When you are shipping to France you are shipping all of your personal effects and household goods that you have accumulated during your lifetime, because of this you need to ensure that you have all of your documentation that you need to ship certain aspects. Below is a list of the documentation that you need in order to ship certain things over to France.

The documentation that you need to ship household goods to France includes:

• A detailed and valued inventory, which is wrote using Euros (€) and that is dated and signed on each page indicating the used value of your goods.
• Proof of residence in France (for example an electricity bill or telephone bill)
• Non resale certificate (Certificat de non cession)
• Copy of passport
• An attestation of transfer from the company stating that the you have been living for more than one year abroad (an original will be needed if the container is routed to the port of Fos-Marseille) or a certificate of change of residence that could be obtained from the French Consulate of the origin country.

Household goods may be imported duty free provided that: 

• They have been in your use and possession for more than six months abroad and are for continued use by you.  For an EC country there is no time limitation.
• Any subsequent consignment has to be reported and listed at the time of the first import.
• Importation has to take place within one year after residence transfer.

Documents required for Vehicles

• Change of residence certificate delivered by French Consulate in origin country
• Original registration card

·        Purchasing invoice of the vehicle

Vehicles may be imported duty free provided that: 

• Owner has been living abroad for more than one year. 
• The vehicle has been owned for more than 6 months. 
• It is normally registered. 
• It is not a commercial vehicle. 

It should be noted that if a vehicle is imported it needs to be mentioned on the inventory list, even if it is not accompanying the household goods.

Documents required for secondary residency:

• Authorisation certificate from Regional Customs Directorate of the secondary residence Area, upon request in triplicate with detailed and valued inventory
• Document in evidence of ownership or renting evidence of the normal residence abroad

Documents for Inheritance items:

Declaration from Notary with inventory of goods, date of death, degree of kinship and French residence permit. The goods must be shipped within one year from date of death.

Documents for Students:

Official attestation of attendance at school or university. The scholar's goods must be shipped within one month from date of registration at school or university.

Documents for Wedding presents

Marriage certificate and French residence permit. The goods must be shipped within one month from date of marriage.

Documents for Secondary residence

Preliminary official authorisation from French Regional Head customs Office.

Documents for Pets

Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies at least one month and no more than one year prior to importation and a valid rabies vaccination certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian of the country of departure should accompany the animal. 
A health certificate (in French), executed not more than five days prior to departure by the national licensed veterinarian of the country of export, must also accompany the pet together with a current medical and inoculation history.