What to do if you are self-employed
Are you self-employed selling goods or services, or a farmer?
Are you a sole trader, or own an individual limited liability company or microenterprise?
If you've received a traffic violation notice for the vehicle you use for professional purposes, DO NOT pay your fine straight away! What to do if you receive a traffic violation notice for your company vehicle.
You have several options
1/ DESIGNATE THE PERSON DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME THE OFFENCE WAS COMMITTED
Since 1st January 2022, you must designate the driver of the vehicle at the time the traffic offence was committed (even if you were the driver) if your vehicle is registered in the name of a legal entity (Article L. 121-6 sub-paragraph 2 of the French Highway Code).
You have 45 days from the date of the traffic violation notice to do this, or you risk a fixed fine of €675 for failure to designate, in addition to the initial fine for the original offence.
Once the designation has been done, the designated driver will receive the traffic violation notice in their name, and will have to pay the fine personally in the usual manner.
To access the personal designation process, click on the following button
⇒ You should select option No. 2 "I am self employed" and designate the driver.
Make sure you have:
- The traffic violation notice you received
- The name, contact details, and driving licence details of the person who was driving the vehicle when the offence was committed
2/ REGISTER THE VEHICLE IN YOUR NAME (for vehicles registered in France)
Did you mistakenly register the vehicle you use for professional purposes under the name of your legal entity?
If within 45 days you can prove that you have registered the vehicle in your own name (i.e. as a natural person) you will be exonerated from the requirement to designate.
You can change the vehicle registration certificate free of charge at https://immatriculation.ants.gouv.fr/ (go to the "I want to make another request" section).
You will then be sent a new traffic violation notice in your own name.
Is the vehicle on a long-term lease or leasing contract?
-
Contact the lessor or leasing company as soon as possible to have the change made on the vehicle registration certificate.
-
Use the vehicle owner's mandate, as per the template in Appendix 10 of the French Decree of 9 February 2009 on vehicle registration procedures, which can be downloaded here.
3/ APPEALING AND REQUESTING AN EXEMPTION
If your vehicle has been stolen, or if you are a victim of vehicle registration plate theft or any other event beyond your control you may appeal against this traffic violation notice.
Make sure you have all the documents and proof you may need: e.g. the traffic violation notice, a police report receipt (if the vehicle has been stolen), vehicle destruction certificate, declaration of sale, or any other relevant proof.
You can appeal online by clicking on the following button
The designation can also be done by filling in the "request for exoneration form" (the blue sheet attached to the traffic violation notice) and following the instructions before sending it by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt to the public prosecutor's office whose details are printed on the back of the notice.