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Checklist: What you need to do if you move house in France

James Harrington
James Harrington - [email protected]
Checklist: What you need to do if you move house in France
Photo: Greg Austic / Unsplash

From the tax office to the post office, internet firms and pets - who you need to tell when you move house in France

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Whether you’re moving down the street, to the other side of town, or to a different département, the administrative scale of the task is almost as big as the physical side - and at least as stressful, unless  - on actual moving day - you lose the kettle and can’t make a cup of tea.

The job of moving house gets more difficult the closer you get to moving day, and it’s easy to forget or put off those administrative jobs you have to do. So, here’s a list of those annoying red tape jobs you need to consider in good time. 

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1. Give notice to your landlord

If you’re renting your current property, you need to give either one month or three months’ notice - depending on the type and location of the property rental -  that you’re moving out, and arrange with your landlord a suitable time to carry out an état des lieux of the property, similar to the one carried out when you moved in.

2. Schools

Parents of school-age children attending state-run schools must notify the establishment if they move out of its catchment area, and find a new school for their children within eight days of moving. 

Under certain circumstances children will be able finish the school year in the establishment they attended before the change of residence.

The first step is to contact the town hall in the town you are moving to. The full rules, including those for children in private education or who are home schooled are here.

3.Tell the taxman - and other administrative bodies

The taxman needs to know you’re moving - if only to send your next tax form to the right address. 

You can inform tax officials of the fact and date of your move online, by logging into your Personal area on the impots.gouv.fr website

Here, at least, there’s some additional good news. France has set up a system in which you can tell a number of administrative offices - including the tax office, EDF, Pôle emploi, and Caf - that you’re moving house with one online form. Find it here.

4. Residence permit

Anyone living in France on a residence permit - such as Britons who have a post-Brexit Carte de séjour - needs to update the address on it.

The process can be completed online.

5. Driving licence and carte grise

Sadly, for technical reasons, declarations of change of contact details to the Vehicle Registration System with an effective date after June 30, 2022, aren’t currently included in the one form, all admin system mentioned above.

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So, to change the registered address of your vehicle on its carte grise, you need to go to the ANTS website

Bizarrely, there is no rush to change the address on your driver's license.  You can leave it until you apply for a new one (for example, if you lose it, or it expires) - and there’s no dedicated ‘change of address’ option on the driver’s licence application section of the ANTS website.

6. Utilities

You need to contact your electricity and gas supplier, as well as the water company and whoever operates your telephone, TV, internet package.

Be aware, if your current internet operator is unable to supply your new home, you can request the termination of your subscription free of charge.

Don't forget your bank, either. 

7. New GP

You may want to change your GP - especially if you’re moving some distance. You will need to find a GP able to take on new patients, and they will be able to help with the process.

8. Don’t forget your pets

In France, carnivorous pets such as dogs, cats and ferrets, must be identifiable - usually by microchip, or tattoo - so that they can be returned to their owners if they get lost. This information is kept on a national database, which must be updated when you move house. Do that here

9. Get your mail forwarded

La Poste will forward any letters to your new address for up to 12 months. Click here for more information.

10. Help with the costs of moving

You may be eligible for some help with moving costs on the day itself. Those on lower incomes may be able to access help from the fonds de solidarité pour le logement towards the cost of hiring a removals firm, for example.

Parents with three children or more, or who are expecting a third child may be eligible for a moving allowance from CAF under certain conditions. More information is available here

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Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

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Anonymous 2022/11/11 22:41
I used the service-publics.fr website to notify all the government departments. Worked well for all except Pole Emploi.
Anonymous 2022/06/24 13:02
If you employ anyone through CESU, for example, a cleaner, you need to give them notice and make a severance payment. The process to follow and the calculator is on the CESU website.
Anonymous 2022/05/18 21:39
You may find, as I did, that all GPs (les medecins generales) refuse new patients, at the reception desk. So, select a doctor, write a note in French that you want to be a patient of this practice, with your full name, phone number, local address and date of birth, plus carte vitale number, if you have one. Seal it in an envelope, marked with the doctor's name and give it to the receptionist. The doctor will contact you, if they do have a space, for you. It has worked for me, as well as others I know.

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