Selling property in France: Complete guide for residents and non-residents 2025

This guide provides a roadmap to selling property in France, covering legal requirements, market insights, step-by-step processes, cost breakdowns, tax implications, and smart financial management of sale proceeds. Plus, in case you need to repatriate funds after selling your French property, we’ll also cover international money transfer considerations, demonstrating how providers like Wise can compare with banks when transferring large sums internationally.

Key takeaways

• Before you can sell your property in France it’s important to understand the practical and legal framework used 
• Getting professional help from a local real estate agent or solicitor, as well as your notary and a tax professional can help the process go smoothly
• When selling a property in France you’ll usually have to pay for property surveys and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) – some other fees may also apply, but may be covered by the buyer
• Selling any property can take a significant time, depending on market conditions, the property type, and the time taken to manage the legal handover
• Once you’ve sold your property in France you must settle your financial obligations, and can then transfer your funds – if you’re sending your payment overseas, a provider like Wise can help you cut the overall costs of your transfer

Legal requirements for selling property in France

Selling a property can be a complex process – but before you even start it’s important that you understand all your local and cross border legal obligations. This guide covers key points – but it’s also good practice to get local advice from professionals who can address your specific situation and ensure you’re prepared properly to sell your property in France.

Some legal requirements it helps to know about:

• It’s mandatory to have a notary acting on behalf of both the buyer and seller when selling property in France – you may also commission your own legal advisor if you choose to.
• You must prepare a technical diagnostic file (DDT) of surveys and reports about the condition of the property prior to the sale. The exact reports needed depend on property type and location.
• It is a legal requirement for sellers to declare property defects or issues to the buyer, even if these do not arise in the DDT. Aside from defects other items such as restrictions or outstanding planning applications are covered.

What are the documents needed to sell a property in France?

The full range of legal documents required for a property sale in France can vary a  little depending on the type of property, the location and your status as owner or co-owner. 

Your notary will manage most of the process, letting you know what paperwork you need to prepare – usually including:

• Property title deeds
• A full Technical Diagnostic File
• Your own ID

It’s also common to be asked by the prospective buyer to provide additional items like utility bills and any relevant tax statements so they can see the likely running costs of the place.

If you’re a co-owner of the building the documents needed can be more complex, including co-ownership documents, meeting minutes between the seller and the other co-owners and property running cost documents.

How to sell a property in France: Step-by-step guide

While every journey is a little different, the process to sell property in France will look quite similar in most cases. Here’s an outline of the usual steps involved with selling a property in France.

Step 1 – Get professional help and start the market analysis

Before you can put your French property on the market, you’ll need to get a valuation and prepare your local support team.

Although it’s not mandatory to use an agent, a licensed local real estate agent can help you assess your property’s market value. You may also want to consider whether undertaking any repairs or renovations would increase the property value. If this is something you consider, you’ll need to weigh the improvement costs against potential gains in asking price to decide if it’s worthwhile. Ultimately, a broad range of factors influence property value including location, property type, age, size, and condition – getting professional help to make a realistic price assessment can be a huge help.

At this early stage you can also start to pick out other professionals who may help you such as a notary to handle the legal aspects, and surveyors to prepare the DTT.

Step 2 – Preparing documentation and advertising your property

Your next steps will be supported by your local advisors and must include preparing the legal paperwork – including the DDT – and advertising your property.

Your agent or legal advisor may recommend professionals to complete the necessary DDT checks and surveys. They’ll also take a lead on preparing property descriptions and area information. Together you can create your preferred marketing strategy to help your property sell as quickly as possible.

Step 3 – Managing viewings, receiving and evaluating offers

Once your property is advertised, it’s time to start conducting property viewings to find a buyer. Your agent can support this – particularly handy if you’re non-resident, or if your French isn’t strong enough to manage buyer questions. Once you have received an offer – or even multiple offers – your agent and legal advisor can help you understand the offer format and structure, which you may not be familiar with.

Step 4 – Contract exchange and legal completion

After agreeing a sale, you will need to have your advisors and legal team draw up a promise of sale document. This can either be a sales agreement which is binding on both parties, or a unilateral promise of sale which is binding to the seller only. At this point the buyer will pay the deposit to the notary, and all due diligence checks will need to be completed.

Step 5 – Settlement and fund transfer

The final step is for the seller and buyer to meet at the office of the appointed notary, to sign the final paperwork. The property ownership passes over to the buyer once the outstanding purchase cost has been sent to the notary, and the sale is completed.

