Moving from New York to France
Updated August 2026
New York is one of the strongest origin points in the U.S. for moves to France. The corridor is well-traveled, the Atlantic crossing from the Port of New York is efficient, and France remains a top destination for New Yorkers relocating for work, family, retirement, or a deliberate change of pace. This article covers what shipping actually looks like from New York, the customs documents that determine duty-free entry, and the timeline to plan around. For a broader look at how we handle France moves, see our France moving guide.
SDC International Shipping handles this corridor regularly from the New York metro area. As a licensed overseas moving company serving all 50 states, we coordinate pickup in the five boroughs and surrounding suburbs, export packing, ocean freight to France, customs clearance, and final delivery anywhere in the country.
The New York to France Shipping Route
Container shipments from New York to France move through the Port of New York and New Jersey, with multiple weekly sailings to Le Havre, the primary entry port for household goods bound for France. Le Havre sits at the mouth of the Seine with well-established customs infrastructure and direct road connections into Paris and the broader French road network.
Ocean transit from New York to Le Havre typically runs 8 to 12 days, one of the shorter transatlantic crossings available from a U.S. port, which is part of why this corridor tends to have more predictable timelines than moves from the Gulf Coast or West Coast.
Realistic Door-to-Door Timelines
Full Container Load (FCL)
An exclusive 20-foot or 40-foot container dedicated to your household, loading directly at your New York address without consolidation stops. Door-to-door to most French cities typically runs 6 to 10 weeks. Best for larger households, moves that include a vehicle, or when you want direct control over the departure schedule.
Groupage / Less Than Container Load (LCL)
Your goods share container space with other shipments heading to France. More cost-effective for smaller households or clients who want to ship selectively. Door-to-door timelines typically run 8 to 14 weeks, reflecting consolidation at origin and deconsolidation at Le Havre.
Air Freight
Priority items can move by air from JFK or Newark to Paris Charles de Gaulle in 7 to 12 days door-to-door including customs. Air costs significantly more per cubic foot than sea, so most New York clients use it for a small essentials shipment while the main household travels by ocean.
French Customs: The Documents That Determine Duty-Free Entry
This is the section that needs the most attention before your move begins. France offers duty-free entry for used household goods under change-of-residence rules, but the key document, the Change of Residence Certificate, must be obtained in advance from the French consulate or embassy in the U.S. It cannot be obtained after your goods have already shipped.
The Change of Residence Certificate
Issued by the French consulate in your origin country, it must confirm you’ve been living outside France for at least 12 months and are now definitively relocating, with clear dates of arrival and departure. This document grants duty-free entry for your personal effects. Without it, French customs assesses duties and taxes at approximately 50 percent of the shipment’s CIF value, a significant and entirely avoidable cost.
For New York clients, the relevant office is the French Consulate General in New York. Processing times vary, so the certificate should be initiated well before your pack date, not after; SDC will confirm timing during your initial consultation. In employer transfer situations, a work assignment order can substitute for the certificate, attesting to the professional transfer with dates of arrival and departure.
Full Document Checklist for French Customs
The complete set of documents required for French customs clearance of household goods includes the following. A copy of your passport. The Change of Residence Certificate issued by the French consulate, or a work assignment order. The Attestation de non-cession, a signed original stating that you have lived abroad for at least one year, have owned all items for more than six months, and that the goods will not be sold for twelve months after importation. A valued inventory in French, valued in euros, dated and signed by you. A packing list stating the contents of each carton including brand names and serial numbers. Purchase invoices, with all electrical items listed separately. Proof of residency in France, such as a lease contract or utility bills. A letter of professional transfer from your employer if applicable.
SDC provides templates for the valued inventory and the Attestation de non-cession. These documents have specific formatting expectations under French customs requirements, and using the right templates from the start avoids revision delays at the clearance stage.
Qualifying Conditions for Duty-Free Import
To qualify for duty-free entry, your goods must have been owned and in use for more than six months prior to the arrival of the vessel. You must be moving your principal residence to France. The shipment must arrive within 12 months of your own arrival date in France. A confirmed delivery address in France must be known at the time of customs clearance. If you plan to send a second shipment, this must be declared at the time of the first importation.
Items That Are Not Duty-Free
Alcohol must be inventoried separately with brand name, type, quantity, number of bottles, and declared value. An import license may be required. Any person importing wine or alcohol in a household goods shipment pays duties and taxes on those items regardless of nationality, no exceptions. Tobacco is subject to duty and tax. New items owned for less than six months are subject to VAT and in some cases additional duties. These items should be declared accurately and not included in the general household goods inventory.
New York Metro Pickup and Packing
SDC dispatches packing crews directly to your address anywhere in the five boroughs, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The crew conducts export-grade packing and produces a piece-level inventory during the pack, the same document used for customs and insurance.
New York building logistics require advance planning. Manhattan co-ops and condos typically require elevator reservations, certificates of insurance, and approved move windows, often limited to weekday mornings. Brownstone access in Brooklyn and Queens can involve tight stairwells and street parking coordination. SDC confirms all building requirements before move day.
Our professional packing service uses export-grade materials throughout. One practical consideration for France specifically: it uses 230V/50Hz current with Type E sockets, and most U.S. appliances aren’t worth converting. Your coordinator will go through what to ship versus replace locally during the survey, which also keeps shipment volume, and cost, where it should be.
Delivery in France
SDC’s French destination partners handle customs clearance at Le Havre and coordinate final delivery to your address. Paris deliveries in historic arrondissements often involve narrow streets, pedestrian zones, and tight building access requiring shuttle vehicles or hoisting equipment. A confirmed delivery address is required at the time of customs clearance, so your French housing situation needs to be settled before your shipment departs New York.
Deliveries to Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, and other major cities are coordinated through our regional partner network, as are provincial addresses in Normandy, Brittany, Provence, or the Dordogne.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does shipping from New York to France take?
Door-to-door, plan for 6 to 10 weeks for a full container and 8 to 14 weeks for a shared container shipment, including 8 to 12 days ocean transit to Le Havre plus packing, port processing, customs clearance, and delivery scheduling.
What happens if I don’t have the Change of Residence Certificate?
French customs assesses duties and taxes at approximately 50 percent of the shipment’s declared CIF value, the most common avoidable expense in New York to France moves. The certificate must come from the French Consulate General in New York before your goods ship, not after.
Can I ship wine or a wine collection to France?
Alcohol can be included in a household goods shipment to France, but it is not covered by duty-free treatment regardless of your residency status. It must be inventoried separately with brand, type, quantity, and declared value, and duties and taxes apply. An import license may be required. If you have a significant wine collection, flag it during the survey so it can be handled and documented correctly.
Can I ship my car from New York to France?
Yes, when containerized with your household goods in a full container. Vehicles imported duty-free to France must have been owned and operated for at least six months prior to import, the owner must have lived outside the EU for more than one year, and the vehicle must be imported within 12 months of the residence transfer date. The vehicle cannot be sold within 12 months of importation. U.S.-spec vehicles must comply with French and EU standards to be registered in France. Your coordinator will confirm vehicle eligibility and documentation requirements before booking.
How far in advance should I contact SDC?
For sea freight moves, contact us 6 to 8 weeks before your planned pack date. This allows time for a home survey, building access coordination, container booking, and documentation preparation. The Change of Residence Certificate from the French Consulate should be initiated even earlier, as processing times vary. Moves during peak summer months benefit from earlier booking as demand on both the New York and Paris ends increases significantly.
