Become a tobacconist
Verified 01 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You want to become tobacconist ? Either you take over an existing tobacco shop or you participate in a call for applications (procedure for setting up a tobacco shop). We present the information for each of the 2 situations.
Buralist and tobacco debtor, tobacco shop and tobacco flow are synonymous designations.
Takeover of a tobacco shop
The prospective candidate must first verify that he meets the prerequisites for operating a tobacco office.
These conditions apply in the same way to the manager, to the partners in the case of an SNC, to the alternates and to the “trusted” person designated in the case of temporary management.
The conditions to be met are as follows:
- Be of age
- To Be French, European national (EU and EEA) or Switzerland
- Have a clean criminal record on sheet no. 2 (no criminal conviction)
- Enjoying its civil rights in the State in which he is a national
- Comply with tax and customs obligations during the 3 years preceding the application date
- Not be a manager or substitute of another tobacco company
- Not being under guardianship, or curatorship.
Warning
Since the 1er October 2025, the requirement of physical fitness conditions verified during a medical examination shall be deleted.
The main obligations of the tobacco supplier are as follows:
- Perform this activity during 3 years minimum
- Choose one of the following legal companies: - (EI) or a Partnership (SNC) composed of partners only as natural persons
- To be owner from goodwill associated with tobacco flow. If the legal form of the company is IS: titleContent he can co-own it with his spouse or its partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent. In any case it must remain owner throughout its activity.
- Have followed a initial training then training continue
- Exploit personally the flow of tobacco, i.e. physically in person
- Inform the administration in the shortest possible time of all change of a situation affecting his professional activity
- Declare a presence range mandatory equal to 60% minimum opening time weekly of the flow of tobacco
- Do not accumulate d'other activities during the declared mandatory weekly attendance range
- Supply your business only from suppliers approved by the State
- Respect theban on tobacco sales to one minor and the ban on tobacco advertising
- Sell tobacco at fixed prices by the Official Journal of the French Republic (JORF)
FYI
Since the 1er October 2025, the cumulation of activities is allowed outside the weekly presence range declared to Customs. Furthermore, in the case of a IS: titleContent, it is now possible for the manager to be co-owner with his/her partner or Civil partnership partner of the associated business (previously he/she had to be the sole owner of the business).
Be presented as a buyer
The candidate must identify the tobacco office he or she wishes to take over.
The national portal of the pick-up-transmission of companies is available online:
National company Transfer Exchange
The operator who transmits his tobacco office must:
- be ofagreement for him transfer his tobacco shop,
- then submit your application as a future buyer in the region's customs directorate (where the tobacco office is located).
FYI
It is possible to consult our content dedicated to company recovery.
Obtain a favorable opinion from the Customs Directorate
If the opinion of the Customs Directorate is favorable, the future operator can start to carry out the procedures.
FYI
The candidate receives an acknowledgement of receipt of his application from the administration. Failure of the administration to reply to the application within a period of 4 months from the receipt of the request, is rejection.
If your application is successful, you must undergo initial training.
What is the initial training?
Initial training is mandatory.
It lasts from 3 to 4 days.
It pays off. Its cost varies according to the training centers. It is possible to envisage a cost of approximately €800, but this is a simple indication that may vary.
If you validate this training, you receive one operating license.
Please note
Do not register for the training before the favorable response from the customs directorate to your application.
Who should take the training?
Initial training is mandatory for the following:
- Tobacco Flow Manager
- Alternates
- Non-substitute minority shareholders in the case of a CNS: titleContent.
Please note
The initial training that partners undergo is less detailed than that for the manager and his alternates.
Where to take the training?
You must choose your training center.
It must be approved by the State.
This page below from the Customs website gives the updated list approved training centers which issue the operating license from a tobacco shop.
It currently exists 5 centers approved in France.
You will also find on this page the pre-registration form to the training.
Once completed, you can send this document to the training center of your choice.
List of training centers approved by the Customs Directorate to become a tobacco dealer
Please note
You can also contact the customs department of your region to find training.
FYI
The Partnership (SNC) is the only form of business possible to run a tobacco shop. THE- (EI) is allowed.
- (EI)
THE- (EI) allows you to run a tobacco shop.
The manager is responsible for his professional assets.
