Skip to content
GOODS ACROSS BORDERS

DUTY-FREE ALLOWANCES

🇫🇷 France

REGIONEUROPE
CUSTOMS AUTHORITYDirection générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI — French Customs)
VAT RATE20%

ALCOHOL

1 L

1 L of drinks over 22°, or 2 L of drinks at 22° or less; plus 4 L still wine and 16 L beer

CIGARETTES

200

200 cigarettes (1 carton), or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 g smoking tobacco

GOODS VALUE

€430

≈ US$470

Checked against Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI — French Customs) on 2026-09-06 View source →

Duty-Free Allowances

CategoryAllowance
Alcohol1 L1 L of drinks over 22°, or 2 L of drinks at 22° or less; plus 4 L still wine and 16 L beer
Cigarettes200200 cigarettes (1 carton), or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 g smoking tobacco
Personal goods value€430≈ US$470

Same EU rules as Germany. For travelers from outside the EU: 4L still wine + 16L beer + 1L spirits; 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (age 17+). Goods: €430 duty-free for air/sea travelers, €300 for others. France also has specific rules on cheese (many raw milk cheeses require health certificates when importing from non-EU).

Conditional tiers

ConditionAllowance
Arriving by car, train or other land transport€300
Travellers under 15 (any transport)€150
What the official page says
Quantités admises pour les tabacs achetés dans un pays non membre de l'Union européenne ... Cigarettes 200 unités (1 cartouche) Cigarillos 100 unités Cigares 50 unités Tabacs à fumer 250 g
Vins tranquilles vins (non mousseux) 4 litres Bières 16 litres Boissons titrant plus de 22° 1 litre Boissons titrant 22° ou moins 2 litres
En avion, en bateau : 430 euros.
En voiture, en train et autres : 300 euros.
Quel que soit le mode de transport : 150 euros.
Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI — French Customs)

Cash Declaration Threshold

US$11,000DECLARATION REQUIRED ABOVE THIS AMOUNT

Local currency equivalent: EUR

Travelers carrying cash, traveler's cheques, or negotiable instruments above this threshold must declare them at customs on arrival.

Special Notes

  • 01France is a member of the EU customs union — imports from other EU countries are not subject to customs.
  • 02TVA (Value Added Tax) is 20% standard; 10% intermediate; 5.5% reduced; 2.1% super-reduced.
  • 03France strictly enforces anti-counterfeit laws — purchasing counterfeit luxury goods can result in confiscation and fines.
  • 04French customs uses DELTA (Dédouanement En Ligne par Transmission Automatisée) system.
  • 05Overseas territories (DOM-TOM) like French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe have different VAT rules.
  • 06Duty Ret (Duty Relief) allowances apply to goods returned from outside the EU.
  • 07Sanctions on Russia (since 2022) heavily restrict imports of Russian goods.

Does what I'm carrying fit?

This is a fit check, not legal advice — the red channel is always available.

RULES5,339COUNTRIES85ITEMS111CARRIERS28GUIDES45UNIQUE SOURCES645LATEST VERIFICATION2026-08-22MethodologyChangelog