Importing goods and customs clearance in France

If you want to ship your goods to France then you have to get them through customs and formally import them. This article describes a number of important aspects.

Please note that if you need help, there are various parties available to support you.

Shipping your products

If you sell physical products, you need to get them delivered into France. Depending on the country you are in, this may be a challenge.

First of all you may have to pay import duties or settle VAT. There are certain thresholds for both of these charges, e.g. while importing in the EU you don’t have to pay import duties on any shipment worth less than € 150.

There may also be non-financial bariers, like certifications or approvals to be obtained. Especially for food, cosmetics or medicine this may be the case. Check this in advance, even before you invest in your marketing.

Importing goods

When importing goods into France, you need to comply with the customs regulations set by the French Customs (Douane Française), which is part of the French Ministry of the Economy. The official website provides information on duties, VAT, and other regulations: French Customs – English.

General Import Process

Customs Declaration
- Submit an Import Declaration electronically through the DELTA system (Déclaration en Ligne des Transports et des Achats).
- Required documents include a commercial invoice, bill of lading, and packing list.
Import Duties and VAT
- Calculate duties using the EU TARIC database (TARIC Calculator).
- VAT rates include:
  - Standard VAT rate: 20%.
  - Reduced VAT rate: 5.5% for food, books, and certain cultural goods.
Additional Non-Financial Requirements
- You can check the Access2Markets portal (Access2Markets) for product-specific requirements, including safety, labeling, and certification standards.
Inspection and Clearance
- Customs may inspect goods. Normal processing time is 1-3 days with correct documentation.
Release of Goods
- After clearance, goods can be transported to their final destination within France or to other EU countries.

Service Providers for Assistance

Kuehne+Nagel France – kuehne-nagel.com
Geodis – geodis.com
DB Schenker France – dbschenker.com
XPO Logistics – xpo.com
Sealogis – sealogis.com

Importing Small Parcels

For small parcels, popular couriers like DHL, UPS, FedEx, and La Poste provide reliable shipping services to France. Shipping costs for a 2kg parcel typically are:

From the USA: €25-€50.
From China: €15-€30 for economy services.

Express options (3-5 days) are more expensive. For precise rates, consult the respective service providers’ websites.

Customs looks at three things

Whatever you ship, customs checks the same three things. The classification: the HS code that sets the duty rate. The customs value: the price plus, depending on the Incoterm, transport and insurance. And the origin, which can lower the rate under a trade agreement.

On top of that come the registrations: an importer number or EORI, a VAT registration or a local importer of record, and product certificates for food, cosmetics, medical devices and electrical goods.

VAlidate the HS-codes you use for shipping

Almost every country or trade block in the world has its own detailing on the international HS-code list. With our report you strongly reduce the risk on misclassifications, delays and higher custom duties than expected.

Tell us what you want to ship and where to and we ask you all relevant questions to get to the most likely code.

Get your HS code VAlidation Report for only € 39

Importing into France in three steps

Step 1

Classify and check

Determine the HS code for every product, look up the duty rate, and check which certificates or approvals the country asks for before you ship anything.

Step 2

Arrange papers

Make sure there is a registered importer, and prepare the invoice, packing list, transport document and, where it lowers the duty, a certificate of origin.

Step 3

Ship and clear

Let a customs broker file the declaration, pay duties and import VAT, and keep the documents. Customs audits can go back several years.