Definitions

A gift is a contract under which, during his lifetime, a person immediately and irrevocably transfers property to another person who accepts it (Article 894 of the Civil Code).

The giver is called the donor and the recipient is called the donee.

Gifts must, in theory, be formally recorded by an instrument.

However, the hand-to-hand gift provided for in Article 757 of the General Tax Code (CGI) involves the ordinary handing over of any movable property (an item, money, a cheque, securities or shares) and does not extend to immovable property for which a notarised instrument is mandatory.

Valuation of gifted property

The gift must be valued:

• either on the date it is declared,

• or on the date when it is actually handed over.

The higher of the two values is used.

The type of property dictates the rules for valuation:

• The value of jewellery and works of art or collectibles may not be less than 60% of the estimate set out in an insurance policy ;

• Listed securities (shares, bonds) are valued at the most-recent stock market price (closing price on the day before the gift is made) ;

• Unlisted securities are valued at their actual market value (the "Guide de l'évaluation des entreprises et des titres de sociétés" is available in the "Aide en ligne" section) ;

• The value of movable property given in bare ownership or with a life interest is calculated on the basis of the life tenant's age.

The latter can be assessed using the statutory scale provided for in Article 669 of the General Tax Code.

Declaration

The recipient of a gift (the donee) is responsible for declaring it. You must therefore report received gifts to the tax authorities even if no tax is owed: 

• using the online form available in your DGFiP personal account on this website in the “Déclarer” section under “Déclarer un don ou une cession de droits sociaux declaration” (in French only), unless an exemption is provided for in your case;
• if you are exempt, using paper form no. 2735 together with payment of any tax owed;
• using paper form no. 2734 for the optional deferral of the declaration and payment of tax until the donor’s death if the gift received is of a value of more than €15,000.

The online/paper declaration registration date will enable the 15-year period for entitlement to allowances to be calculated (refer to the “Calcul et paiement des droits” section on this website – in French only).

If there is another gift between the same people within 15 years of the first gift, the allowances and brackets of the tax scale used at that time may no longer be applied.

Online declaration form “Declaring a gift or a disposal of shares”

As from 1 January 2026, hand-to-hand gifts and sums of money that you receive must be declared online unless they are subject to exceptions (see FAQ section “Exceptions à la declaration en ligne” on this website - in French only).

Please note : non-residents who have no tax obligations relating to income tax or local taxes in France, and therefore do not or no longer have a DGFiP personal account are not required to file a declaration online.

The online form is available in your DGFiP personal account on this website in the “Déclarer” section under “Déclarer un don ou une cession de droits sociaux” (in French only). This method allows for secure reporting of your gift whenever you like. 

"Declaration of hand-to-hand gifts and gifts of money" (Form no. 2735)  

If you are exempt from the online reporting requirement, two copies of paper form no. 2735 must be filed by the donee (beneficiary) with the registration department in the location of your residence during the month following the date when the gift was reported to the tax authorities. You will find the department’s contact details in the “Contact et prise de rendez-vous” section on this website (in French only).

You can contact a notary or fill out hand-to-hand gift declaration no. 2735 yourself: the form can be accessed via this website's search engine. 

Do not forget to mention previous gifts given less than 15 years ago by the same donor to the same beneficiary (you).

"Reporting a hand-to-hand gift of more than €15,000" (Form no. 2734)

When you receive a hand-to-hand gift of more than €15,000, you can choose to pay the tax within a month of the donor's death.

To do so you must fill in form no. 2734-SD so that the tax authorities are aware of the gift received, and specify to them that you have opted for deferred declaration and payment of tax. This option is only available to those who have reported the gift of their own accord (by filing form no. 2734) i.e. not to donees who have only reported a gift as a response to a request from the tax authorities or to a tax audit procedure.

Two copies of this form must be sent to the registration department in the location of your residence whose contact details can be found in the “Contact et prise de rendez-vous” section as mentioned above.

Upon the donor’s death, you must declare this gift online in your DGFiP personal account in the “Déclarer” section under “Déclarer un don ou une cession de droits sociaux” and pay any tax owed within one month of the date of the donor’s death. If you are exempt from the online reporting requirement, you must send two copies of gift declaration form no. 2735-SD to the registration department in the location of the donee’s residence together with payment of any tax owed.

You must therefore specify by checking the relevant box that your declaration is being filed after having opted for the declaration and payment of tax after the donor’s death. 

Gifts of money are subject to the ordinary law allowances and rates determined on the basis of the relationship between the donor and donee.   

Gifts of money to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, or in the absence of descendants, to nephews and nieces, or by “representation” to great nephews or great nieces, may, under certain conditions, be exempt from duty on transfers without valuable consideration, in the commensurate amount of €31,865 every fifteen years.