In brief
- For a motorcycle, the regional tax is halved: the fiscal-horsepower rate applied to two-wheelers comes to half that of a car, in every region.
- Since 2021, no additional discount applies to motorcycles over ten years old, unlike cars of the same age.
- Technical inspection has been mandatory for two-wheelers since the decree of 15 April 2024, with a first inspection date that depends on the registration date.
- cartegrise.com is approved by the Ministry of the Interior (Prefecture approval no. 9744) and agreed by the Treasury (no. 14871) since 2009, with over 1 million files processed, and announces processing plus the provisional certificate within 12 to 24 hours after receiving the complete file.
The motorcycle is bought, the helmet is ready, but it cannot be ridden until the registration certificate is in its new owner’s name. The deadline to sort this out is one month after the purchase.
The first thing to know is that the process is free through the official channel, the ANTS website, excluding taxes. Approved professionals also handle it, for a service fee. Between the two, what changes for a motorcycle comes down to three things: how the tax is calculated, the two-wheeler categories, and technical inspection. This guide covers each of those, then compares the approved sites most present on the subject, with their timeframes and fees as checked on 30 September 2026.
Motorcycle registration: what differs from a car
Half the fiscal-horsepower rate
The price of a motorcycle registration certificate follows the same logic as a car’s: the fiscal-horsepower rate of the region of residence is multiplied by the vehicle’s fiscal power. The difference is one extra step: for all motorcycles, MTL, MTT1 and MTT2, the regional tax obtained this way is halved, whatever the age of the motorcycle.
A worked example helps. With a fiscal-horsepower rate of €50, a motorcycle with 5 fiscal horsepower pays 5 × 50 ÷ 2 = €125 in regional tax, where a car of the same power would pay €250. Two fixed amounts are added on top, the same for every vehicle: the €11 processing fee and the €2.76 delivery fee. No eco-tax applies to motorcycles.
The exact amount depends on the rate set by each region. cartegrise.com publishes a simulator dedicated to the price of a motorcycle registration certificate, which applies the region’s rate and the motorcycle’s power.
The three categories: MTL, MTT1 and MTT2
The motorcycle’s national type appears in field J.1 of the registration certificate. Three categories coexist.
- MTL, the light motorcycle. Over 50 cm³ and up to 125 cm³, maximum power of 11 kW. It can be ridden with an A1 licence, available from age 16.
- MTT1, the intermediate motorcycle. Over 125 cm³, power between 12 and 25 kW, power-to-weight ratio of at most 0.16 kW per kg. Its engine size rarely exceeds 600 cm³.
- MTT2, the large-displacement motorcycle. Every motorcycle above these thresholds, generally over 600 cm³ and over 25 kW. Restricting power output to 73.6 kW has no longer been mandatory since 1 January 2016 for ABS-equipped motorcycles.
The category matters for the file: since the order (« arrêté ») of 14 August 2017, obtaining a motorcycle’s registration certificate is conditional on holding the licence matching its category. Restricting or de-restricting a motorcycle, and so changing category, also requires updating the registration certificate.
No age discount since 2021
For cars over 10 years old, some regions apply a discount on the regional tax. For two-wheelers, that has no longer been the case since January 2021: a 15-year-old motorcycle pays the same half-rate as a recent one.
In other words, the half-rate is already the two-wheeler’s advantage, and it does not stack with an age-related discount. The calculation stays simple: regional rate × fiscal horsepower ÷ 2, plus €13.76 in fixed amounts.
Where to register a motorcycle: the comparison
| Criterion | cartegrise.com | eplaque.fr | cartegriseminute.fr | carte-grise.org | guichetcartegrise.com | ANTS (official channel) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully online process | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, with account creation |
| Price simulator | Yes, dedicated to motorcycles | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
| Approval / agreement displayed | No. 9744 / no. 14871, since 2009 | No. 18621 / no. 26579 | No. 15119 / no. 21599 (in footer) | No. 15119 / no. 21599 | No. 212900 / no. 52480 | State service |
| Announced timeframe | Processing and provisional certificate within 12 to 24 hours | Express processing in 24 hours, delivery in 24 to 48 hours | Processing within 24 hours maximum | Provisional certificate 24 hours after validation | Document review in 24 hours, registration certificate roughly 48 hours after validation | Depends on service workload |
| Instalment payment | 3 or 4 instalments, from €150 to €500 | 3 or 4 instalments from €100 | 3 or 4 instalments | 4 instalments | Not stated | No |
| Service fees | €44.90 to €99.90 depending on the regional tax (change of ownership) | From €29.90 | From €49.90 depending on the regional tax | Not itemised on the homepage | €59 to €149 depending on the regional tax | Free (excluding taxes) |
| Verdict | Long-standing approval, file checked before submission, announced timeframe of 12 to 24 hours | The lowest entry price displayed | Established alternative, large declared volume | Same operator as cartegriseminute.fr | Fees itemised line by line | For those willing to create an account and track the document list themselves |
The table sets out different profiles rather than a single winner. The official channel suits those who want to pay only the taxes and track the document list themselves. An approved provider suits those who want a file checked before submission and a short announced timeframe.
