Fiscal horsepower calculator
Convert any vehicle's power into fiscal horsepower (CV) using the French administrative formula, the basis for calculating your registration certificate.
What fiscal horsepower is used for
Administrative power, expressed in fiscal horsepower (CV), is the basis for the regional registration certificate tax. It also affects insurance premiums and, in several countries, the amount of the registration tax.
The formula applied
Since the 2020 reform, administrative power is calculated from the maximum net power alone (Pn, in kW).
- PA = 1.34 + 1.8 × (Pn / 100)² + 0.0458 × Pn, rounded to the nearest whole number.
- The higher the power, the more the CV count rises exponentially: this is why supercars commonly show 40 to 60 CV.
What it means for a sports car
- A compact with 100 kW comes out at around 8 CV.
- A 300 kW GT exceeds 30 CV.
- A V8 or V12 of 450 kW or more clears the 55 CV mark.
Multiplied by your region's rate per fiscal horsepower unit, the gap quickly runs into thousands of euros.
From CV to total cost
The fiscal horsepower count is only part of the equation. To get the real registration certificate amount, penalties (malus) included, use the registration cost calculator, or check the cost already shown on every Luxydrive listing.
FAQ
Yes, the formula relies on the maximum net power in kW. Luxydrive's free VIN decoding can retrieve it for you.
No: this formula is French. Other countries use their own fiscal power scales. See the guide to registration cost by country.