International · FR

How to Ship to France from the US

You can ship to France from the US with USPS or with an express courier such as DHL, FedEx or UPS. USPS hands the parcel to La Poste, the French postal service, for delivery. Couriers deliver door to door and clear customs for you.

France is in the EU, so EU import rules apply. French VAT is 20% on most goods, at any value. Since July 1, 2026, online orders of €150 or less also carry a flat €3 EU duty. Below are USPS's real prices, the tax rules, the items USPS won't carry and how to address the parcel.

Typical 1 lb cost

$29.40–$69.50 by USPS (retail, July 2026)

Typical transit

USPS quotes 6–10 business days for Priority Mail International to major markets; express couriers take a few business days

Carrier Options to France

USPS First-Class Package International

Cheapest tracked USPS option for small parcels: $24.60 for 8 oz and $29.40 for 1 lb at the Post Office (July 2026). Up to 4 lb and $400 in value.

USPS Priority Mail International

$69.50 for 1 lb and $88.35 for 5 lb at retail, up to 66 lb. Insurance is available to France.

USPS Priority Mail Express International

$86.35 for 0.5 lb and $88.25 for 1 lb at retail. The fastest USPS option.

DHL, FedEx or UPS

Express couriers that clear customs and deliver door to door. Priced per shipment by size, weight and speed — get a quote.

Customs Forms Required

Every parcel needs a customs form. It prints with the label when you buy postage online. List each item, its value, its 6-digit HS code and its country of origin (and your EORI number, if you have one). USPS says France wants two copies of an invoice for business parcels of any value, and for personal parcels worth $300 or more.

Commonly Prohibited Items

✕By USPS: arms and ammunition (antique firearms excepted), and butane lighters
✕By USPS: banknotes, coins and precious metals
✕By USPS: live plants and animals, human remains and funeral urns
✕By USPS: baby feeding bottles and saccharin tablets
✕By USPS: goods falsely marked as made in France
✕By USPS: imitation pearls made with lead salts, and measuring tools not in metric units
✕Restricted: medicines need an import license, plants need a health certificate, and honey over 2 kg needs a certificate

France-Specific Shipping Tips

💡 Up to 4 lb, First-Class Package International is much cheaper than Priority Mail International: $29.40 vs $69.50 for 1 lb
💡 Every import pays 20% French VAT on most goods, at any value. Online orders of €150 or less also carry the €3 EU duty
💡 Use the recipient's French phone number. USPS says it must be given when the address is a PO box
💡 Write the full first name. USPS says France does not accept initials only
💡 Do not fasten the parcel with wire, which USPS says France does not accept

How Much Does It Cost to Ship to France?

USPS set these prices on July 12, 2026. They are Post Office (retail) prices. Postage bought online costs a little less. USPS's October 2026 holiday price change did not change international prices.

First-Class Package International (up to 4 lb, up to $400 in value): $24.60 for 8 oz, $29.40 for 1 lb, $32.85 for 2 lb, $47.75 for 3 lb and $65.05 for 4 lb. Online: $27.92 for 1 lb.
Priority Mail International (up to 66 lb, insurance available): $69.50 for 1 lb, $73.65 for 2 lb, $88.35 for 5 lb, $113.50 for 10 lb and $163.60 for 20 lb. Online: $67.23 for 1 lb.
Priority Mail Express International: $86.35 for 0.5 lb, $88.25 for 1 lb and $106.90 for 5 lb.
Couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS): priced per shipment. Get a quote with the box size and weight.

💡 Watch the 4 lb line. A 4 lb parcel costs $65.05 by First-Class Package International. Just over 4 lb, you must use Priority Mail International, which is $88.35 for 5 lb.

VAT and the New €3 EU Duty

France follows EU rules for parcels from outside the EU. The old €22 tax-free limit ended in July 2021, so VAT applies at any value.

VAT: 20% on most goods in France. If the seller uses the EU's IOSS scheme, the buyer pays VAT at checkout on orders up to €150. If not, your recipient pays it before La Poste or the courier hands the parcel over.
New EU duty: from July 1, 2026, sellers pay €3 for each type of product in an online order worth €150 or less. Bigger orders pay normal duty.
Gifts: from one private person to another, worth €45 or less — no duty and no VAT.
For orders of €150 or more, USPS says the French importer needs a French VAT number.

What USPS Won't Carry to France

USPS's country rules for France ban arms and ammunition (except antique firearms), butane lighters, banknotes, coins and precious metals. They also ban live plants and animals, human remains, funeral urns, baby feeding bottles and saccharin tablets. Goods falsely marked as French, imitation pearls made with lead salts and non-metric measuring tools are banned too.

Some items are allowed with paperwork. Medicines need an import license. Plants need a health certificate. Honey over 2 kg needs a certificate. Gold needs a permit from the Bank of France. Tobacco for personal use is limited to 10 kg a year per person, with customs approval.

How to Address a Package to France

French addresses put the house number before the street name. The 5-digit postal code goes before the city. Paris postal codes run from 75001 to 75020, one for each district.

Recipient's full first and last name. USPS says France does not accept initials only.
House number and street, for example 12 rue de la Paix. Add the building, staircase or floor if needed.
5-digit postal code and city, for example 75002 PARIS.
FRANCE.
Add the recipient's French phone number. It is required for a PO box address.

ℹ️ Many Paris buildings have a door code. Ask for it and put it in the address line. It helps the carrier get in.

USPS or a Courier?

A small gift or online order under 4 lb: USPS First-Class Package International is the cheapest tracked option.
A parcel from 4 lb up to 66 lb: compare Priority Mail International with a courier quote. Insurance is available on Priority Mail International to France.
Something urgent or valuable: use Priority Mail Express International, DHL, FedEx or UPS.
A business parcel: add 6-digit HS codes and two copies of the invoice so customs doesn't hold it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to ship to France from the US?

For a small parcel up to 4 lb, USPS First-Class Package International is usually cheapest. It costs $24.60 for 8 oz, $29.40 for 1 lb and $32.85 for 2 lb at the Post Office (July 2026). Postage bought online is a little cheaper: $27.92 for 1 lb. Above 4 lb, compare Priority Mail International with a courier quote.

How much does it cost to send a package to France?

USPS retail prices from July 12, 2026: First-Class Package International is $29.40 for 1 lb and $65.05 for 4 lb. Priority Mail International is $69.50 for 1 lb, $88.35 for 5 lb, $113.50 for 10 lb and $163.60 for 20 lb. Couriers price each shipment separately.

Why has France suspended mail deliveries to the US?

From August 25, 2025, La Poste stopped taking parcels of goods going to the US, after US customs rules changed. Gifts between people worth under $100 could still go, and its Chronopost express arm kept running. This affects mail from France to the US. It does not stop USPS from delivering your parcel to France.

Will the recipient pay tax on a parcel from the US?

Usually yes. French VAT of 20% applies to most goods at any value. If the seller uses the EU's IOSS scheme, the buyer pays VAT at checkout instead. Online orders of €150 or less also carry a flat €3 EU duty from July 1, 2026. Gifts between private people worth €45 or less pay no duty and no VAT.

Can I ship food or medicine to France?

Medicines need an import license, so USPS won't take them without one. Plants need a health certificate. Honey over 2 kg needs a certificate too. Packaged food follows EU rules. Many meat and dairy products can't be sent from the US.

Does USPS Global Express Guaranteed go to France?

No. USPS has suspended Global Express Guaranteed to France since September 29, 2024. Use Priority Mail Express International or a courier for fast delivery.

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