Guadeloupe Moving Guide: Documents, Duties & Shipping Notes

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

Documents

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

• Packing list
• Copy of valid passport
• Original bill of lading (OBL; no express/telex release accepted) or air waybill (AWB)
• Original inventory in French, dated, valued, and signed by the owner of the goods
• Invoices for all electrical, hi-fi, and computer equipment (these items must be declared)
• Certificate of change of residence or certificate of transfer (civil servants and military)
• Non-sale certificate
• Letter of attorney for customs clearance

Specific Information

Octroi de Mer. The Octroi de Mer is a local import and production tax levied in France's overseas departments. Rates vary by product category. Contact the destination agent for current rates applicable to household goods.

Electrical, hi-fi, and computer equipment must be declared and itemised separately on the inventory regardless of age or value.

Saint-Barthélemy note. If the final destination is Saint-Barthélemy (Saint Barths), a different regime applies: a flat tax of 6% on the valued inventory plus freight invoice. Saint-Barthélemy is a French overseas collectivity with its own customs rules separate from Guadeloupe.

Intra-EU movements. Goods moving from metropolitan France or another EU member state to Guadeloupe are subject to customs controls at the port of entry in Guadeloupe, as Guadeloupe is outside the EU VAT and excise area despite being within the EU customs territory.

Language. All inventories must be in French and valued in euros.

ISPM 15. All wood packaging materials must comply with ISPM 15 and bear the appropriate treatment mark.

Duties & Taxes

Duty-free exemption. To be exempted from taxes, the importer must provide a certificate of change of residence (or certificate of transfer for civil servants and soldiers) plus a non-sale certificate and letter of attorney for customs clearance. Without these documents, the following taxes apply on the declared CIF value: VAT + Octroi de Mer + customs duties.

Prohibited & Restricted Items

• Narcotics and controlled substances
• Firearms and ammunition without prior authorisation from the territorial administration
• Prohibited dog breeds (see Section 3)
• Species protected under CITES without valid permits
• Wolf hybrids and Savannah/Bengal cats (unless 5th generation or more removed from wild ancestor)
• Pornographic materials involving minors
• Goods subject to EU sanctions regimes

Guadeloupe is within the EU customs territory but outside the EU VAT and excise areas. All goods entering Guadeloupe are subject to local Octroi de Mer regardless of origin. Additional items of note:

• Firearms and ammunition: require prior authorisation from the territorial administration; authorisation is difficult to obtain
• Alcohol: subject to local excise duties; quantities above personal-use thresholds are dutiable; excluded from standard duty-free transfer-of-residence treatment
• Tobacco: subject to local excise duties
• New and unused goods: dutiable; invoices required; must be separately inventoried
• Electrical, hi-fi, and computer equipment: must be declared; subject to Octroi de Mer
• Medications: personal-use quantities permitted with documentation; controlled substances require additional authorisation
• Plant material: subject to EU phytosanitary controls

Contact the destination agent or the Direction des Douanes (douane.gouv.fr) for current Octroi de Mer rates by commodity.

Consignment Instructions

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

Guadeloupe is served by sea through the port of Pointe-à-Pitre and by air via Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport (PTP). Most household goods shipments arrive by sea. The port handles significant commercial traffic; allow adequate lead time and confirm current port conditions and storage costs with the destination agent before booking.

All inventories must be in French and valued in euros. Electrical, hi-fi, and computer equipment must be declared and listed separately from other household goods regardless of age.

The certificate of change of residence or certificate of transfer is the critical document for duty-free entry. Shipments arriving without it will be assessed VAT, Octroi de Mer, and customs duties on the full CIF value. This document must be obtained before the shipment departs origin.

If any goods are destined for Saint-Barthélemy rather than Guadeloupe proper, notify the destination agent before booking -- a different customs regime applies and the logistics routing differs.