Frequently asked questions

The International Organisation of the Art and Heritage Market is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 2007 by 23 pioneering States. Today it brings together 67 Member States across five continents and follows a motto: observe, regulate, protect. Its headquarters are in Paris, with offices in Geneva, New York, Singapore and Nairobi. To learn more, see the presentation of OIMAP.

Anyone: a collector who wants to verify an artwork, a gallery or auction house applying for accreditation, a museum, a customs officer, a journalist or a State. Procedures are carried out online through the OIMAP Desk. Some services, such as enhanced access to the BIOP database, are reserved for accredited professionals and law enforcement.

The website, forms and issued documents exist in French, English and Spanish, which are the three official languages of the organisation. You can change language at any time using the FR, EN and ES buttons at the top of every page.

Browsing the website, the BIOP database and the reference texts is free, as is reporting a theft or loss. Desk procedures that involve an appraisal or an official document are subject to a fee schedule, shown on the fees page. Public officials and museums benefit from a reduced rate.

First create an online account, then submit your file with the required documents: description of the artwork, photographs, proof of identity and proof of ownership. An acknowledgement of receipt is sent to you and your file receives a tracking number.

They vary by procedure: 10 days to register an artwork, 15 days for a title of ownership, 10 to 20 days for an import-export licence, 5 days for a sales accreditation, 7 days for a digital certification, 30 days for a compliance label. A certificate of authenticity takes 4 to 8 weeks, a certificate of provenance 3 to 6 weeks and a conservation report 2 to 4 weeks.

Log in to your member area: each file appears there with its status, requests for additional documents and exchanges with the case officer. You also receive a message at each important stage.

Each registered artwork receives a number in the format OIMAP-AAAA-NNNNNN and a digital artwork passport. Depending on the procedure, you also obtain a certificate of authenticity, a certificate of provenance, a title of ownership, a licence or a conservation report, all verifiable online.

Go to the verification page and enter the OIMAP number shown on the document, or scan its QR code. The response is immediate and indicates the holder, the date of issue and the status of the document.

Do not put the document back into circulation and keep a copy of it. Report it without delay from the report a forgery page: the relevant service examines the report and, if necessary, passes the file to the competent authorities and alerts the BIOP database.

Appraisals are entrusted to a network of 360 accredited experts, chosen for their specialty, independence and training. You can find them in the experts directory. Partner laboratories carry out scientific analyses when they are needed.

A certificate attests to the state of knowledge at the date of its issue. If new information emerges, for example a clarified provenance, it may be supplemented or revised. The OIMAP number remains the same and the history of changes is visible during verification.

It is the common register of stolen, lost or suspect heritage. It currently lists 48,200 artworks, supplied by owners, museums, police forces and INTERPOL. The BIOP database allows a buyer to check within seconds that an artwork is not being sought.

Use the form to report a theft or a loss. Reporting is free and handled within 24 hours: an alert is then sent to customs, police forces and accredited auction houses.

Yes, the simple search is open to everyone. The Collector's Charter recommends checking any artwork there before buying or selling it, in addition to requesting a certificate of provenance.

Subscribe to BIOP alerts: you choose the types of alerts (theft, loss, suspect artwork, forgery) and how often you receive them. The active alerts can also be consulted online.

The framework rests on the 1954 Hague Convention Protocol, the 1970 UNESCO Convention, the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention and the 2019 OIMAP Guidelines. All of them are presented in the legal framework, together with the resulting due diligence obligations.

The TAO is the arbitration body specialised in disputes over authenticity, provenance, restitution and sale. It has already resolved 342 disputes. Its composition, rules and statistics are detailed on the tribunal page.

Before any proceedings, check that your contract contains a model clause or that the parties accept arbitration. You can then refer the case to the tribunal by a request, which is notified to the other party. Mediation is possible before or during the proceedings.

Arbitral awards benefit from the international conventions on recognition and enforcement. The practical arrangements, available remedies and the role of States are explained on the enforcement of awards page.

The courses are intended for judges, customs and law enforcement officers, market professionals, experts and curators. Since 2008, the OIMAP Academy has trained 8,940 public officials from around the world.

Yes: 320 scholarships are awarded each year, covering 30 to 100% of the costs. Applications are made online, before 31 March or 30 September. All conditions are set out on the training scholarships page.

Consult the session calendar, then fill in the registration form. An acknowledgement of receipt is sent within 48 hours, and cancellation is free up to 30 days before the start of the session.

Yes. Each diploma bears a number and a QR code that allow it to be verified online, with an immediate response. The assessment conditions are described on the assessment and diplomas page.

The State submits an official application, which undergoes a technical review, then a vote by the General Assembly by a two-thirds majority. The conditions, the procedure and the contributions are described in the dedicated section.

OIMAP has 67 Member States: 25 in Europe, 14 in the Americas, 13 in Asia-Pacific, 11 in Africa and 4 in the Middle East. The full list can be consulted alphabetically, by date of accession or on a map.

It is the contact designated by each State to liaise with OIMAP: it relays requests, takes part in annual meetings and facilitates cooperation between administrations. See the page on national focal points.

It works with the major international organisations, museums, auction houses and professional associations. The list is available on the partners page.

Write to the General Secretariat or use the online form, which directs your message to the right service. The details of the regional offices are also published.

Fill in the accreditation request with your press card and a letter from your editorial office. A reply is given within three days. The press kit and the latest press releases are available without accreditation.

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