General Partnership (SNC)
The Partnership (SNC) is theunique a type of business that is permitted to run a tobacco shop.
However, the following two conditions are necessary:
- The tobacco shop manager must then hold the absolute majority of shares.
- The partners must be natural persons.
Please note
The alternates shall be designated from among the associates. In the event of incapacity of the substitute partners (health problem for example), a “trusted person” may be designated as provisional manager the flow of tobacco.
If your application is successful and after having validated the initial training, you then sign a management contract with theState.
This contract must be renewed every 3 years.
This is a renewal by tacit renewal, that is to say automatic.
This renewal is granted if you still meet the same conditions as those required to open or resume a tobacco outlet, and on condition that you undergo continuous training.
It is possible to consult management contract template.
Obligation to acquire business
To obtain the management contract of a tobacco office, the manager must be able to purchase the goodwill which is associated with it.
The manager must be owner from goodwill .
FYI
Since the 1er October 2025, if the legal form of the company is an IC the manager may be co-owner with his spouse or its partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent the associated business. In any case, it must remain owner throughout its activity (i.e. at least 3 years).
It exists 3 exceptions the principle of full ownership:
- If the contract lease-management is concluded by a municipality or a group of municipalities
- If the management lease is concluded in a municipality located in a France rural revitalization zone ZFRR
- If the business is operated in the course of a franchise agreement.
Please note
In the event that the debtor does not find a buyer and the municipality does not wish to acquire the business, the manager can then retain ownership of it and place it in a management lease.
Get a bank loan
If you need a loan to purchase the business, you must be able to bring a significant amount of personal money to the start.
You are entitled to aid to take back a company.
Weekly opening hours, holidays and attendance range
Weekly closure is optional. It is limited to 2 days per week, consecutive or not.
It is decided by the manager.
A flow of tobacco can be open on sunday without prior authorization. It can be closed during public holidays.
The tobacconist sets the daily opening hours of the tobacco office. He must declare them to Customs. He must respect these declared schedules.
It must define a weekly attendance range where he pledges to be personally present in the flow of tobacco. Since the 1er October 2025, this presence range must be equal to 60% minimum of the weekly opening time of the tobacco outlet.
That obligation entails the prohibition of accumulate other activities during this presence range. Outside this weekly presence range, and this since the 1er October 2025, cumulation of activities shall be allowed.
These scheduling and opening obligations are now declarative with Customs and no longer contractual. Before 1er in october 2025, the opening hours had to be included in the management contract, since 1er October 2025 that's not the case anymore.
The declaration of presence range weekly and that of opening hours day laborers will eventually be carried out on the GIMT platform.
While waiting for the latter to be functional for these elements, the tobacconist can make these declarations simply by mail with customs.
Access the Computerized Management Platform of the Tobacco Monopoly (GIMT)
Warning
Since the 1er October 2025, the related trade (press, bar, restaurant, etc.) can remain open during a temporary closure the flow of tobacco. The obligation to open concomitantly the associated trade concerns the daily timetables of the tobacco outlet.
Annual leave
Annual leave is 6 weeks maximum.
They must not not to exceed 4 consecutive weeks.
The manager must inform the customs services in advance of the dates of his annual leave.
Warning
Since the 1er October 2025, it is no longer mandatory to hold a stock minimum tobacco content corresponding to 3 days of sale medium. From now on, only the obligation of a regular refueling is included in the management contract. The operator shall be present during refueling.
The renewal of the management contract is done by tacit renewal (automatically) every 3 years if the manager completes the mandatory conditions.
These conditions are the same as when opening or taking over a tobacco shop.
These are the following obligations:
The main obligations of the tobacco dealer are:
- Perform this activity during 3 years minimum
- Choose one of the following legal companies: - (EI) or a Partnership (SNC) composed of partners only as natural persons
- To be owner from goodwill associated with tobacco flow. If the legal form of the company is IS: titleContent he can co-own it with his spouse or its partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent. In any case it must remain owner throughout its activity.
