USPS Homepage Skip NavigationUSPS Home | Postal Explorer Home
 
Go to previous section of document Link to chapter contents    Link to index Go to next section of document

Country Conditions for Mailing - France
(Includes Corsica and Monaco)

Prohibitions (130)

Arms, ammunition.

Cigarette lighters using butane gas.

Feeding bottles.

Funeral urns.

Goods bearing false marks of French manufacture or origin.

Human remains.

Imitation pearls containing lead salts and any articles of jewelry made with pearls of this type.

Live plants and animals.

Measuring instruments marked in units not complying with French law.

Perishable infectious biological substances except as noted in Restrictions below.

Perishable noninfectious biological substances except as noted under Restrictions below.

Radioactive materials.

Saccharine in tablets or packets.

Restrictions

Bees, honey, and beeswax must be accompanied by a certificate of origin and noninfection issued by a qualified official approved by the Government. Shipments of honey not exceeding 2 kilograms do not require the certificate.

Books in the French language printed abroad must have the names of the publisher and printer shown as prescribed by the French copyright laws.

Canned vegetables, fish, plums, and nuts not bearing an indication of the country of origin by stamping, in plain raised or sunken letters at least 4 millimeters high, in the middle of the top or bottom and in a place not bearing any inscription.

Gold coins or other articles of gold require that the addressee have a permit issued by the Bank of France (not required for gold-plated articles or for ornaments or jewelry containing only small amounts of gold and weighing 500 grams or less).

Medicines and medicinal products require an import license issued by the Central Pharmaceutical Service of the Ministry of Health.

Perishable biological substances, infectious and noninfectious, are admitted when addressed to the following laboratories:

1. Pasteur Institute
25 rue du docteur Roux
75724 Paris CEDEX 14
FRANCE

2. Pasteur Institute
1 rue du Professeur Calmette
59019 Lille CEDEX BB 245
FRANCE

3. Pasteur Institute
77 rue Pasteur
69365 Lyon CEDEX
FRANCE

Plants, seeds, bulbs must be accompanied by plant health certificate.

The importation of tobacco leaves and stems, manufactured tobaccos, cigars, cigarettes, chewing and smoking tobacco is permitted only on behalf of the State Monopoly, with the following exception: Manufactured tobaccos, including cigars and cigarettes, may be sent to individuals in France for personal use up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) per person per year, subject to special customs authorization.

Observations

1. An air parcel post item may be addressed to a street address or to a post office box. A local telephone number for the addressee should be provided when the item is addressed to a street address and must be provided when the item is addressed to a post office box.

2. For air parcels, an invoice, in duplicate, is required for all commercial shipments regardless of value and all personal shipments valued at $300 or more. The invoices must be affixed to the outside of the parcel or may be enclosed in
PS Form 2976-E with the customs declaration.

3. It is recommended that all articles bear, as part of the address, the name of the Province in which the office of destination is located.

4. Printed matter of value should have Form 2976 affixed, and it can be cleared more readily through French customs if an invoice is enclosed.

5. Parcel post packages whose senders or addressees are designated by initials will not be admitted.

6. Shipments must not be fastened by means of wire, but straps not having sharp edges may be used, provided they are tightly fastened so that no sharp ends or corners are exposed.

Customs Forms Required (123)
Letter-post: PS Form 2976 or 2976-A (see 123.61)
Parcel Post: PS Form 2976-A inside 2976-E (envelope)

Size Limits
Letter-post: See 243.2
Air Parcel Post:
Maximum length: 60 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches
Economy Parcel Post:
Maximum length: 42 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 79 inches

Postcards and Postal Cards (250) $0.75

Aerogrammes (250) $0.75 Enclosures NOT permitted

Airmail
Letter-post Rates

Weight
not over
(ozs.)
Letter-
post
Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)
Letter-
post
Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)
Letter-
post
Rate
1 $0.84 12 $7.95 44 $17.80
2 1.70 16 9.15 48 19.10
3 2.55 20 10.40 52 20.40
4 3.35 24 11.60 56 21.70
5 4.20 28 12.80 60 23.05
6 5.05 32 14.00 64 24.35
7 5.90 36 15.30 blank blank
8 6.75 40 16.55 blank blank
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Airmail
Parcel Post Rates

