Services provided by La Poste

Certain La Poste branches operate on behalf of the Banque de France, dealing with individuals wanting to be reimbursed for damaged banknotes.

Requests for reimbursement must be made in person at the counter. Sending banknotes by post is forbidden.

Banknotes are only accepted from an adult natural person. You can bring damaged banknotes that belong to you or on behalf of another individual. Any reimbursement by the Banque de France, following an inspection of the damaged banknotes, is made exclusively by bank transfer to the account of the person bringing the banknotes or the third-party recipient of the transaction.

Things to know before calling at La Poste:

• Find the address of a La Poste branch in your region by clicking here.

• Find out La Poste branch opening times by clicking here.

• Amounts are limited to EUR 5,000 per person per day.

• You should call in at a Banque de France cash centre open to the public for all large volume (over 1,000 banknotes) or high value (EUR 5,000 or more) transactions or with fragile banknotes that must be handled with care. As the opening times of Banque de France cash centres are subject to change, it is advisable to telephone in advance to confirm that the branch will be open.

You must provide the following:

• Proof of identity: You must have a valid photo ID with an identification number. If you are exchanging the banknotes on somebody else's behalf, similar ID for the recipient must also be shown.

- For French citizens: a national identity card (exceptionally, this may have expired), passport, driving licence, veterans identity card or military invalidity card.

- For foreign nationals: a home country national identity card or passport, French temporary residence permit or permanent resident card, or a declaration of domiciliation for asylum seekers.

• Bank details, including the IBAN, of the recipient of the requested reimbursement.

 Any question or complaint regarding damaged banknotes brought to La Poste should be sent to the address noted on the back of the reimbursement application form.