Article: Moving to Monaco from the UK: Visas, Customs, Driving and Pets (2026)

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Oct 5, 2026

Moving to Monaco from the UK: Visas, Customs, Driving and Pets (2026)

Since Brexit, moving from Britain to Monaco takes more paperwork than it used to. British citizens no longer have EU free movement, so the move now starts with a French long-stay visa before Monaco's own residence process. Belongings cross a customs border, pets need an animal health certificate, and your UK driving licence has a deadline attached. This guide covers each step in the order you are likely to meet it.

It is part of our Moving to Monaco guide. It is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice. Check your own situation with a professional adviser and with the authorities named below.

Short visits versus moving: the 90/180 rule

UK government travel advice states that British passport holders can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Monaco, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. For entry, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years ago and must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave.

To stay longer than 90 days, or to work or study, you must meet the French government's entry requirements. In practice, this is the first real step of a move.

Step one: the long-stay visa for Monaco, through France

You apply for the long-stay visa through France-Visas, the French government's visa portal, and submit it to the French consulate responsible for where you live. The France-Visas page for Monaco lists the documents for applicants who intend to settle in the Principality. They include:

the online application form, printed and signed, a recent colour photograph and copies of all used pages of your passport
a CV setting out your reasons for settling in Monaco
a birth certificate, legalised or apostilled and translated, plus marriage or divorce documents where relevant
a criminal record certificate less than 3 months old
evidence of how you will support yourself: an employment contract, proof of a business authorisation, a sponsor's commitment, or a bank attestation from a Monegasque bank showing sufficient means without working
proof of accommodation: a title deed, a lease registered with the Monaco authorities, or a certificate of accommodation from a host
for children, a birth certificate, proof of school enrolment and a photograph

Two of these items depend on decisions you make in Monaco itself. You need a home, which our guide to renting an apartment in Monaco explains, and usually a local bank, which is covered in opening a bank account in Monaco.

Step two: your Monaco residence card

Once you arrive with your visa, you apply for a residence card (carte de séjour), preferably through the Government's online service for a first residence permit. You are then invited to book an interview with the Residency Section of the Police Department (Direction de la Sûreté Publique), at 9 rue Suffren-Reymond, and to bring your original documents.

For a realistic view of the timings, read How Long Does Monaco Residency Really Take?.

Telling HMRC you are leaving

GOV.UK explains how to tell HM Revenue and Customs that you are leaving the UK. If you do not complete a Self Assessment tax return, you fill in form P85. If you do, you complete the residence section (form SA109) and send it by post, because HMRC's online services cannot be used to report that you are leaving. Your UK tax position after the move depends on your circumstances, and is a question for a qualified tax adviser.

Shipping your belongings: customs after Brexit

French customs (the douane) lists the Principality of Monaco within the customs territory of the European Union. This means that goods coming from the UK cross an EU customs border on the way to Monaco.

French customs offers relief from duties and VAT for personal belongings when you transfer your main residence from a country outside the EU. Its stated conditions include:

you must have lived in the non-EU country for at least 12 months
the goods must have been in your private use for at least 6 months before the move
the goods must be brought in within the 12 months following your change of residence
you need a detailed, dated and signed inventory in duplicate, the declaration form Cerfa 10070, and proof of your previous and new residence

The page is written for moves to France, so ask your removal company's customs agent, or French customs, how the relief applies to your move to Monaco. Our guide to moving your furniture to Monaco covers removals in more detail, and our article on the best movers in Monaco names local firms.

Many people find it simpler not to ship everything. Large pieces chosen for a British house do not always suit a Monaco apartment. Before paying to ship a piece, get a sense of what it might fetch locally with our furniture value calculator and the Riviera Designer Resale Report 2026. You can sell what you won't bring once you are here through Meubles Monaco, and furnish the new home with curated pre-owned designer pieces from our listings. If you would rather someone else handled it, our turnkey furnishing service can do so.

Driving: exchange your UK licence within a year

According to the Government's public-service site, foreign licence holders who become official residents must exchange their licence within one year of obtaining resident status. After that, the foreign licence is no longer valid and its holder loses the right to drive in the Principality.

The request can be made through the Government's dedicated online service. The documents include the form STC010, identification, your original valid licence, a certificate from the issuing country less than 3 months old confirming that your driving rights are not suspended, a translation into French by a sworn translator for licences issued outside the EU, and a recent photograph. A fee applies.

The countries whose licences can be exchanged are listed in Ministerial Decree no. 2019-638, so confirm with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office (Service des Titres de Circulation) that UK licences are included before you rely on an exchange. The office is at 5 Promenade Honoré II, receives visitors by appointment only and can be reached on (+377) 98 98 80 14.

Bringing a dog, cat or ferret

GOV.UK sets out the rules for taking a pet from Great Britain into the EU, and you will travel through France to reach Monaco:

Your pet must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination.
Travel can take place at least 21 full days after the first vaccination.
You need an animal health certificate. It is valid for 10 days for entry into the EU, then for 6 months of onward travel within the EU.
If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU, even one issued in the EU.

Check the current rules with your vet shortly before you travel, because they change.

Healthcare and schools

UK government travel advice states that the EHIC and UK GHIC are not accepted in Monaco. Arrange proper health cover before you move. Our guide to healthcare in Monaco for new residents explains the options and the emergency numbers.

For schools, places in Monaco's state schools are offered to non-Monegasque children subject to availability. Families arriving mid-year can apply outside the normal enrolment periods through the Government's online service, with the parent's residence card, the child's birth certificate and the last three terms' school reports. Monaco's school year does not follow British term dates, so check the published calendar before you fix a moving date. Our guide to international schools near Monaco covers the alternatives.

Checklist: UK to Monaco

When	Task	Who to ask
Before applying	Secure accommodation (registered lease or title deed) and a Monegasque bank attestation	Agent, landlord, bank
Before applying	Order a criminal record certificate and a legalised or apostilled birth certificate	UK issuing bodies
Once documents are ready	Apply for the long-stay visa for Monaco	France-Visas, French consulate
At least 21 full days before travel	Start pet microchip and rabies vaccination; book the animal health certificate	Your vet
Before shipping	Draw up a dated, signed inventory; decide what to sell, store or ship	Removal company, customs agent
On leaving	Tell HMRC (P85 or SA109)	HMRC
On arrival	Apply for your residence card online	Police Department, Residency Section
Within 1 year of residency	Exchange your driving licence	Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office

Frequently asked questions

Do British citizens need a visa to live in Monaco?

Yes. A British passport allows visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To live in Monaco, you need a long-stay visa for Monaco, applied for through France-Visas, and then a Monaco residence card.

Can I bring my furniture from the UK without paying import VAT?

French customs offers relief on personal belongings when you transfer your residence from outside the EU, subject to conditions: 12 months' residence abroad, 6 months' prior use of the goods, import within 12 months, and an inventory with form Cerfa 10070. Confirm with your customs agent how this applies to Monaco.

How long can I drive in Monaco on my UK licence?

You must exchange your foreign licence within one year of becoming an official resident. After that, the foreign licence is no longer valid in Monaco. Check that UK licences are on the list of exchangeable licences with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office.

Does my GHIC cover me in Monaco?

No. UK government travel advice states that the EHIC and GHIC are not accepted in Monaco, so arrange health cover before you move.

Last updated: October 2026

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