French Polynesia Import Duties & Taxes Explained

Your shipment is subject to a cumulative tax structure including Customs Duty (DD), Value Added Tax (TVA) at 16%, and local Consumption Tax (TMC). These charges are calculated based on the total landed cost of your items plus shipping and insurance.

There is effectively no duty-free threshold for commercial purchases sent via express carriers to French Polynesia. Taxes apply from the first dollar of value, unlike the 20,000 XPF exemption that may apply only to personal gifts between private individuals.

The standard TVA rate of 16% is applied to the CIF value, which includes your item cost, shipping, insurance, plus any applicable customs duties. This means you pay tax on the total landed value rather than just the purchase price.

Customs Duty (DD) typically ranges from 5% to 20%, while the specific Consumption Tax (TMC) can add another 7% to 25% depending on the product category. You may also encounter a 2% Statistics Tax and a small Port Tax.

Yes, carriers like DHL, FedEx, or UPS typically charge an administrative fee between 3,500 XPF and 6,000 XPF for processing the complex multi-tax declaration. This is a separate flat fee collected by the carrier upon delivery.

The Direction des Douanes de la Polynésie française determines the charges, but they are usually collected directly by your carrier or customs broker when the shipment arrives. You will need to settle these fees before your package is released.

While exact figures depend on the specific HS code and carrier exchange rates, you can estimate costs by adding 16% TVA, 5-20% duty, and 7-25% local tax to your item value plus shipping. Expect to pay roughly 40% to 60% of your total landed cost in taxes alone.

No, French Polynesia is an Overseas Collectivity with its own independent tax laws and is not part of the EU fiscal territory. This means EU-specific exemptions do not apply to your US purchases forwarded by Stackry.

Yes, electronics often fall into higher tax brackets for the Consumption Tax (TMC), which can reach up to 25% depending on the specific item classification. Check your product category carefully as rates vary significantly between essentials and luxury goods.

Shipments sent between private individuals may be exempt up to 20,000 XPF if they are genuinely non-commercial gifts. However, most e-commerce purchases from US retailers will be treated as commercial imports and taxed immediately.