France has stringent regulations on firearms and ammunition. As a rule,
firearms which have no legitimate sporting or recreational use are not
permitted entry into France. Under French legislation, weapons and their
ammunition fall under eight categories. Firearms and their ammunition are
listed under categories I, IV, V, VII and VIII.
- Categories I and IV (Offensive, Defensive and Competition
Firearms):
e.g.:
- machine guns and submachineguns;
- all automatic, semiautomatic and repeating rifles intended for use as
military weapons;
- all semiautomatic rifles firing more than 3 shots, repeating rifles
firing more than 10 shots and air or gas rifles whose magazines hold more
than 5 cartridges;
- practically all handguns (pistols and revolvers), except starter guns and
alarm pistols - provided they are not intended to fire bullets or shot;
- the ammunition thereof.
YOU ARE NOT A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF FRANCE AND YOU WISH TO IMPORT DURING
YOUR VISIT ARTICLES LISTED UNDER CATEGORIES I AND IV
You may only do so if you are intending to take part in a sporting event
organized under the auspices of a member of a licensed Rifle Association.
You will have to submit to Customs at the port of entry the official
invitation to take part in the event, specifying the dates, venue, types of
weapons to be used, etc.
The amount of ammunition allowed into the country varies according to the
category of firearms involved. Check prior to departure with the Association
responsible for the organization of the sporting event in which you are
taking part.
YOU WISH TO IMPORT ON A PERMANENT BASIS ARTICLES LISTED UNDER CATEGORIES
I AND IV
You may only do so:
- if you hold - and submit to Customs at the port of entry - a Certificate
of Possession ("autorisation de détention") issued by the local "Préfecture"
in France;
- if you hold - and submit to Customs at the port of entry - a specific
Import Permit ("autorisation d’importation de matériels de guerre - armes
et munitions"). In order to obtain it, you should file
Form CERFA n° 11192*01 in five copies with:
Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects
Section des matériels de guerre, des armes et munitions et des
biens à double usage - Bureau E/2
23 bis, rue de l’Université
75700 Paris 07 SP
France
Tel: 011-331-44-74-46-80
Fax: 011-331-44-74-45-85
The Form is available in all Customs ports of entry as well as in
Customs Infocenters such as:
Centre de renseignement des douanes
Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects
23 bis, rue de l’Université
75700 Paris 07 SP
France
Tel: 011-331.55.04.65.10
Fax: 011-331.55.04.65.30
Customs duties will have to be paid (at a rate of 4.5% to 5.7% according
to the type of firearms or ammunition), as well as VAT (at a uniform rate
of 19.6%). But if the articles are worth less than 1,200 F, you may qualify
for a personal exemption Travelers’Allowances. And, if they have
been available for your use for at least 6 months before they are cleared
in Customs and provided they are itemized in the list of goods imported
into France as part of your moving Settling in France, you may
import them free of duty and tax.
- Category V (Hunting Firearms):
i.e.:
- shotguns (single shot) such as12-, 16- and 20-gauge;
- centerfire hunting rifles (provided they are not included in categories
I or IV);
- weapons with combination shotgun and rifle barrels more than 48 cm
(19 in.) in length or which are more than 80 cm (31-1/2in.) in overall
length - provided they are not designed to fire ammunition used in firearms
of categories I and IV;
- the ammunition thereof.
YOU ARE NOT A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF FRANCE AND YOU WISH TO IMPORT DURING
YOUR VISIT HUNTING ARTICLES FALLING UNDER CATEGORY V
You are allowed to bring into the country two weapons on a temporary basis
as well as 100 cartridges for each weapon. No Import Permit is required
but the imported firearms and ammunition must be declared orally with
Customs at the port of entry.
YOU WISH TO IMPORT ON A PERMANENT BASIS HUNTING ARTICLES INCLUDED IN
CATEGORY V
You may only do so if you hold - and submit to Customs at the port of entry -
the Import Permit mentioned above ("autorisation d’importation de matériels
de guerre - armes et munitions"). Applications should be filed on
Form CERFA n° 11192*01, completed in 5 copies and mailed to the French Customs &
Excise Service, Office of the Common Agricultural Policy and of the
Commercial Policy, Division of War Implements, Arms & Amunition, and Dual
Use Items (refer to the above paragraph).
