France
Check information on ports of entry, customs procedures and inland waterway regulations
IMPORTANT
This information is intended as a general guide for UK residents taking a privately owned, UK‑registered pleasure vessel to France for a short visit. It addresses key requirements and commonly asked questions but doesn’t attempt to deal with every possible situation.
Please note:
Applicable rules may differ significantly if you choose to base your boat in France, own both property and a boat in France, become resident in France, cruise a company‑owned yacht, or use your vessel commercially (including offering it for charter).
Paperwork
You can find general guidance on the paperwork required when boating abroad on our Paperwork page.
In French territorial waters, you must carry original documentation that proves the boat’s nationality. The simplest way of proving nationality is with a certificate of British registry, as detailed on the Paperwork page.
Additional documents are required for boating on French inland waterways. You can find details of these further down this page in the information on inland waterways.
Evidence of competence
French regulations require skippers of visiting foreign-flagged boats to hold the boating qualifications or certificates required by their flag state. In practice, this means that if your boat is UK-registered and under 24m in length, or under 80 GT, there is no qualification requirement for French coastal waters.
However, local interpretation can vary, and we recommend, particularly if cruising in the Mediterranean, to take any current certificates with you. Find out about the validity of RYA certificates abroad.
On inland waterways [link to Inland waterways section], if your boat is less than 20m in length, we recommend carrying an ICC * (International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft) validated for inland. This should show that you have sufficient knowledge of traffic regulations, buoyage, signage, and signals on European inland waterways (CEVNI rules).
The ICC may not be sufficient for vessels over 20m in length.
*While the ICC isn’t formally accepted in France, it is widely recognised as evidence of competence.
Entry and exit formalities
Arriving in France from the UK or a Non-Schengen Country
France is an EU member state and part of the customs territory of the EU, which includes EU territorial waters. You can find information on EU customs requirements and Schengen Area immigration at Entry and exit formalities.
When you arrive in France from the UK, or from another non‑Schengen country, you are subject to border controls by French authorities. Under current French procedures, you may arrive at:
- an official border crossing point (Point de Passage Frontalier – PPF), or
- one of the approved non‑PPF marinas authorised under the ‘marina protocol’ system introduced in 2024
Border control declaration
Pleasure craft arriving from or departing to a non-Schengen country must submit a ‘formulaire déclaratif contrôle aux frontières – entrée/sortie’ (entry/exit border control declaration).
For arrival at a PPF port, the declaration may be:
- submitted on arrival, or
- sent in advance by email (recommended)
For arrival at a non-PPF marina, the declaration must be submitted:
- no later than 24 hours before arrival in France, or
- at the time you depart from your port outside the Schengen Area
Details of authorised border crossing points, along with downloadable entry and exit declaration forms, are available from French Customs (Douanes). Some ports and marinas also make the forms available on their own websites.
Arriving at a PPF Port (Official Border Crossing)
At a Point de Passage Frontalier (PPF), border controls are carried out in person by the French authorities:
- either French Customs (Douanes), or
- the Border Police (Police aux Frontières – PAF).
Procedures:
- The skipper and all crew must report to the border‑control authorities on arrival
- You will need:
- a completed entry border‑control declaration form,
- passports for all crew,
- boat registration documents
- In busy periods, you may need to book an appointment in advance.
Practical points to check:
- The Douane or PAF office may not be located within the marina
- Opening hours can be limited or vary by day
- In some busy ports, officers may instead visit the marina to carry out immigration and customs checks.
Entry and exit requirements
- If you enter France (or the wider Schengen Area) at a PPF port, you must also leave via a PPF port (if not travelling onwards to another Schengen Area country)
- This ensures that you receive matching entry and exit passport stamps (or the equivalent border record under current procedures)
Arriving at a non-PPF marina
Note: The Fédération Française des Ports de Plaisance (FFPP) has confirmed that the protocol, as described here, remains in place for 2026. Procedures may vary between marinas, and we advise contacting the marina you plan to visit to check ahead of time.