The notary will settle any tax owed to the government by the seller, and you’ll receive the net sale proceeds by bank transfer. We’ll look at the likely tax obligations you’ll need to think about – and also how best to send your money to your home country once you’ve received it – in a moment.

Selling a property in France: Tax implications and responsibilities for property sellers

So – what tax do you pay if you sell a property in France?

Ultimately the tax implications of selling a French property vary depending on factors including how long you’ve lived there, if it’s your primary residence, and the value of the sale.

There may also be slightly different tax treatment if you’re a resident versus non-resident of France.

Property sale taxes: French residents

As a French resident you may need to pay capital gains tax (CGT) if the property you sell is a second home or investment property. The taxable value of your property is reduced for every year you own it, once you’ve been the owner for 5 years. If you have owned the property for 22 years or more, CGT may be waived. 

CGT in France is 19% at the time of writing.

Property sale taxes: Non-residents

As a non-resident you’re likely to have to pay CGT on the sale of your French property, in the same way a French resident would for a second property or investment. There are some exemptions based on the value of the property, which may apply if you’re a EU or EEA citizen.

You must also pay social levies, which are set according to the duration of ownership. These levies depend on your home country and may be waived if you’re from an EU or EEA country.

As tax is complex – and even more complicated if you’re navigating an unfamiliar system – you’ll need to get professional advice to ensure you comply with all your legal obligations.

Income tax declaration requirements

If you sell a property in France, any CGT owed as a result of your property income is paid by the notary at the point that the sale is complete. The notary will also advise you if other declarations need to be made. You may have to complete and file Form 2042 C to make sure your tax matters are in order, for example.  

Is it necessary to declare a property sale on income tax as a non-resident in France?

Non-residents should seek professional tax advice to ensure they are declaring all relevant gains after selling a property. Non-residents can appoint a local agent to complete their tax filing – this can make the process far easier to manage.

You may also need to take tax advice in your country of tax residence, as many countries tax worldwide income including foreign property sales.

International considerations for cross-border property sales

If you’re a foreigner selling a French property it’s important to know the regulatory requirements and your tax reporting obligations in both France and your own home country. Depending on your home country and where you’re a tax resident you may have obligations to the authorities in more than one location.

Once you’re confident that you’ve settled all your tax obligations you may want to move your funds from France to your home country. In this case, bear in mind that source of funds documentation is typically needed when transferring large amounts internationally. In this case, that may be proof of your property sale and a bank statement showing the money reaching your French bank for example.

It’s also crucial to find providers for cost-effective international transfers and currency exchange management. When you’re sending a high value payment, small percentage changes in the exchange rate used can mean a large fee to pay in the end. Finding a provider which uses the mid-market rate, or as close as possible to it, can often be the best way to ensure you’re getting a good deal on your transfer. Providers like Wise can help.

Bank vs. Wise: International transfers of large sums

To give you an idea of how this works, here’s a comparison of the price of a bank and Wise for sending money to an account in your own name based overseas. For this example we imagine we are sending 50,000 EUR to USD to be received in a bank in the US directly.

Sending 50,000 EUR to USD	Sending money with Wise	Sending money with BNP Paribas
Send money fees	207.23 EUR	15.00 EUR
Exchange rate	1.15880 (Mid-market rate)	1.14540
Total received in USD	57, 699.86 USD	57, 252.59 USD

*Discount on sending money fees for sending more than 20k USD abroad. Data taken from Wise comparison site, on 22nd August 2025.

In this example, you can see that you get more in USD in the end with Wise. This is despite the fact that Wise’s transfer fees look to be higher compared to the fee used by BNP Paribas.

The key difference here is that Wise uses the mid-market rate, while the bank adds a percentage fee to the rate used. This is a common practice, but it can mean you’re paying more in fees than you expect. On high value payments in particular, this cost can add up significantly until the conversion cost is far higher than the upfront fee you’re paying for the transfer. 

Wise offers a solution for international property sellers, with international transfers that use  mid-market rates and transparent fees, which include a discount for sending large amounts abroad. You can also use Wise rate lock features to protect against currency fluctuations, and if you’d prefer you can receive your payment in EUR to a Wise account to convert it at a later stage.

