Is moving to France from the USA duty-free?

Generally yes — used personal effects imported under the Transfer of Residence (ToR) framework are exempt from import duty and VAT, provided you (a) are establishing residence in France, (b) have owned and used the goods for at least 6–12 months, and (c) keep the goods for personal use for a holding period (commonly 12 months). New-in-box items, vehicles, alcohol, and tobacco are always assessed separately.

How long does shipping to France take?

Ocean transit from U.S. East Coast ports to North Sea / English Channel ports typically runs 12–18 days; Mediterranean destinations add another 4–7 days. Air freight of a few cartons can deliver in 5–9 days but costs 3–5× ocean freight. Customs clearance at destination typically adds 3–7 business days after discharge.

Do I need to be present when my shipment clears customs?

No — our destination partner in France acts on your behalf under a signed power of attorney. Your passport copy, residency proof, and inventory must already be on file. You should be reachable by phone in case a customs officer requests clarification on a specific line item.

Can I ship a vehicle to France with my household goods?

Sometimes. France-specific vehicle rules (emissions, homologation, age, left-hand vs right-hand drive) vary significantly and often make vehicle import impractical or uneconomic. We always quote vehicle import separately from household goods and confirm eligibility before booking.

What items are restricted or prohibited?

Firearms and ammunition require advance declaration and permits in almost every European country. Fresh produce, seeds, plants, and soil face EU agricultural restrictions. Large quantities of tobacco, alcohol, or the same new-in-box item are treated as commercial goods and attract duty. Ivory and CITES-listed products are prohibited.

How much does a move to France typically cost?

Most full-service household moves land in a wide band. A studio / 1-BR from a nearby U.S. port starts around $4,500–$7,000; a full 3-BR+ household can reach $16,000–$24,000 for continental European destinations, higher for Nordic or island lanes. Port pair and final-mile access are the biggest cost drivers.

How far in advance should I book?

Start residency / visa paperwork 10–12 weeks before your target move. Book origin pickup 4–6 weeks out. Peak season is May–August and December; secure a slot earlier if you need those windows. Brexit-era UK clearance in particular benefits from extra buffer.

Do I need a long-stay visa before my shipment arrives?

For non-EU citizens, yes — the VLS-TS or equivalent titre de séjour is what proves you are establishing residence in France. Without it, Douane treats the shipment as a temporary import and can assess VAT on the full declared value. Book the consulate appointment 8–10 weeks before the move.

Can I ship wine from my U.S. cellar to France?

Yes but wine is excluded from ToR relief and French excise duty + VAT apply on declared value. For small personal quantities it's often economically marginal; we typically recommend shipping only hard-to-replace or sentimental bottles.

What about elevator access and stairs in Paris apartments?

Many Haussmann buildings in central Paris either have no elevator or a 3-person lift that won't fit furniture. We include an access survey in the quote — if forniture lift hoisting through a window is needed, we coordinate that with a licensed lift-truck company.

U.S. → France relocation guide · updated 2026-04-23

Moving to France from the United States

2026 guide to relocating from the United States to France — Cerfa 10070 Transfer-of-Residence paperwork, Douane clearance, entry ports (Le Havre, Marseille-Fos, CDG), transit times, and price ranges by household size for Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Nice.

Get a free France quote See price ranges →

At a glance

A standard U.S. → France household move takes 15–24 days end-to-end, typically costs $5,200 – $21,000 depending on home size, and clears through Douane (French customs) under the Transfer-of-Residence regime with the Déclaration de changement de résidence (Cerfa 10070). Le Havre handles Atlantic-origin freight; Marseille-Fos covers Mediterranean routings.

Transit time: 15–24 days
Typical range: $5.2K – $21K
Main entry port: Le Havre · Marseille
Core document: Cerfa 10070

Documents required to move to France

France customs (Direction Générale des Douanes) releases household effects duty- and VAT-free when the applicant qualifies under the Transfer of Residence (ToR) regime. The file below travels with the shipment and is reviewed by the destination clearance officer — missing or inconsistent paperwork is the single most common cause of hold inspections and storage fees.

Cerfa 10070 (Déclaration de changement de résidence)
Required for every move
French customs Transfer-of-Residence form. Proves the shipment contains used personal effects owned >6 months and that you are establishing residence in France. Filed with the inventory at the destination customs office.
Valid passport + long-stay visa or titre de séjour
Required for every move
Non-EU citizens need a long-stay D visa (VLS-TS) or residence permit. Returning French nationals and EU citizens need a passport. ToR relief requires proof of residence in France.
Justificatif de domicile
Required for every move
Proof of your new French address — signed lease (bail), notaire's acte de vente, or recent utility bill. Douane cross-checks this against the Cerfa 10070.
Bill of lading / air waybill
Required for every move
Ocean BOL or air waybill matching the inventory piece-count and declared values.
Detailed inventory in French and English
Required for every move
Itemized list with EUR values. Used effects >6 months old are ToR-exempt; new-in-box items and wine/spirits are declared separately.
Proof of prior U.S. residence (>12 months)
Required for every move
U.S. lease, utility bills, or tax returns demonstrating at least 12 months of uninterrupted residence before the move.

