Treating art as an asset class means looking beyond national borders. Between customs optimisation, freeports and differing import taxes, structuring an international collection calls for careful tax engineering.

Whether you operate from Paris, the Geneva hub, New York or Singapore, preserving the value of your artworks depends as much on their legal framework as on the rigour of their physical transport.

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Why does art taxation differ from traditional assets?

Unlike an equity portfolio or a real estate asset, an artwork is a movable tangible asset that produces no immediate yield. As a result, in most jurisdictions around the world, it falls outside recurring annual taxation schemes.

This unique nature gives rise to two logistical and tax ecosystems:

• The domestic market (national or EU): subject to local VAT regimes and capital gains taxes.
• The extraterritorial market: subject to international customs law, where artworks move tax-free thanks to dedicated storage structures.

Bonded zones and freeports: the epicentre of the global market

For international collectors and art investment funds, freeports (Geneva, Luxembourg, Singapore) and bonded warehouses are major wealth management tools.

The principle of tax suspension

Placing an artwork in a bonded zone suspends import VAT and customs duties indefinitely. In legal terms, the artwork is considered “in transit”.

• In-Bond transactions: a painting can be bought, resold to another collector or transferred to a fund within the freeport itself without triggering any taxable event. Tax only applies if the artwork “clears customs” to be displayed permanently in a private home.
• Museum-grade conservation and neutrality: the Horus Group provides bonded storage spaces equipped with preventive conservation technology (temperature stabilised at 20 °C, 50% relative humidity, VOC filtration). Your artworks retain both their physical and their tax value.

Tax on purchase: uneven rules of the game

Bringing an artwork into your estate triggers very different tax realities depending on the geographical area of the transaction.

The European model (EU): harmonisation and reduced rates

Since the major reform that came into force in January 2025, the European Union has harmonised its practices to boost the internal market:

• Wider use of the reduced rate: in France, imports of artworks, intra-EU acquisitions and sales through galleries or auction houses benefit from a reduced VAT rate of 5.5% (one of the most competitive rates in Europe).
• The margin scheme: for resales between professionals, VAT can apply only to the dealer’s commission (gross margin), avoiding taxation of the artwork’s full value at each transaction.

The Anglo-Saxon model: Sales Tax and exemptions

• United States: there is no federal VAT. Transactions are subject to the Sales Tax of the State where the artwork is delivered (for example, around 8.875% in New York). Displaying or storing the artwork in a State with no Sales Tax (such as Delaware or Oregon), or sending it directly to a freeport, suspends this tax.
• United Kingdom: post-Brexit, the country applies a 5% import VAT rate on artworks, preserving the appeal of the London market.

Holding and resale: trade-offs between jurisdictions

Once the artwork is part of your estate, two tax moments matter: holding it over time, then reselling it.

Holding (Wealth Tax)

In almost all major art market countries, simply owning artworks does not trigger any annual tax. In France, collectibles are expressly excluded from the base of the real estate wealth tax (Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière, IFI). This stability was confirmed during the 2026 budget debates, ruling out any taxation of so-called “unproductive” assets.

Resale (Capital Gains)

When monetising a collection, the seller faces different approaches:

• In France (optional regime): the seller chooses between a flat tax of 6.5% on the total sale price (no proof of origin required) or the general capital gains regime (36.2% including social contributions). The latter offers a 5% allowance per year of ownership beyond the second year, leading to full exemption after 22 years.
• Internationally: in the United States, capital gains on collectibles are taxed at a maximum federal rate of 28%.

Companies and Corporate Art: incentive levers

Adding artworks to a company’s balance sheet also serves optimisation and patronage purposes:

• Depreciation and tax deduction: in France, companies subject to corporate income tax can deduct from their taxable profit the purchase price of works by living artists (article 238 bis AB of the French General Tax Code, extended until 31 December 2028). The deduction is spread in equal 20% instalments over 5 years, capped at €20,000 or 5‰ of turnover. The main obligation is to display the piece publicly.
• International regimes: many jurisdictions allow artwork purchases to be booked as overheads when they furnish client reception areas, or through corporate art foundations benefiting from specific tax rulings.

Logistics and documentary compliance: securing the asset

Tax optimisation collapses without absolute logistical rigour. Tax and customs authorities require perfect traceability to validate preferential regimes:

• The compliance trio: to justify an ownership-period allowance or a tax-free import, you must produce the certificate of authenticity, the original purchase invoice and the customs clearance document (Single Administrative Document, SAD).
• The importance of the Condition Report: faulty transport that damages an artwork does not only affect its aesthetic value; it can lead to a refusal of compensation under the ad valorem insurance if the value declared to customs is inconsistent with the inventory value.

The Moviiu answer

Moviiu provides the digital infrastructure needed to centralise your customs documents and coordinate physical flows with the Horus Group’s subsidiaries worldwide. Whether your artwork requires a bonded transfer between New York and the Geneva Freeport, or a “White Glove” delivery in Paris, every step is documented and secured.

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FAQ: art taxation and customs logistics

The questions our clients ask most often about moving and storing artworks tax-free.

What is an ATA carnet and when should it be used?

The ATA carnet (Admission Temporaire / Temporary Admission) is an international customs passport for artworks. It allows a piece to move tax-free in more than 80 countries for a set period (exhibitions, fairs, client presentations) without paying local VAT at each border crossing.

Can an artwork leave a freeport to be restored?

Yes. Under the inward processing procedure, an artwork can leave a bonded zone to be restored by a preventive conservation expert, then return to the freeport without triggering taxation, provided its logistics are strictly monitored.

How is insurance calculated during international transit?

Moviiu’s ad valorem insurance is based on the declared commercial value (which must match the invoice or a certified appraisal). The standard rate is 1% (up to €100,000). For very high-value pieces transiting through bonded zones, our teams set up tailor-made nail-to-nail insurance policies.

Note: art taxation is complex and changes over time. We recommend validating your acquisition structures with an art advisor, a tax lawyer or your wealth manager.