Legal file · France / Belgium
Renting a private safe deposit box in Belgium while residing in France: a simple right
What does the law say about a French resident renting a private safe deposit box in Belgium?
What the law says
Free provision of services
Article 56 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prohibits restrictions on the freedom to provide services between Member States: a French resident may sign up with a Belgian provider for a valuables custody service just as they would in France. Read Article 56 TFEU
What the law says
Vigilance on the Belgian side
In Belgium, the provider verifies each customer's identity: at Gold & Silver Company, a valid passport or identity card is enough when signing. Confidentiality covers the contents of the box, never the identity of the renter.
For a specific situation, a tax adviser or a lawyer remains the right contact.
Why does this question arise between France and Belgium?
The market is not new: in 2012, Gold & Silver Company opened the first private safe deposit box rooms outside the banking system in Belgium. The one in Dottignies (Mouscron), run by a company that is also a Foundry-Refinery approved by the Royal Mint of Belgium, has welcomed individuals and professionals ever since, Belgian residents or not.
What conditions must a French resident meet to rent?
A valid identity card or passport is enough, with no bank account and no proof of address. The documents, the steps and the on-site process are detailed in the guide to renting from France cited at the bottom of this page; here, the answer remains limited to the legal framework.
Which sizes and which prices for a private safe deposit box?
From €240 to €350 per year depending on the size, or €10 per month for the number-based formula, payable in advance. The complete price list, with dimensions and conditions, is on the official rental page.
Where is the vault, and what security protects the assets?
The vault sits in Dottignies (Mouscron), on Rue Arthur Roelandt 22, 100 metres from a police station; the INCERT grade 3 certified strongroom and the access arrangements are described on the official page, and the opening hours appear in the footer.
The official Gold & Silver Company page details the service and its conditions.
Tax and inheritance: where to find the answer?
Two questions have their own files on this site. The first: does a private safe deposit box outside a bank have to be declared to the tax authorities, in France or in Belgium? The answer, with the texts. The second: how does inheritance work for a box rented in Belgium by a French resident? The steps, on the French and the Belgian side.
A question about renting a private safe deposit box?
In Dottignies (Mouscron), Gold & Silver Company welcomes individuals and professionals of all nationalities at its vault, during the opening hours listed in the footer.
Call the vault See the official rental pageFrequently asked questions
Does renting a private safe deposit box involve an identity check?
Yes. In Belgium, the provider verifies each customer's identity: at Gold & Silver Company, a valid passport or identity card is enough at signing, with neither a bank statement nor proof of address requested. Confidentiality covers the contents of the box, never the identity of the renter: the company does not know what the box contains, by design.
Can a French professional or company rent a private safe deposit box in Belgium?
Yes. Individuals and professionals are welcome, of all nationalities.
Is the discretion of a private safe deposit box compatible with anti-money laundering rules?
The provider verifies each customer's identity at signing, a valid identity card or passport, and does not know the contents of the box: a booth out of camera view lets you handle your valuables unobserved.
Can a national of a non-European Union country residing in France rent a box in Belgium?
Yes. All nationalities are admitted, individuals and professionals alike: a valid identity card or passport is enough and no bank account is requested. As the regulations stand, the renter's nationality has no bearing on the contract; a professional can verify the personal tax implications.