Weight
not over
(lbs.)
Parcel
Post
Rate
Weight
not over
(lbs.)
Parcel
Post
Rate
Weight
not over
(lbs.)
Parcel
Post
Rate
1 $17.50 25 $91.95 49 $167.85
2 20.05 26 95.10 50 171.00
3 22.90 27 98.30 51 174.15
4 25.80 28 101.45 52 177.35
5 28.70 29 104.60 53 180.50
6 31.90 30 107.75 54 183.65
7 35.05 31 110.95 55 186.80
8 38.20 32 114.10 56 190.00
9 41.35 33 117.25 57 193.15
10 44.55 34 120.40 58 196.30
11 47.70 35 123.60 59 199.45
12 50.85 36 126.75 60 202.65
13 54.00 37 129.90 61 205.80
14 57.20 38 133.05 62 208.95
15 60.35 39 136.25 63 212.10
16 63.50 40 139.40 64 215.30
17 66.65 41 142.55 65 218.45
18 69.85 42 145.70 66 221.60
19 73.00 43 148.90 blank blank
20 76.15 44 152.05 blank blank
21 79.30 45 155.20 blank blank
22 82.50 46 158.35 blank blank
23 85.65 47 161.55 blank blank
24 88.80 48 164.70 blank blank
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

Note: Ordinary air parcel post includes indemnity at no cost based on weight. For an item not over 1 pound, the indemnity is $62.84, and the indemnity increases $3.03 per pound or fraction up to a maximum of 70 pounds, which has an indemnity of $271.91. (See 280.)

Airmail
Direct Sack to One Addressee - M-Bags (260)

Weight Not Over 11 lbs. $29.15
Each additional pound or fraction of a pound $2.65

Weight Limit: 66 pounds

Global Priority Mail (GPM) (230)

Flat-Rate Envelope

Small $5.25
Large $9.50

Weight Limit: 4 pounds

Variable Weight Option

Weight Levels and Prices

0.5 lb. $8.50
1.0 lb. 10.50
1.5 lbs. 12.75
2.0 lbs. 15.75
2.5 lbs. $19.00
3.0 lbs. 22.25
3.5 lbs. 24.25
4.0 lbs. 27.50

GPM Weight Limit: 4 pounds

Economy Mail
Letter-post Rates

Weight
not over
(ozs.)
Letter-
post
Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)
Letter-
post
Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)
Letter-
post
Rate
16 $4.10 36 $7.50 56 $10.75
20 4.85 40 8.15 60 11.40
24 5.55 44 8.80 64 12.05
28 6.20 48 9.45 blank blank
32 6.85 52 10.10 blank blank
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Economy Mail
Parcel Post Rates

Weight
not over
(lbs.)
Parcel
Post
Rate
Weight
not over
(lbs.)
Parcel
Post
Rate
Weight
not over
(lbs.)
Parcel
Post
Rate
5 $19.25 27 $41.70 49 $61.55
6 20.40 28 42.65 50 62.45
7 21.55 29 43.60 51 63.35
8 22.70 30 44.55 52 64.25
9 23.85 31 45.45 53 65.15
10 25.05 32 46.30 54 66.05
11 26.05 33 47.20 55 66.95
12 27.05 34 48.10 56 67.80
13 28.05 35 49.00 57 68.70
14 29.05 36 49.90 58 69.60
15 30.05 37 50.80 59 70.50
16 31.05 38 51.70 60 71.40
17 32.05 39 52.60 61 72.30
18 33.05 40 53.50 62 73.20
19 34.05 41 54.40 63 74.10
20 35.05 42 55.30 64 75.00
21 36.00 43 56.20 65 75.90
22 36.95 44 57.05 66 76.80
23 37.90 45 57.95 blank blank
24 38.85 46 58.85 blank blank
25 39.80 47 59.75 blank blank
26 40.75 48 60.65 blank blank
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

Note: Ordinary economy parcel post includes indemnity at no cost based on weight. For an item not over 1 pound, the indemnity is $62.84, and the indemnity increases $3.03 per pound or fraction up to a maximum of 70 pounds, which has an indemnity of $271.91. (See 280.)

Economy Mail
Direct Sack to One Addressee - M-Bags (260)

Regular
Weight Not Over 11 lbs. $17.05
Each additional pound or fraction of a pound $1.55

Books & Sheet Music, Publisher's Periodicals
Weight Not Over 11 lbs. $10.45
Each additional pound or fraction of a pound $0.95

Weight Limit: 66 pounds

Economy Mail
Books and Sheet Music Rates (295)

Weight
not over
(ozs.)


Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)


Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)


Rate
16 $2.80 36 $5.40 56 $7.40
20 3.35 40 5.80 60 7.80
24 3.95 44 6.20 64 8.20
28 4.50 48 6.55 blank blank
32 5.00 52 6.95 blank blank
Note: This is a bulk mail service that is subject to a minimum entry requirement of 200 pieces or 50 pounds of qualifying contents. See Part 295.
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Matter for the Blind (270)
Free when sent as economy mail. Weight limit: 15 lbs.

Economy Mail
Publishers' Periodicals Rates (294)

Weight
not over
(ozs.)


Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)


Rate
Weight
not over
(ozs.)


Rate
1 $0.70 12 $2.10 44 $6.18
2 0.82 16 2.61 48 6.69
3 0.95 20 3.12 52 7.20
4 1.08 24 3.63 56 7.71
5 1.21 28 4.14 60 8.22
6 1.33 32 4.65 64 8.73
7 1.46 36 5.16 blank blank
8 1.59 40 5.67 blank blank
$0.25 per pound discount for drop shipments tendered at the New Jersey International and Bulk Mail Center.
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Special Services

Certificate of Mailing
See 313 for fees

COD and Certified NOT
for International Mail

Insurance (320)
Available for parcel post only (see 324.2 for required markings)

International Business Reply Service (373)
Fee: Envelopes up to 2 ounces $1.25; Cards $0.85

International Money Order (371)
NOT Available

International Reply Coupons (372) Fee: $1.85

Recorded Delivery (360) NOT Available

Registered Mail (330) Fee: $7.90
Maximum Indemnity: $44.86
Available for letter-post mail, including postcards
and postal cards, aerogrammes, and matter for
the blind. Not applicable to M-bags.

Restricted Delivery (350) NOT Available

Return Receipt (340) Fee: $1.85
Available for registered mail and insured economy
parcels only.

Global Express Guaranteed (210)

Weight
not over
(lbs.)

Document
Service
Non-
Document
Service
Weight
not over
(lbs.)

Document
Service
Non-
Document
Service
0.5 $33.75 blank 36 $188.75 $199.25
1 41.00 $46.50 37 191.75 202.25
2 48.50 53.75 38 196.00 206.50
3 55.75 61.25 39 199.25 209.75
4 63.25 68.50 40 202.25 213.00
5 70.50 76.00 41 206.50 217.00
6 76.00 81.25 42 209.75 220.25
7 80.00 85.25 43 214.00 224.50
8 84.25 90.75 44 217.00 227.75
9 89.50 96.00 45 221.25 232.00
10 93.75 100.25 46 224.50 235.00
11 97.00 105.50 47 227.75 238.25
12 101.25 109.50 48 232.00 242.50
13 104.25 112.75 49 235.00 245.50
14 108.50 117.00 50 241.25 252.00
15 111.75 120.25 51 244.50 255.00
16 115.00 123.25 52 248.75 259.25
17 119.00 127.50 53 252.00 262.50
18 122.25 130.75 54 256.00 266.75
19 126.50 135.00 55 259.25 269.75
20 129.75 138.00 56 263.50 274.00
21 132.75 141.25 57 266.75 277.25
22 137.00 145.50 58 269.75 280.25
23 140.25 148.50 59 274.00 284.50
24 144.50 152.75 60 277.25 287.75
25 147.50 156.00 61 281.50 292.00
26 150.75 161.25 62 284.50 295.00
27 155.00 165.50 63 288.75 299.25
28 158.00 168.75 64 292.00 302.50
29 161.25 171.75 65 296.25 306.75
30 166.50 177.00 66 299.25 310.00
31 170.75 181.25 67 302.50 313.00
32 174.00 184.50 68 306.75 317.25
33 178.25 188.75 69 310.00 320.50
34 181.25 191.75 70 314.00 324.75
35 184.50 195.00 blank blank blank
Weight Limit: 70 lbs.

