Source date: 2026-06-04
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What to do if you have damaged banknotes? Published on June 5, 2026 - Service Public / Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Do you have one or more damaged or torn banknotes? Did you know that you can exchange them or get reimbursed? As of June 8, the Banque de France is launching a regional exchange service, which will be extended to the departmental level in early July. Service Public tells you how to proceed.
What is the procedure for exchanging your damaged banknotes? Several options are available:
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If the note is still intact over more than half of its surface and the damage is minor, you can deposit it in a recycling ATM (a cash dispenser with both Deposit and Withdrawal functions) within your account-holding bank's network or one of its partners. You will be credited immediately (as a reminder, Series 1 notes – €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, and €500 – are also accepted for deposit in ATMs).
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If the note is severely damaged and depositing it in an ATM risks causing further deterioration, the procedure is as follows:
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For amounts less than or equal to €500: you can visit a tobacconist (buraliste) participating in the Banque de France's damaged note reimbursement scheme. This service is available from June 8, 2026, at a tobacconist in each region. It will then be rolled out to one tobacconist per department starting in July. Until now, this process was only possible through your bank.
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For amounts exceeding €500 or for Paris residents: at the Banque de France counter (Caisse de Paris, 39, rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, 75001 Paris).
The procedure is free of charge. Sending your notes by mail is prohibited.
Be sure to check the terms of use for the service and the list of participating tobacconists on the Banque de France FAQ (“What to do in case of a damaged note?”) before proceeding with your exchange. Certain formalities must be completed beforehand if you plan to visit a tobacconist; they do not provide the exchange form, cannot fill it out on behalf of the depositor, nor make the necessary photocopies on site.
How to get reimbursed? After assessing the damaged notes, authentic notes with more than 50% of their original surface area remaining will be reimbursed:
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By immediate exchange for new notes when the notes are presented physically at the Caisse de Paris counter;
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By deferred reimbursement via bank transfer when the notes are handed over to a tobacconist, or if they need to be sent to a Banque de France expertise center.
For any questions regarding banknote exchanges, the Banque de France provides a free helpline: 34 14.
Mandatory documents required to benefit from an exchange or reimbursement The depositor, or the beneficiary if different from the depositor, must submit the following documents:
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A valid ID (for legal entities, the original or a copy of any official act or registry extract dated less than 3 months ago. The individual performing the transaction on behalf of the legal entity must be listed on this document and present their own ID);
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The bank details statement (RIB) with the beneficiary's IBAN;
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Proof of the origin of funds: the Banque de France reserves the right to request this. The following documents may be submitted: latest income tax notice, bank statements, certified letter confirming a cash withdrawal, or any other official proof.
See also
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Payment methods Service Public
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A damaged, torn, or partially burned note? Several solutions to replace it! Banque de France
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Source: Service-Public particuliers