How much does it cost to sell a property in France? Cost breakdown

The costs of selling a property in France can go beyond CGT and social levies. However, some of these fees may be covered by the buyer, or subject to negotiation when you agree to a sale. Here are some common fees to consider:

• Real estate agent commissions: French real estate agents can have high fees, but this charge is usually covered by the buyer. If you’re paying this as the seller, you’ll need to set aside 3% – 10% of the property value.
• Legal and professional fees: You’ll need to have a notary to cover the legal aspects of the sale – but again this is usually paid by the buyer. Notary fees can be 6% – 10 % of property value.
• Mandatory certificates and inspections: As the seller you must prepare the DDT report for your property. This may involve several different surveys and checks – but the cost range can vary significantly as some requirements are different depending on property type and location.
• Pre-sale preparation costs: Don’t forget to factor in any specific costs for things like repairs to your property before you put it on the market.

How long does it take to sell a property in France?

The timeline for selling a property in France can vary enormously based on  

factors like market conditions and seasonal variations, property type, location, and pricing, marketing effectiveness and presentation quality. Finding a buyer could take anything from a few days to a few months – generally properties in cities move quicker as they may be in more demand.

Once you have secured a buyer, the legal processes associated with selling a property in France can take a further 3 – 4 months.

When is it a good time to sell property in France?

There’s no best time to sell a property in France – what’s best for you will depend on the property type, location and other similar factors. To decide on the right time to market your property you may want to monitor the advertised prices of similar property, and talk to local agents who may offer advice on timing.

Tips and best practices for successful property sales

Here are a few final thoughts to make sure your property sale in France is a success:

• Get professional legal advice: Selling a property in another country is tricky – you’ll need local legal advisors on hand to help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure compliance with all legal requirements.

• Bear in mind currency conversion costs: If you need to repatriate the funds from your sale you’ll need to find a provider which offers low overall costs, including a good exchange rate. Tools like forward contracts or limit orders which are available from currency specialists can also help.

• Price your property carefully: Use recent sales data from your local area, and get a professional valuation to make sure you’re pricing your property appropriately.

• Have a diverse marketing strategy: Advertise your property on multiple channels and use work of mouth if possible to build interest.

Conclusion

While selling property in France can be complex, it’s achievable – and you can make the process far less stressful by engaging the right local support teams early on.

When selling a property in a foreign country you will need to take time to get to know local laws, market conditions, and financial obligations such as taxes on your property value. Bear in mind you may also have reporting or other duties in your home country.

Once you’ve successfully sold your property and it’s time to repatriate your funds, check out providers like Wise to make sure you get a great deal on your transfer. Wise uses the mid-market rate on currency conversion and has automatic discounts on fees when sending higher value amounts which may mean you spend less on fees and keep more for yourself in the end.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What’s the best way to transfer my property sale proceeds internationally? 

To transfer property sale proceeds internationally you’ll need to find a good value, secure service which offers low fees and a fair exchange rate. Providers like Wise which offer the mid-market rate on currency conversion and automatic discounts on fees for higher value amounts can be a good pick.

Do I need to pay tax on my property sale if I’m a non-resident?

You may need to pay tax on a property sale as a non-resident, including capital gains tax and social levies. Tax can be complex, so getting professional advice is essential to make sure you comply with all your obligations.

Do I pay tax in the country I live in if I sell a property in France? 

This can vary depending on your country of residence, your tax residence and your personal situation. Get professional advice if you are not sure of your tax obligations in France or in your home country.

What happens when I sell a property in France?

When you sell a French property you’ll need to settle any outstanding taxes payable to the French government, at the point of closing the sale. You can then repatriate your funds if you choose to.

Is it necessary to use a real estate agent to sell my property? 

It is not a legal requirement to use a real estate agent to sell a property in France – but doing so can mean you have a smoother sale experience, and get a higher price for the property in the end.

What to consider when selling a property in France?

Remember to check out the legal and practical requirements for selling a property in France, which may be different to your home country. You’ll need a good local team to advise you on legal and tax matters, the local real estate market and how best to proceed with your sale.

Useful Resources

French Government Website – buying and selling a home information including FAQ

French Government Website – taxes and property sale

French Government Website – non-resident tax exemptions on property sales

French Order of Chartered Surveyors – free tools to check surveyed land online

Real Estate Surveyor Finder Tool – connect with professionals who can help complete the required diagnostic checks for selling a property in France

Wise.com/fr – send international payments with low fees, after your property sale

OFX.com – international transfers offered with 24/7 phone service for high value payments