Insurance (215.5)

Insured Amount
not over

Fee
Insured Amount
not over

Fee
$100 No Fee For document reconstruction insurance or non-document insurance coverage above $800, add $0.75 per $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $2,499 per shipment.
200 $0.75
300 1.50
400 2.25
500 3.00
600 3.75
700 4.50 blank blank
800 5.25 $2,499 max. $18.00

Size Limits (217.4)
An item must be large enough to hold on its face the postage
and the plastic pouch that carries the Global Express
Guaranteed Air Waybill/Shipping Invoice (shipping label).
The shipping label is approximately 5.5 inches high and
9.5 inches long, and the plastic pouch that carries it is
approximately 7 inches high and 12 inches long.
Maximum length: 46 inches
Maximum width: 35 inches
Maximum height: 46 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

General Conditions for Mailing

See Publication 141, Global Express Guaranteed Service Guide, for information about areas served in the destination country, allowable contents, packaging and labeling requirements, tracking and tracing, service standards, and other conditions for mailing.

Global Express Mail (EMS) (220)

Weight
not over
(lbs.)


Rate
Weight
not over
(lbs.)


Rate
Weight
not over
(lbs.)


Rate
0.5 $24.25 24 $104.15 48 $185.10
1 27.40 25 107.50 49 188.45
2 30.55 26 110.90 50 191.85
3 33.75 27 114.25 51 195.20
4 36.90 28 117.65 52 198.55
5 40.05 29 121.00 53 201.95
6 43.40 30 124.35 54 205.30
7 46.80 31 127.75 55 208.70
8 50.15 32 131.10 56 212.05
9 53.55 33 134.50 57 215.45
10 56.90 34 137.85 58 218.80
11 60.30 35 141.25 59 222.20
12 63.65 36 144.60 60 225.55
13 67.05 37 148.00 61 228.95
14 70.40 38 151.35 62 232.30
15 73.80 39 154.75 63 235.65
16 77.15 40 158.10 64 239.05
17 80.55 41 161.45 65 242.40
18 83.90 42 164.85 66 245.80
19 87.25 43 168.20 blank blank
20 90.65 44 171.60 blank blank
21 94.00 45 174.95 blank blank
22 97.40 46 178.35 blank blank
23 100.75 47 181.70 blank blank
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

Insurance (221.3)
Available for EMS merchandise shipments only

Insured Amount
not over

Fee
Insured Amount
not over

Fee
$100 No Fee For insurance coverage above $600, add $1.05 for each $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $5000 per shipment.
200 $1.05
300 2.10
400 3.15
500 4.20
600 5.25 $5000 max. $51.45
Articles Admitted Required Customs
Form/Endorsement
Business correspondence, commercial papers and documents. PS Form 2976, Customs - CN 22 (Old C 1) and Sender's Declaration (green label).
Merchandise samples, gifts, computer data including computer cards, magnetic tape, microfilm, and microfiche. PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note CP 72, inside a PS Form 2976-E, Customs Declaration Envelope CP 91.
Merchandise and all articles subject to customs duty. PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note CP 72, inside a PS Form 2976-E, Customs Declaration Envelope CP 91. An invoice, in duplicate, is required for all commercial shipments regardless of value and all personal shipments valued at $300 or more. The invoices must be either affixed to the outside of the parcel or enclosed in PS Form 2976-E with the customs declaration.

Size Limits (223.2)
Maximum length: 60 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

Return Receipt Service (221.4): NOT Available

Notes:

1. Arms, weapons, and human remains are prohibited.

2. An invoice, in duplicate, is required for all commercial shipments regardless of value and for all personal shipments valued at $300 or more. The invoices must be either affixed to the outside of the parcel or enclosed in PS Form 2976-E with the customs declaration.

3. Indicate precise description of documents, gifts, merchandise samples, and merchandise.

4. For personal gifts, merchandise samples, and merchandise, indicate the value of the contents expressed in U.S. dollars or French francs.

5. Label gift packages clearly as GIFT or CADEAU and merchandise samples as SAMPLES.

6. Coins; banknotes; currency notes, including paper money; securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler's checks; platinum, gold, and silver; precious stones; jewelry; watches; and other valuable articles are prohibited in EMS shipments to France (including Corsica and Monaco).

7. An Express Mail shipment may be addressed to a street address or to a post office box. A local telephone number for the addressee should be provided when the item is addressed to a street address and must be provided when the item is addressed to a post office box.

Reciprocal Service Name: There is no reciprocal service.

Country Code: FR

Areas Served

All locations in France, Corsica, and Monaco are served.

Go to previous section of document Link to chapter contents    Link to index Go to next section of document