Tax on Selling Gold in France

By default, selling gold bars or coins in France costs a flat 11.5% of the sale price (taxe forfaitaire), whether or not you made a gain. If you can prove when and for how much you bought it, you can choose instead to be taxed on the gain at 36.2%, reduced by 5% a year after the second year and nil after 22 years.

Facts checked 30 October 2026 · Not financial, legal or tax advice

At a glance

What you sell	How the gain is taxed	Notes
Gold bars and bullion coins (default)	11.5% of the sale price (11% tax + 0.5% CRDS).	Due even on a loss; no €5,000 exemption for precious metals.
Gold bars and coins, with proof of purchase	Option: gain taxed at 36.2% (19% income tax + 17.2% social levies); 5% relief per year held beyond the second.	Fully exempt after 22 years. Some sources quote 37.6% for 2026 (see note).
Jewellery	Exempt if sold for €5,000 or less; above that 6.5% of the price (6% + 0.5% CRDS), or the gain option.
Silver and platinum	Same as gold: 11.5% of the price, or the gain option.

How gold gains are taxed

The taxe forfaitaire sur les métaux précieux (CGI art. 150 VI to 150 VM) is 11% of the sale price plus 0.5% CRDS, so 11.5%. It ignores your purchase price and how long you held the gold.
You can opt instead for the capital gains regime if you can document the purchase date and price (a dated, named invoice; for interchangeable coins this is harder to show than for a numbered bar). The gain is taxed at 19% plus social levies, reduced by 5% for each year held beyond the second, so it is fully exempt after 22 years.
Jewellery, art and collectors' items fall under the objets précieux tax: 6% + 0.5% CRDS, with an exemption when the sale price is €5,000 or less. That exemption doesn't apply to precious metals.
Gold has been outside the wealth tax (IFI) since 2018.

Reporting

When you sell to a dealer, the dealer withholds and pays the tax and files form 2091-SD (flat tax) or 2092-SD (gain option) within a month of the sale.
If you sell to a private buyer, you file and pay within a month yourself.

Losses

The flat tax is due even when you sell at a loss.
Under the gain option, a loss gives no tax and can't be used against other gains.

The 2026 social security financing law raised the social levies on capital income from 17.2% to 18.6% from 2026, but kept some gains at the old rate. Sources disagree on whether gains on precious metals under the option are covered: some put the 2026 rate at 37.6%, others still at 36.2%. Ask the dealer or your tax office which rate applies before choosing the option. The 11.5% flat tax is unchanged.

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Tax on Selling Gold in France: FAQ

How much tax do I pay when I sell gold in France?

By default 11.5% of the sale price, withheld by the dealer, even if you sell at a loss. With proof of the purchase price and date you can opt to be taxed on the gain instead, at 36.2% before holding-period relief, and nothing after 22 years.

Is there a €5,000 tax-free limit for selling gold?

Not for gold bars or bullion coins. The €5,000 exemption applies to jewellery, art and collectors' items sold for €5,000 or less.

Which is cheaper, the flat tax or the tax on the gain?

It depends on the gain and how long you held the gold. The gain option is usually better for long-held gold with a documented low purchase price, and is free after 22 years; the flat tax can be cheaper for recent purchases or when the gain is a large share of the price.

Sources (5)

General information about the rules for individual investors, checked October 2026. Tax depends on your circumstances and residence; check with the tax authority or an adviser. Not tax advice.