1. cartegrise.com
cartegrise.com has been approved by the prefecture (no. 9744) and agreed by the Treasury (no. 14871) since 2009. It claims over 1 million files processed and over 32,000 customer reviews, rated 4.6 and 4.5 out of 5.
The site devotes a full page to two-wheelers, to register a motorcycle online, covering the three categories, the document list and a calculator. Processing and the provisional certificate are announced within 12 to 24 hours after receiving the complete file, with the final certificate arriving roughly 2 to 3 days later. Fees of €44.90 to €99.90 for a change of ownership, depending on the regional tax.
Strength. The long-standing approval and content dedicated to motorcycles. Limitation. Service fees are added on top of the taxes, where the official channel charges none.
2. eplaque.fr
eplaque.fr displays Ministry of the Interior approval no. 18621 and Treasury agreement no. 26579. It claims 1 million users and a rating of 4.5 out of 5 on 32,890 reviews.
Express processing is announced in 24 hours, with delivery in 24 to 48 hours. Fees start at €29.90, with payment in 3 or 4 instalments from €100.
Strength. The lowest entry price displayed. Limitation. The final amount depends on the specific process and only appears in the simulation.
3. cartegriseminute.fr
cartegriseminute.fr shows approval no. 15119 and agreement no. 21599 in its footer. Online since 2009, it claims 978,245 registration certificates delivered. Its price simulator and its content on technical inspection for two-wheelers are accessible from the homepage.
Processing is announced within 24 hours maximum. Fees start at €49.90 depending on the regional tax according to its terms and conditions, with payment in 3 or 4 instalments.
Strength. A large declared volume. Limitation. Same numbers as carte-grise.org: both sites belong to the same operator.
4. carte-grise.org
carte-grise.org displays approval no. 15119 and agreement no. 21599. It announces a provisional certificate 24 hours after documents are validated, and payment in 4 instalments.
Strength. A short announced timeframe. Limitation. Service fees are not itemised on the homepage.
5. guichetcartegrise.com
guichetcartegrise.com displays approval no. 212900 and agreement no. 52480, with a rating of 4.8 out of 5 on 4,839 Google reviews. It announces document review within 24 hours and a registration certificate roughly 48 hours after the file is validated.
Its pricing page itemises the fees: €40 access fee, €2 data entry, €2.90 filing, and €14.10 to €104.10 in review fees depending on the regional tax.
Strength. Fees itemised line by line. Limitation. A total of €59 to €149, higher to start with than the other published fee schedules.
Documents to gather
New motorcycle
- The purchase invoice, in place of the transfer certificate.
- The registration certificate application (Cerfa 13750).
- Proof of address less than 6 months old and a valid ID.
- The A1, A2 or A licence matching the motorcycle’s category.
- The motorcycle’s insurance certificate.
At a dealership, the seller often handles the process. Otherwise, an approved professional needs a registration mandate (Cerfa 13757) to act on the owner’s behalf.
Used motorcycle, and the technical inspection under six months old
- The previous registration certificate, crossed out and signed by the seller.
- The transfer certificate (Cerfa 15776), signed by both parties, and the registration application (Cerfa 13750).
- Proof of address less than 6 months old, an ID, the matching licence and the insurance certificate.
- The technical inspection report, less than 6 months old, for a motorcycle subject to it.
The technical inspection is the document that has changed. The decree of 15 April 2024 extended it to two-wheelers, tricycles and motorised quadricycles, with a timetable based on the date of first registration. Category L vehicles over 5 years old are subject to it; only vintage motorcycles from before 1960 are exempt. For a used purchase, it is up to the seller to provide an inspection report less than 6 months old, so it is worth checking before signing. The certificate confirming the vehicle is free of liens, mandatory for the sale, is not one of the documents in the registration file.
How long the process takes
The legal deadline is one month after the purchase, according to the service-public.gouv.fr page on the registration certificate. The processing time itself depends on the channel chosen.
- Through the official channel, it depends on service workload. The provisional certificate is issued at the end of the online process.
- At cartegrise.com, processing and the provisional certificate are announced within 12 to 24 hours after receiving the complete file, with the final certificate arriving roughly 2 to 3 days later. Some processes other than a change of ownership can take up to 8 working days.
- At the other providers, announced timeframes range from 24 hours (eplaque.fr, cartegriseminute.fr, carte-grise.org) to roughly 48 hours after validation (guichetcartegrise.com).
In every case, the provisional certificate allows driving for 1 month, in France only, while waiting for the final certificate. An incomplete file is the main cause of delay: an inspection report that is too old, or a licence that does not match the category, will block the application.
How to check that a site is genuinely approved
- Look for the two numbers. An approved professional displays its prefecture approval number and its Treasury agreement number, in the footer or in its terms and conditions.
- Check the official tool. ANTS provides a tool to locate approved professionals, which lets you confirm a provider appears on the list.
- Read the fees before paying. According to the service-public.gouv.fr page on automotive professionals, their service is freely priced, on top of the cost of the registration certificate. A serious site clearly separates the taxes, which are the same everywhere, from its own service fees.
cartegrise.com is a professional approved by the Ministry of the Interior and agreed by the Treasury, separate from ANTS.