Transferring money to France for a property: no approval, but the notaire checks the source.
// Short answer
France is reported to have no exchange controls on bank transfers for a property purchase or on sale proceeds. The practical check is anti-money-laundering: the notaire and the bank verify the origin of the funds and the transfers. Cash of EUR 10,000 or more crossing the French border must be declared. On the way out, the friction is tax.
Rules and rates as of September 2026. Transfer duty is set by each department and letting rules are changing, so check the dated items again before you sign. Every figure links to its source.
On this page
Do I need approval to send money to France to buy property?
No approval is reported. France has no exchange controls on bank transfers for property purchases, though no official page states it explicitly. The practical checks are anti-money-laundering: the notaire and the bank verify where the funds come from and how they were transferred.
Prepare the paper trail for the funds before the pre-contract. The notaire will ask for it.
Can I bring cash into France to buy property?
Only with a declaration. Cash, cheques, gold, securities and prepaid cards of EUR 10,000 or more must be declared to customs when entering or leaving France, from inside or outside the EU. Proof of origin is required from EUR 50,000.
Failing to declare can mean a fine of 50% of the undeclared sum, possible confiscation and a possible tax reassessment.
How much can a French bank lend a foreign buyer?
Lenders apply the HCSF standard of total debt service up to 35% of income and a term up to 25 years. A commercial guide reports that non-resident second-home buyers should expect loans of about 80% of the price, so a deposit of at least 20%. Treat that as indicative.
If you borrow, the pre-contract normally carries a loan condition with a minimum period of one month.
Sources
Can I take the money out of France when I sell?
Yes. The exit friction is tax, not currency control: the notaire deducts capital gains tax from the proceeds at completion, and a non-resident outside the EU/EEA may need a tax representative. Cash of EUR 10,000 or more leaving France must be declared.
Detail: selling property in France as a foreigner.
Sources
// Buying in France?
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See the $499 report, page by pageFrequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit on how much money I can send to France for a property?
Do I have to declare cash I bring into France?
Can a non-resident get a mortgage in France?
Can I repatriate the proceeds after selling French property?
Header photo: P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.