- Have completed and validated training continue, 6 months before the date of renewal
- Exploit personally the flow of tobacco, i.e. physically in person
- Inform the administration in the shortest possible time of all change of a situation affecting his professional activity
- Declare a presence range mandatory equal to 60% minimum opening time weekly of the flow of tobacco
- Do not accumulate d'other activities during the declared mandatory weekly attendance range
- Supply your business only from suppliers approved by the State
- Respect theban on tobacco sales to one minor and the ban on tobacco advertising
- Sell tobacco at fixed prices by the Official Journal of the French Republic (JORF)
FYI
Since the 1er October 2025, the manager may propose to his alternate to undergo continuous training, on an ad hoc or regular basis. Moreover, from now on, if the manager does not carry out the continuous training, the tobacco flow is then temporarily closed until he fulfills that obligation.
To find a training, it is possible to consult the list of approved training centers by the customs directorate.
List of training centers approved by the Customs Directorate to become a tobacco dealer
It is also possible to contact customs directorate of its region to find training.
FYI
In 2025, continuing education must be attended by managers whose initial contract was signed in 2022, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1992, 1989 or 1986.
It is possible to consult the model of the management contract.
Opening of a new tobacco shop
Only the Customs Directorate can decide on the opening of a new tobacco office. You must respond to a call for applications to become a tobacconist in a newly opened tobacco shop.
The prospective candidate must first verify that he meets the prerequisites for operating a tobacco office.
These conditions apply in the same way to the manager, to the partners in the case of an SNC, to the alternates and to the “trusted” person designated in the case of temporary management.
The conditions to be met are as follows:
- Be of age
- To Be French, European national (EU and EEA) or Switzerland
- Have a clean criminal record on sheet no. 2 (no criminal conviction)
- Enjoying its civil rights in the State in which he is a national
- Comply with tax and customs obligations during the 3 years preceding the application date
- Not be a manager or substitute of another tobacco company
- Not being under guardianship, or curatorship.
Warning
Since the 1er October 2025, the requirement of physical fitness conditions verified during a medical examination shall be deleted.
The main obligations of the tobacco supplier are as follows:
- Perform this activity during 3 years minimum
- Choose one of the following legal companies: - (EI) or a Partnership (SNC) composed of partners only as natural persons
- To be owner from goodwill associated with tobacco flow. If the legal form of the company is IS: titleContent he can co-own it with his spouse or its partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent. In any case it must remain owner throughout its activity.
- Have followed a initial training then training continue
- Exploit personally the flow of tobacco, i.e. physically in person
- Inform the administration in the shortest possible time of all change of a situation affecting his professional activity
- Declare a presence range mandatory equal to 60% minimum opening time weekly of the flow of tobacco
- Do not accumulate d'other activities during the declared mandatory weekly attendance range
- Supply your business only from suppliers approved by the State
- Respect theban on tobacco sales to one minor and the ban on tobacco advertising
- Sell tobacco at fixed prices by the Official Journal of the French Republic (JORF)
FYI
Since the 1er October 2025, the cumulation of activities is allowed outside the weekly presence range declared to Customs. Furthermore, in the case of a IS: titleContent, it is now possible for the manager to be co-owner with his/her partner or Civil partnership partner of the associated business (previously he/she had to be the sole owner of the business).
Where to find the management offers of a tobacco office?
You must consult offers to manage a tobacco shop.
These offers are available on the legal advertising media. Most offers are available in the regional press.
You can consult the list media (newspapers) of your department authorized to publish legal ads:
Search for media authorized to publish legal ads by department
How to apply?
You must apply for the job you are interested in.
You must send your application to the customs directorate of your region.
FYI
The candidate receives an acknowledgement of receipt of his application from the administration. Failure of the administration to reply to the application within a period of 4 months from the receipt of the request, is rejection.
If your application is successful, you must undergo initial training.
What is the initial training?
Initial training is mandatory.
It lasts from 3 to 4 days.
It pays off. Its cost varies according to the training centers. It is possible to envisage a cost of approximately €800, but this is a simple indication that may vary.
If you validate this training, you receive one operating license.
Please note
Do not register for the training before the favorable response from the customs directorate to your application.
Who should take the training?
Initial training is mandatory for the following:
- Tobacco Flow Manager
- Alternates
- Non-substitute minority shareholders in the case of a CNS: titleContent.
Please note
The initial training that partners undergo is less detailed than that for the manager and his alternates.
Where to take the training?
You must choose your training center.
It must be approved by the State.
This page below from the Customs website gives the updated list approved training centers which issue the operating license from a tobacco shop.
It currently exists 5 centers approved in France.