If you plan to arrive at one of the approved non-PPF marinas:
- You must submit a border control declaration (entry) form in advance to the marina (normally by email)
- The marina forwards this declaration to the associated PPF office, where it is recorded and stamped
- Passports are not physically checked at the marina
You can find an official list of approved non-PPF marinas and their associated offices on the French Customs website.
Many marinas provide their own declaration form, usually on their website. A standard declaration form is also available from French Customs.
Q Flag
Our understanding is that, in France, there is no requirement to fly the yellow Q (quarantine) flag unless you have items to declare. However, if you are in any doubt about the customs status of your boat or need to declare it, or any items onboard, contact French Customs for clarification.
Leaving France from a non-PPF marina
If you enter the Schengen Area through France at a non-PPF marina, you should also ‘check out’ from a non-PPF marina by submitting a corresponding ‘exit’ declaration form to the marina office.
Importantly, if any of your crew plan to travel home by commercial transport, you may need to arrive via a PPF port so that they have the correct border records on their passport.
French equipment and manning regulations
The RYA has previously taken legal advice on how French domestic equipment and manning regulations apply to UK‑registered recreational boats visiting France. The conclusion was that the position is not entirely clear in law.
In practice, the safest approach for the owner or skipper of a foreign‑flagged pleasure craft operating in French waters is to make every reasonable effort to comply with the French rules that apply to their area and type of navigation.
A useful summary (in French) of the equipment requirements under Division 240 is available. This covers safety equipment for seagoing pleasure vessels and includes clarifications and updates introduced in October 2024.
RYA Members can also read Visiting France – a constitutional conundrum for a more detailed explanation of how French law may apply to foreign‑flagged vessels.
Waste water discharge and holding tanks
Under the French Tourism Code, any boat built after 2008 and fitted with toilets must have either a holding tank or an approved treatment system to enter French sea ports, river ports, marinas, moorings, or anchorages. In return, French ports and marinas are required to provide waste‑water disposal (pump‑out) facilities.
The discharge of black water, grey water, or bilge water is prohibited:
- in all French ports and marinas, and
- within 3 nautical miles of the French coast.
Beyond 3 miles from the shore, treated black water may be discharged, provided the vessel is travelling at a minimum of 4 knots.
Pleasure boats under 20 metres could face fines of up to €4,000 for disposing of any waste at sea, not just waste water.
Discharge of waste water is also prohibited in canals and rivers. However, wastewater disposal facilities are not uniformly available across the inland waterways network.
Red diesel
In France, marked or rebated (red) diesel is not authorised for propelling private pleasure craft, either at sea or on inland waters. Find out more about red diesel abroad.
Inland waterways
The use of CEVNI signage is an indicator that waters are classified as inland. The first obstacle to navigation for seagoing ships is often where inland waters begin. This can be a lock, a bridge or a tidal barrage. On smaller rivers, however, the limit of the inland waters is taken to be the mouth. There are exceptions, so if in doubt check with the local Harbour Master.
Vessels longer than 20m
If you navigate inland waterways on a boat longer than 20m, you must carry the general police regulations for inland navigation (RGPNI) as well as the police special regulations for the waterways you are using:
You can store these documents electronically, as long as you can access them at any time.
Smaller vessels
If you are in a smaller vessel, it’s a good idea to carry a copy of the French regulations or CEVNI for reference.
Preparing to navigate French rivers
Voies Navigables de France is an excellent source of information on river services, navigation conditions, and the state of the river network. You can buy your vignette (pleasure craft sticker) through the website and access the Navi (navigation) app.
VHF regulations
France is a signatory to RAINWAT (Regional Arrangement Concerning the Radiotelephone Service on Inland Waterways). If you use a portable or fixed VHF radio on inland waterways, it must be ATIS (Automatic Transmitter Identification System) enabled, and you must comply with RAINWAT requirements.
Disclaimer
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information the RYA provides relating to boating abroad, no responsibility is accepted for the results of any errors or omissions.
Some regulations are applied more strictly than others and local interpretation may be more, or less, rigid than stated. When visiting, if you find that regulations or practices differ from those described or if you find yourself thinking "I wonder if the RYA is aware of this?" please email your experiences to cruising@rya.org.uk.
