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Capital gains tax in France 2026
Selling shares costs the 31.4% flat tax (12.8% income tax + 18.6% social charges).
Property runs on its own track: 19% income tax plus 17.2% social charges — 36.2% total — but yearly reductions kick in from year 6, ending the income-tax leg after 22 years of ownership and the social-charge leg after 30.
Your main home is exempt from the first day, whatever the gain.
At a glance
- top rate
- 36.2% (property, before taper); 31.4% (securities)
- entry band
- 0% — main residence, and property sales under €15,000
- tax year basis
- Calendar year
- filing deadline
- Securities via the annual return; property handled by the notary at sale
- residency basis
- Residents taxed on gains worldwide
- regime flag
- Retiring small-company directors: €500,000 off the taxable gain
Rates
Capital gains by asset type (2026)
| Rate | Base | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 31.4% | Net gain | Shares, bonds, funds — flat tax (progressive election possible; pre-2018 purchases can keep 50%/65% holding reductions on that route) |
| 19% + 17.2% social | Gain after taper | French and foreign property — taper from year 6 of ownership |
| 0% | — | Main residence; property sold for €15,000 or less; property held 30+ years |
Property taper by holding period
| Years owned | Income-tax leg (19%) | Social-charge leg (17.2%) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 | Full | Full |
| 6 – 21 | −6% of the gain per year | −1.65% per year |
| 22 | Exempt (−4% final year) | −1.6% that year |
| 23 – 30 | Exempt | −9% per year, exempt after year 30 |
Thresholds & allowances
- Retiring director relief€500,000 off gains on small-company shares
Shares held at least 1 year, sold on retirement
- Rollover reliefDeferral on mergers, divisions and share exchanges
Subject to conditions
Surcharges
- High-income surcharges3% – 4% + 20% minimum rateover Gains count toward the €250,000/€500,000 thresholds
Residency
Residency trigger
Residents owe French tax on gains wherever the asset sits; leaving France with substantial holdings (over €800,000 of shares, or 50% of a company's profits) triggers an exit tax on unrealised gains, deferred for moves within the European Union and most treaty countries.
Non-resident treatment
Non-residents selling French property pay 19% plus 17.2% social (7.5% if covered by another EU social security system) with the same taper; French share gains are exempt unless the stake reached 25% in the last 5 years, in which case 12.8% applies.
Notes
- The property taper means patience pays: the income-tax leg is gone after 22 years and everything after 30.
- The exit tax dissolves if you return with the shares, give them away, die, or simply hold them 2 years after leaving (5 years for portfolios over €2.57 million).
- Impatriates enjoy a 50% exemption on gains from securities held abroad during the regime.
- Gains on shares in listed non-cooperative territories lose the favourable regimes unless genuine business motives are shown.
FAQ
How much is capital gains tax on French property?
36.2% at the start — 19% income tax plus 17.2% social charges — but annual reductions from year 6 erase the 19% after 22 years of ownership and the rest after 30. Your main home is exempt outright.
What do I pay when selling shares in France?
The 31.4% flat tax on the gain. Electing the progressive bands can help at low incomes, and shares bought before 2018 keep 50%–65% holding-period reductions on that route.
Figures: tax years 2025–2026, compiled from public sources. Not tax advice.