You will also find on this page the pre-registration form to the training.
Once completed, you can send this document to the training center of your choice.
List of training centers approved by the Customs Directorate to become a tobacco dealer
Please note
You can also contact the customs department of your region to find training.
If your application is successful and after having validated the initial training, you then sign a management contract with theState.
This contract must be renewed every 3 years.
This is a renewal by tacit renewal, that is to say automatic.
This renewal is granted if you still meet the same conditions as those required to open or resume a tobacco outlet, and on condition that you undergo continuous training.
It is possible to consult management contract template.
Weekly opening hours, holidays and attendance range
Weekly closure is optional. It is limited to 2 days per week, consecutive or not.
It is decided by the manager.
A flow of tobacco can be open on sunday without prior authorization. It can be closed during public holidays.
The tobacconist sets the daily opening hours of the tobacco office. He must declare them to Customs. He must respect these declared schedules.
It must define a weekly attendance range where he pledges to be personally present in the flow of tobacco. Since the 1er October 2025, this presence range must be equal to 60% minimum of the weekly opening time of the tobacco outlet.
That obligation entails the prohibition of accumulate other activities during this presence range. Outside this weekly presence range, and this since the 1er October 2025, cumulation of activities shall be allowed.
These scheduling and opening obligations are now declarative with Customs and no longer contractual. Before 1er in october 2025, the opening hours had to be included in the management contract, since 1er October 2025 that's not the case anymore.
The declaration of presence range weekly and that of opening hours day laborers will eventually be carried out on the GIMT platform.
While waiting for the latter to be functional for these elements, the tobacconist can make these declarations simply by mail with customs.
Access the Computerized Management Platform of the Tobacco Monopoly (GIMT)
Warning
Since the 1er October 2025, the related trade (press, bar, restaurant, etc.) can remain open during a temporary closure the flow of tobacco. The obligation to open concomitantly the associated trade concerns the daily timetables of the tobacco outlet.
Annual leave
Annual leave is 6 weeks maximum.
They must not not to exceed 4 consecutive weeks.
The manager must inform the customs services in advance of the dates of his annual leave.
Warning
Since the 1er October 2025, it is no longer mandatory to hold a stock minimum tobacco content corresponding to 3 days of sale medium. From now on, only the obligation of a regular refueling is included in the management contract. The operator shall be present during refueling.
The renewal of the management contract is done by tacit renewal (automatically) every 3 years if the manager completes the mandatory conditions.
These conditions are the same as when opening or taking over a tobacco shop.
These are the following obligations:
The main obligations of the tobacco dealer are:
- Perform this activity during 3 years minimum
- Choose one of the following legal companies: - (EI) or a Partnership (SNC) composed of partners only as natural persons
- To be owner from goodwill associated with tobacco flow. If the legal form of the company is IS: titleContent he can co-own it with his spouse or its partner of Civil partnerships: titleContent. In any case it must remain owner throughout its activity.
- Have completed and validated training continue, 6 months before the date of renewal
- Exploit personally the flow of tobacco, i.e. physically in person
- Inform the administration in the shortest possible time of all change of a situation affecting his professional activity
- Declare a presence range mandatory equal to 60% minimum opening time weekly of the flow of tobacco
- Do not accumulate d'other activities during the declared mandatory weekly attendance range
- Supply your business only from suppliers approved by the State
- Respect theban on tobacco sales to one minor and the ban on tobacco advertising
- Sell tobacco at fixed prices by the Official Journal of the French Republic (JORF)
FYI
Since the 1er October 2025, the manager may propose to his alternate to undergo continuous training, on an ad hoc or regular basis. Moreover, from now on, if the manager does not carry out the continuous training, the tobacco flow is then temporarily closed until he fulfills that obligation.
To find a training, it is possible to consult the list of approved training centers by the customs directorate.
List of training centers approved by the Customs Directorate to become a tobacco dealer
It is also possible to contact customs directorate of its region to find training.
FYI
In 2025, continuing education must be attended by managers whose initial contract was signed in 2022, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1992, 1989 or 1986.
It is possible to consult the model of the management contract.
Sales prices, taxes and license fees for tobacco outlets (including the conditions of exercise for a CNS)
Areas protected against the opening of a tobacco outlet
Tobacco control
Ministry of Finance
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Duties
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Duties