Price ranges from the USA to major France cities

Ranges below cover full-service door-to-door moves from a major U.S. East Coast port, including export packing, ocean freight, destination customs brokerage under the ToR framework, and final-mile delivery anywhere in France. Quoted in USD. Use these as planning bands — final quotes depend on volume, access, parking restrictions, and season.

Price ranges from the United States to major France cities by household size, including transit time and typical U.S. origin.
Destination city	Transit	Studio / 1-BR	2-BR household	3-BR+ household	Typical U.S. origin
Paris(Île-de-France)	15–21 days	$5,200 – $8,200	$9,000 – $15,000	$15,000 – $21,000	Port of NY/NJ → Le Havre · road to Paris
Lyon(Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)	17–23 days	$5,400 – $8,400	$9,300 – $15,400	$15,400 – $21,300	Port of NY/NJ → Le Havre · road to Lyon
Marseille(Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur)	18–24 days	$5,500 – $8,500	$9,400 – $15,500	$15,500 – $21,500	Port of NY/NJ → Marseille-Fos · direct
Nice(Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur)	18–25 days	$5,600 – $8,700	$9,500 – $15,700	$15,700 – $21,800	Port of NY/NJ → Marseille-Fos · road to Nice

Estimates as of 2026-04-23. Add 10–15% for Paris intra-muros addresses requiring arrêté de stationnement (parking permits), narrow courtyard access, or elevator-less Haussmann buildings above the 3rd floor.

Major France destinations we serve

French destinations split cleanly between Atlantic routings (via Le Havre) and Mediterranean routings (via Marseille-Fos). Paris arrondissements and old-town streets in Lyon, Nice, and Marseille usually need a parking-suspension permit (arrêté de stationnement).

Paris · Île-de-France
Capital and top French destination. Loads discharge at Le Havre and truck 2.5 hours to Paris. Central arrondissements almost always require arrêté de stationnement (parking-suspension permit) scheduled 2–3 weeks ahead.
Transit
15–21 days
2-BR range
$9,000 – $15,000
Origin lane: Port of NY/NJ → Le Havre · road to Paris
Lyon · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Gastronomic capital and France's third-largest metro. Loads route via Le Havre and truck 6 hours south, or via Marseille-Fos with a 3-hour inland leg.
Transit
17–23 days
2-BR range
$9,300 – $15,400
Origin lane: Port of NY/NJ → Le Havre · road to Lyon
Marseille · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Mediterranean port city and fastest final mile for Marseille-Fos discharges. Serves the broader Provence and Côte d'Azur region.
Transit
18–24 days
2-BR range
$9,400 – $15,500
Origin lane: Port of NY/NJ → Marseille-Fos · direct
Nice · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Côte d'Azur hub. Loads discharge at Marseille-Fos and truck 2 hours east along the A8. Vieux Nice deliveries often require a shuttle on narrow streets.
Transit
18–25 days
2-BR range
$9,500 – $15,700
Origin lane: Port of NY/NJ → Marseille-Fos · road to Nice

Primary U.S. → France entry points

France offers two primary container gateways plus Charles de Gaulle for air freight. Le Havre handles most North-American household containers; Marseille-Fos is preferred for Mediterranean and southern-France destinations.

Entry point	Type	Notes
Port of Le Havre	Seaport	France's largest container port. Handles nearly all U.S. Atlantic-origin household containers bound for Paris, northern France, and the Loire Valley.
Marseille-Fos	Seaport	Mediterranean gateway for Provence, Côte d'Azur, and Lyon. Used for West-Coast-U.S. origin shipments routing via Panama.
Dunkirk	Seaport	Secondary Channel port; occasional U.S. rotations for northern-France destinations.
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)	Airport	Primary air-freight gateway. Used for urgent shipments and unaccompanied baggage; transit 5–9 days at 3–5× ocean cost.

Relocation timeline

French customs is methodical and rewards a clean Cerfa 10070 file. Budget 10–12 weeks lead time — consulate appointments for long-stay visas (VLS-TS) and the justificatif de domicile are the two most common delay points.