Customs duties and VAT will have to be paid, unless you qualify for a
personal traveler’s exemptionor you brinng the weapons into France as part
of your moving and are eligible for an exemption of duties and tax (refer
also to the above paragraph).
Possession of centerfire hunting rifles and hunting combination guns
falling into Category V must be registered with the local "Préfecture" in
France.
- Category VI (cold steel)
i.e.:
- bayonet, saber-bayonet, dagger, dagger-bayonet
- bludgeon
- cross bow
- Ninja stars
- lachrymal aerosol
YOU WISH TO IMPORT ON A PERMANENT BASIS OR DURING YOUR VISIT COLD STEEL ARTICLES INCLUDED IN
CATEGORY VI
You may only do so if you hold - and submit to Customs at the port of entry -
the Import Permit mentioned above ("autorisation d’importation de matériels
de guerre - armes et munitions"). Applications should be filed on
Form CERFA n° 11192*01, completed in 5 copies and mailed to the French Customs &
Excise Service, Office of the Common Agricultural Policy and of the
Commercial Policy, Division of War Implements, Arms & Amunition, and Dual
Use Items (refer to the above paragraph).
Customs duties and VAT will have to be paid, unless you qualify for a
personal traveler’s exemption or you bring the weapons into France as part
of your moving and are eligible for an exemption of duties and tax (refer
also to the above paragraph).
- Category VII (Firearms for Sporting or Recreational
purposes)
i.e.:
- rimfire rifles (other than those listed under category IV), such as 22
long rifles;
- air or gas rifles (other than those listed under category IV);>br>
- starter guns and alarm pistols (other than those listed under category IV);
- the ammunition thereof.
YOU ARE NOT A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF FRANCE AND YOU WISH TO IMPORT DURING
YOUR VISIT ARTICLES LISTED UNDER CATEGORY VII
You may do so. No Import Permit is required. You just have to declare
orally the weapons and their ammunition with Customs at the port of entry.
YOU WISH TO IMPORT ON A PERMANENT BASIS ARTICLES LISTED UNDER CATEGORY VII
No Import Permit is required. But you should declare the imported articles
with Customs at the port of entry. Customs duties and VAT may be assessed,
unless you qualify for a personal traveler’s allowance or unless you bring
the articles as part of your moving to France and are eligible for an exemption
of duties and tax (refer to previous paragraphs).
- Category VIII (Curios, Relics, Replicas and
Unserviceable Firearms)
i.e.:
- any firearm of a model designed prior to 1870 (1886 for French Military
firearms) and manufactured before 1892;
- any firearm rendered permanently inoperable or checked by the Testing
Center of Saint-Étienne;
- replicas of models designed prior to 1870 and incapable of firing
cartridges with a metallic hull or casing.
YOU ARE NOT A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF FRANCE AND YOU WISH TO IMPORT DURING
YOUR VISIT ARTICLES INCLUDED IN CATEGORY VIII
You may do so. No Import Permit is required. But you should declare the
articles with Customs at the port of entry.
YOU WISH TO IMPORT ON A PERMANENT BASIS ARTICLES LISTED UNDER CATEGORY VIII
Curios or Relics:
No Import Permit is required. But the articles should be moved in-bond
(and under cover of a "T1" transit declaration) from the port of entry to
a Technical Center for examination and evaluation. The Curio and Relic
determination will be made by the:
Centre technique des armes et munitions
Carrefour Zéro nord
Route de Guéry
B. P. 172
18015 Bourges Cédex
France
Unserviceable Firearms:
No Import Permit is required. But the articles should be moved in-bond
(and under cover of a "T1" transit declaration) from the port of entry to
a Technical Center which has sole responsibility in France for rendering
firearms permanently inoperable or for making the determination that
imported firearms have been rendered unserviceable in conformity with
applicable French rules and regulations:
Banc officiel
5, rue de Méons
Z. I. Molina-Nord
B. P. 147
42004 Saint-Étienne Cédex 01
France
Replicas of Antique Firearms:
No Import Permit is required. But the Replica determination will be made
by Customs at the port of entry.
As with firearms included in other categories, Customs duties and VAT may
be assessed on imported firearms falling under category VIII, unless you
qualify for a personal traveler’s allowance or unless you bring the
articles as part of your moving house to France and you are eligible for
an exemption of duties and tax (refer to the previous paragraphs).
Embassy of France in the US - September 4, 2002
