Updated on: May 04, 2026 | By: @rprasanth_kumar
French tax stamps, known as timbres fiscaux are required to get or renew resident permits in France. You can buy them online or at certain stores. This article explains how to buy them and use these stamps to pay for your resident permit applications.
How to buy a tax stamp?
You can buy the tax stamp online or at a local tobacco shop.
Online Purchase: You can purchase your tax stamp online at timbres.impots.gouv.fr « Titre pour etrangers » The portal accepts payments by one of the following types of bank cards:
- Normal Debit card (CB)
- Visa
- Mastercard
However, payment by Paypal or American Express card is not accepted. The electronic tax stamp may be issued in one of the two formats,
- A PDF document with a 2D code that can also be scanned directly from a phone or a tablet or a photocopy by the agent at the prefecture.
- A SMS containing the 16-digit identifier of the stamp that will be accepted by the agent at the prefecture.
If you do not use the tax stamp you purchased online, you can apply for a refund at timbres.impots.gouv.fr
Offline at a tobacco shop: You can buy the tax stamps from a local tobacco shop if the shop is equipped to edit them. You can find the nearest partner tobacco shop using this online directory impots.gouv.fr/paiement-de-proximite
Cost of Tax Stamps
The cost of the tax stamp depends on the type of the resident permit.
| Purpose | Tax Stamp from 1st May 2026 |
| New card after changes (address, etc.) | 25 € |
| Attestation d’accueil | 30 € |
| Exchange of Foreign Driving Licence to French | 40 € |
| DCEM | 50 € |
| Autorisations provisoire de séjour | 100 € |
| Naturalisation (French citizenship) | 225 € |
| Visa regularisation foreigners in irregular situations | 300 € |
| VLS-TS online validation | 300 € (100 € for certain categories) |
| 1st Carte de Séjour (all) or Carte de Resident (10- year) | 350 € (150 € for certain categories) |
| Renewal of residence permit | 250 € (100 € for certain categories) |
| Reduced price applicable for: Étudiant (Student), Stagiaire (Intern), CdS recherche d’emploi ou création d’entreprise, Jeune au pair, Travailleur saisonnier (Seasonal worker), and Regroupement familial. | |
Sources & References: Acheter un timbre fiscal? service-public.fr
Update May 2026: Titres de séjour : augmentation du montant des taxes demandées aux étrangers à compter du 1er mai https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/actualites/A18881