French Guiana Moving Guide: Documents, Duties & Shipping Notes

Source: IAM Country Guide · Updated 2026-09-05 · Download the French Guiana Country Guide (PDF)

Documents

Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.

• Copy of valid passport
• Original bill of lading or express release / airway bill (AWB)
• Original inventory in French, dated, valued, and signed by the owner of the goods
• Packing list
• Certificate of change of residence, or certificate of transfer / working contract
• Proof of residence in French Guiana (electricity bill, signed lease, or similar) dated within the last 3 months
• Non-sale certificate
• Certificate of property

Specific Information

EU intra-territory movements: Goods moving from mainland France or another EU member state are treated as intra-EU movements and are not subject to standard customs duty. The Octroi de Mer local tax still applies regardless of the goods' origin, including from within the EU.

Octroi de Mer: Without a certificate of change of residence or certificate of transfer, the shipper will have to pay the Octroi de Mer, generally between 12% and 22% of the CIF value, in place of the duty-free treatment described below.

Duty-free admission: Presenting the certificate of change of residence (or equivalent transfer documentation) allows used household goods and personal effects to be admitted without the Octroi de Mer charge described above. Goods should generally have been owned and used by the importer prior to the move, and should not be sold or transferred for a reasonable period after import; confirm the current minimum ownership period and any resale restriction with the destination agent, as this was not consistently documented across sources.

VAT: French Guiana applies a 0% VAT rate on imports, unlike Martinique and Guadeloupe, which apply reduced VAT rates in place of full metropolitan VAT.

Wood packaging (ISPM 15): All wood packaging materials (pallets, crates, dunnage) must comply with ISPM 15 and bear the appropriate treatment mark.

Language: All inventories must be in French, dated, valued, and signed by the owner of the goods. English-language inventories are not accepted.

Prohibited & Restricted Items

• Firearms and ammunition, unless authorized by the territorial administration (authorization is rarely granted) PERMIT REQUIRED
• Unlawful drugs and narcotics
• Objects made of ivory or of any endangered species CITES
• Counterfeit goods

Octroi de Mer differential rates: The Octroi de Mer applies at different rates depending on the product category and whether the goods are locally produced or imported; confirm the applicable rate for specific categories of goods with the destination agent or the Direction Generale des Douanes.

Intra-EU vs. non-EU imports: Goods from within the EU move without standard customs duty but remain subject to the Octroi de Mer. Goods from outside the EU are subject to both standard EU customs duty and the Octroi de Mer.

Special Categories

Customs regulations can change at any time with or without notice. This document is provided as a guide and for information only. While this information is correct at posting, regulations, procedures, and charges are subject to change. IAM does not accept liability for errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or misinterpretation. It is recommended to verify this information with a destination agent prior to shipping.

• Direction Generale des Douanes (douane.gouv.fr): active.
• Prefecture de la Guyane (guyane.gouv.fr): active.
• OpenFactBook: French Guiana has no independent country page; covered within France's entry, consistent with the old IAM baseline's own treatment. Active.
• Wikipedia: active.
• France Diplomatie (diplomatie.gouv.fr/en): active. The prior specific diplomatic-network sub-path had gone dead and was replaced with the current homepage URL.

• Current minimum ownership/usage period and any post-import resale restriction for duty-free household goods admission.
• Current vehicle registration process and any local roadworthiness inspection requirement.
• Current veterinary entry-point and inspection procedures for pets, given French Guiana's distinct geographic position bordering Brazil and Suriname.
• Whether a FIDI Global Alliance guide has since been published for French Guiana; none was located at the time of this guide's preparation.

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air / sea shipments.

Secure the certificate of change of residence or equivalent transfer documentation before the shipment departs, since its absence triggers the Octroi de Mer charge on the full shipment value. Confirm the current documentation and inspection requirements for vehicles and pets directly with the destination agent, as these are less consistently documented for this territory than for mainland France or the larger French Caribbean departments.