Import
from 230 pays

Each shipment arriving in France from a non-European Union country is inspected by French Customs. Only after this process will your parcel be handled by Chronopost for delivery.

Registered customs representative, Chronopost is authorized to handle all customs clearance operations for imports into mainland France and French overseas territories. However, temporary admission services and services related to goods subject to specific regulations cannot be managed by Chronopost.

We hold the status of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), granted by the French Customs and Excise Department (DGDDI). This designation allows us to benefit from simplified customs procedures and reduced customs controls, speeding up the clearance process.

It’s essential, however, that the sender of your shipment complies with French import regulations to avoid any customs delays. The France country profile provides information on timelines, specific customs requirements, and helps guide your sender in preparing their shipment. As a reminder, in line with our General Terms and Conditions – Article 3, Chronopost does not accept counterfeit items. Such items may be seized by Customs and may result in heavy fines.

All goods arriving from outside France are subject to customs formalities and must be accompanied by a commercial or pro forma invoice.

Document shipments do not require customs documents. A document is defined as a paper item with no commercial value. Document shipments over 3 kg are considered goods.

The nature and intended use of the goods must be clearly stated, meaning technical terms or serial references are not accepted (e.g., Shure SM58 = Microphone). Specific requirements apply to certain items such as jewelry, plants, medications, and dietary supplements, for which the recipient must engage a customs broker to handle clearance and delivery of the goods.

For shipments coming from a non-European Union country, import fees will apply.

These fees include VAT, customs duties, local import taxes, other taxes, and the customs clearance service fee, with the following specifics:

VAT: a local tax intended for the Public Treasury. It is set at 20% in mainland France, 8.5% in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion, except for books and any merchandise over 100 years old (5.5%), and 0% in Saint-Martin, Guyana, and Mayotte.

Customs Duties: a community tax for the European Union.

Local Import Taxes: for shipments to Overseas Departments, a local import tax, corresponding to a customs duty levied by the Overseas Collectivities, will apply. The amount of this tax varies depending on the Overseas Department.

Customs Clearance Service Fee: this fee covers the costs applied by Chronopost under the direct representation mandate given by the exporter or importer to Chronopost in its capacity as a Registered Customs Representative, allowing Chronopost to act on their behalf for customs declarations.

In the event that customs formalities are required, Chronopost will charge customs clearance services (corresponding to administrative fees) in addition to the applicable duties and taxes*. These fees will be billed according to the current rates based on the destination country and the Incoterm.

• For mainland France: a maximum of €21 including VAT per customs declaration.
• For the French overseas departments (DOM):
  • €21 including VAT per customs declaration if the customs value of the goods is less than €1,000 (note that the amount is €10 including VAT for shipments to individuals when the customs value of the goods is less than €100).
  • A maximum of €29 including VAT per customs declaration if the customs value of the goods exceeds €1,000.

*From the DOM to all destinations, including mainland France; from all origins, including mainland France, to the DOM; from mainland France to a non-European Union country; and from a non-European Union country to mainland France, customs clearance fees may apply (VAT, customs duties, sea grants, other taxes, customs clearance services).

• Et toute autre taxe exigible par les douanes françaises selon la nature de la marchandise. 

*In Mayotte, Guyana, and Saint-Martin, VAT is 0%. In Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Réunion, imports are exempt from VAT for goods valued up to €22.

All import fees will be paid to Chronopost upon delivery, except for import VAT, which must be paid directly to the Public Treasury in cases of self-assessment (for more information, visit the dedicated page).

In certain cases, Chronopost can handle parcels shipped as DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) or customs-cleared, duty-free home delivery.

Note:

The VAT tax base is calculated on the value of the goods, along with transportation and packaging costs.

For individuals in the Overseas Departments, the customs clearance service fee applies only to goods valued strictly above €100 (invoice value).

With our tool, estimate customs duties and taxes for both import and export.  
Learn more

Your shipment has been held by customs due to a missing or incorrect invoice? Let’s review the various situations and suitable solutions.

First, request the invoice from your sender; without it, the parcel will be returned to the origin.

• If you are expecting goods for commercial or non-commercial purposes: 

An invoice (in 5 copies) must be attached to the parcel and should contain specific information on the nature, origin, and value of the goods.

For commercial transactions (goods intended for sale), the commercial invoice must include the Incoterm (International Commercial Terms).

For non-commercial transactions (goods not intended for sale), the pro forma invoice should include the notes “no commercial value” and “value for customs purposes only.”

• If you purchased goods online:

You need to provide a pro forma invoice along with proof of payment (such as a PayPal receipt or bank transaction record). In all cases, add your agreement to pay the taxes upon delivery, either on a blank sheet or as an email attachment (in .pdf or .doc format), using the following statement:

“I, the undersigned, Mr./Ms. [name], agree to pay the duties and taxes upon delivery of my parcel No. [tracking number]”
Date and sign.

Note: For shipments from Norway, Morocco, and Israel, the invoice must be the original.

Resolution Process
In case of disputes, Chronopost will contact the recipient or sender within 24 hours after the non-compliance file is created. Within a maximum of 14 days after the issue is identified, you can submit the duly completed documents along with your acceptance of tax payment. Be sure to include the shipment reference number in all communications; without it, your case cannot be processed.