1
Confirm residency / visa status (10–12 weeks out)
Duty-free import of used household effects in France depends on proving you are establishing residence — a registration certificate, long-stay visa, employment contract, or returning-citizen status. Begin paperwork early; the customs benefit is tied to this proof, not to the shipment itself.
2
Prepare the Transfer-of-Residence file (6–8 weeks out)
Your destination agent assembles the ToR application: dated inventory with estimated values, passport copy, proof of prior residence abroad (>12 months), and proof of new address in France. In most EU states the file is submitted before arrival so clearance is pre-approved.
3
Book origin pickup + ocean/air freight (4–6 weeks out)
We confirm port pair (U.S. East Coast → Rotterdam, Hamburg, or Felixstowe is most efficient for France), container size (20-ft, 40-ft, or shared LCL), and final clearance office. Summer peak (June–August) compresses sailings; book early.
4
Pack to customs expectations (2–3 weeks out)
Crew labels every carton with contents and room. Wine, electronics-in-box, firearms, and other regulated items are segregated for inspection access. Items that cannot legally enter France are removed at origin rather than discovered at destination.
5
Ocean transit + European clearance
Transit from U.S. East Coast runs 12–18 days to Rotterdam/Hamburg/Felixstowe. Our destination partner files the cleared ToR paperwork on arrival; typical release is 3–7 business days after discharge, longer if the officer requests an onsite inspection.
6
Final delivery + unpacking
Once released, the load is trucked to your France address. We coordinate narrow-street access, elevator reservations, parking permits (common in European historic centers), and optional same-day unpack.

Frequently asked questions about moving to France

Short, answer-first responses to the questions we get most often.

Is moving to France from the USA duty-free?: Generally yes — used personal effects imported under the Transfer of Residence (ToR) framework are exempt from import duty and VAT, provided you (a) are establishing residence in France, (b) have owned and used the goods for at least 6–12 months, and (c) keep the goods for personal use for a holding period (commonly 12 months). New-in-box items, vehicles, alcohol, and tobacco are always assessed separately.
How long does shipping to France take?: Ocean transit from U.S. East Coast ports to North Sea / English Channel ports typically runs 12–18 days; Mediterranean destinations add another 4–7 days. Air freight of a few cartons can deliver in 5–9 days but costs 3–5× ocean freight. Customs clearance at destination typically adds 3–7 business days after discharge.
Do I need to be present when my shipment clears customs?: No — our destination partner in France acts on your behalf under a signed power of attorney. Your passport copy, residency proof, and inventory must already be on file. You should be reachable by phone in case a customs officer requests clarification on a specific line item.
Can I ship a vehicle to France with my household goods?: Sometimes. France-specific vehicle rules (emissions, homologation, age, left-hand vs right-hand drive) vary significantly and often make vehicle import impractical or uneconomic. We always quote vehicle import separately from household goods and confirm eligibility before booking.
What items are restricted or prohibited?: Firearms and ammunition require advance declaration and permits in almost every European country. Fresh produce, seeds, plants, and soil face EU agricultural restrictions. Large quantities of tobacco, alcohol, or the same new-in-box item are treated as commercial goods and attract duty. Ivory and CITES-listed products are prohibited.
How much does a move to France typically cost?: Most full-service household moves land in a wide band. A studio / 1-BR from a nearby U.S. port starts around $4,500–$7,000; a full 3-BR+ household can reach $16,000–$24,000 for continental European destinations, higher for Nordic or island lanes. Port pair and final-mile access are the biggest cost drivers.
How far in advance should I book?: Start residency / visa paperwork 10–12 weeks before your target move. Book origin pickup 4–6 weeks out. Peak season is May–August and December; secure a slot earlier if you need those windows. Brexit-era UK clearance in particular benefits from extra buffer.
Do I need a long-stay visa before my shipment arrives?: For non-EU citizens, yes — the VLS-TS or equivalent titre de séjour is what proves you are establishing residence in France. Without it, Douane treats the shipment as a temporary import and can assess VAT on the full declared value. Book the consulate appointment 8–10 weeks before the move.
Can I ship wine from my U.S. cellar to France?: Yes but wine is excluded from ToR relief and French excise duty + VAT apply on declared value. For small personal quantities it's often economically marginal; we typically recommend shipping only hard-to-replace or sentimental bottles.
What about elevator access and stairs in Paris apartments?: Many Haussmann buildings in central Paris either have no elevator or a 3-person lift that won't fit furniture. We include an access survey in the quote — if forniture lift hoisting through a window is needed, we coordinate that with a licensed lift-truck company.

Structured summary: U.S. → France household moves with Douane-approved Cerfa 10070 clearance, bonded entry at Le Havre or Marseille-Fos, and final-mile delivery to Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Nice.

Ready to plan your France move?

We’ll review your paperwork, confirm your entry point, and coordinate with our destination partner in France so the load clears cleanly.

Get a free France quote

Moving to France from the United States

At a glance

Documents required to move to France

Cerfa 10070 (Déclaration de changement de résidence)

Valid passport + long-stay visa or titre de séjour

Justificatif de domicile

Bill of lading / air waybill

Detailed inventory in French and English

Proof of prior U.S. residence (>12 months)

Price ranges from the USA to major France cities

Major France destinations we serve

Paris · Île-de-France

Lyon · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Marseille · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Nice · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Primary U.S. → France entry points

Relocation timeline

Confirm residency / visa status (10–12 weeks out)

Prepare the Transfer-of-Residence file (6–8 weeks out)

Book origin pickup + ocean/air freight (4–6 weeks out)

Pack to customs expectations (2–3 weeks out)

Ocean transit + European clearance

Final delivery + unpacking

Frequently asked questions about moving to France

Related pages

Ready to plan your France move?