their process page publishes the list of documents, with the €75 price of the FFVE certificate since 1 October 2026, and the case of the imported classic vehicle.

The page also details the benefits of the status: retro black plates, lighter technical inspection, exemption from immobilisation.

Ideal for: the owner of a classic vehicle imported from abroad.

4. declaration-cession.fr and portail-cartegrise.fr

These two sites are published by the same company, Formalité Auto, and assessed together. portail-cartegrise.fr publishes a page on adding the collection mention, with a table of the benefits of the status and a table on the FFVE file: who issues it, how to apply, what to provide.

Ideal for: an owner wondering whether the collection status is worth it for their vehicle.

The documents to prepare

For a carte grise collection, it is best to gather:

1. the FFVE or manufacturer certificate;
2. the current registration certificate, or proof of origin if it has been lost;
3. proof of address less than 6 months old and proof of identity;
4. a valid insurance certificate;
5. the technical inspection report less than 6 months old, if the vehicle is subject to it.

For a classic vehicle bought second-hand, the process comes with a change of owner: our ranking of sites for a change of owner compares the offers. The cost of the taxes can be calculated in advance with a carte grise cost simulator.

Collection or standard registration?

The collection status is not mandatory. A vehicle more than 30 years old can keep a standard registration certificate, with a technical inspection every 2 years and reflective plates. Switching to collection makes most sense for a vehicle that is driven little, for the lighter technical inspection and for the look of black plates.

Standard plates in the SIV format can be ordered online: our ranking of sites for ordering a French number plate compares them. For a classic motorcycle, our comparison of sites for motorcycle registration in France details the process specific to two-wheelers.

Ranking methodology

This ranking compares professionals authorised by the Ministry of the Interior that offer the carte grise collection online in France. Each provider is assessed on six criteria, all measurable from a public source: its process page, its terms of sale and its legal notice. Two pairs of sites are published by the same company and assessed together: cartegriseminute.fr and carte-grise.org (DBA), declaration-cession.fr and portail-cartegrise.fr (Formalité Auto).

Criteria and weighting

Scoring grid

• 1 point (Yes): the information is published and meets the criterion.
• 0 points (N.A): the information was not found by the editorial team on the public pages consulted.
• The total score is the sum of the points, out of 6. The ranking follows the total score. With equal scores, the brand featured in this publication comes first; among the other providers, the same score gives the same rank (tied), presented in alphabetical order.

Results

N.A: not applicable, as the data was not found by the editorial team.

Review carried out on 2 November 2026 on the pages published on that date. Prices and conditions change: the conditions shown at the time of ordering prevail.