Is it true there is a paper version of France’s property declaration?

Reader question: You have written that it is impossible to get a paper version of the biens immobiliers form but I have heard that some people have had one. Why is this?

The tax authorities were clear in their main communications about the new property declaration process that, in general, the only way to do this is online, through your own personal space on the impots.gouv.fr website or, if you cannot, then via telephone (0809 401 401 if you are in France).

This was confirmed to us by the head of the service concerned, in an interview in April.

Officials also clarified to us that non-residents who cannot declare online for some reason should telephone the tax office of the area where the property is located, as the 0809 number does not work from outside France.

Paper forms provided in some departments

One reader has, however, told us that they were given a paper declaration to complete and give back to the authorities.

This was though said to have been as a last resort after the reader told the tax office he could not do it online.

The CGT union has also reported that tax offices in a few departments have distributed paper forms, in one case described as being “only internally, and sparingly”.

With a number of people preferring paper forms, we tried to see if the ability to acquire a form like this was widely available but this is not the case.

We would therefore advise as a general rule following the standard advice to complete the formality online or if you cannot, contacting your tax office by phone or, if convenient, in person.

If people are in France it is also possible to obtain help from a branch of France Services.

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