Shipping your car to Réunion

Your car enters Réunion free of VAT and octroi de mer if you bought it with all taxes included in mainland France and you are settling on the island. You will not be able to sell or lend it for 12 months.

Conditions for the exemption

• You are moving your residence to Réunion.
• You bought the car with all taxes included in mainland France, or paid the import taxes there.
• It arrives on the island within a year of your settling.
• Commercial vehicles are excluded from the exemption.

These conditions also apply to trailers, caravans and pleasure boats, according to French customs.

The papers

• Form cerfa 10070. It contains your commitment not to sell or give away the car for 12 months.
• Your proof of settlement: certificate of change of residence, employment contract, transfer notice or order.
• Proof of purchase, all taxes included.

Vehicle registration on arrival

You have 1 month to change the address, according to Service-public.

• You do it online on the ANTS website.
• It is free for up to 3 changes of address. The 4th costs €2.76.
• If you do not declare it in time, the fine is €135.

The rules are on the Service-public page, checked on 6 March 2026.

Ship it or buy locally

Compare the cost of shipping with the price of an equivalent car on the island. If a car imported tax-free is sold before 12 months, the taxes become payable. The maximum price of unleaded rose from €1.56 to €2.00 a litre between October 2025 and October 2026. This month’s prices are on the fuel prices in Réunion page.