In France, the casier judiciaire (criminal record) is an essential tool for ensuring public safety and integrity, particularly when it comes to accessing certain jobs or administrative procedures. However, this confidential registry raises many questions and sometimes concerns, especially among job applicants or foreign residents. Divided into three distinct bulletins, the criminal record is not accessible to everyone in the same way: while Bulletin No. 1 is reserved exclusively for the justice system, Bulletins No. 2 and 3 are subject to strict and differentiated rules of communication. This comprehensive guide explains in detail who can consult these documents, how to obtain them, and the legal rules governing their use.
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The casier judiciaire is an automated database that records criminal convictions handed down by French courts against a natural or legal person. Managed by the Casier judiciaire national (National Criminal Record Office), located in Nantes under the authority of the Ministry of Justice, it is governed mainly by Articles 768 et seq. of the Code de procédure pénale (Code of Criminal Procedure).
This registry is structured into three parts, called "bulletins", whose content and accessibility vary according to the severity of the offences and the status of the applicant.
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Bulletin No. 2 of the criminal record is a highly confidential document. Contrary to popular belief, an individual can never request their own Bulletin No. 2, nor that of a third party.
Article 776 of the Code de procédure pénale sets out the exhaustive list of authorities and organisations authorised to obtain Bulletin No. 2. These are mainly:
Many private sector professions require the verification of Bulletin No. 2 before any hiring or establishment. This is the case for:
In these situations, the employer or professional order submits the request directly to the Casier judiciaire national. The job applicant is not involved in the process.
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Bulletin No. 3 is the only document that a citizen (French or foreign national residing in France) can request for themselves.
The rule is absolute and a matter of public policy: only the person concerned by the criminal record (or their legal representative if they are a minor or an adult under guardianship) can request Bulletin No. 3.
Article R. 82 of the Code de procédure pénale punishes with a fine of 7,500 € the act of obtaining the criminal record bulletin of a third party by using a false name or false status.
A private sector employer (excluding regulated professions requiring B2) cannot directly request Bulletin No. 3 of a candidate from the Casier judiciaire national. However, they have the right to ask the candidate to provide a recent extract of their Bulletin No. 3 during the recruitment process, provided that this requirement is justified by the nature of the job to be filled (for example, a position as an accountant or a cash-in-transit courier).
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Requesting a Bulletin No. 3 is a completely free procedure. It can be done online or by post.
1. Go to the official website of the Ministry of Justice: casier-judiciaire.justice.gouv.fr.
2. Enter your civil status (surname, first names, date and place of birth) and your email address.
3. Verify your identity. If you were born abroad or in an overseas territory, you will need to upload a copy of a valid proof of identity (passport, national identity card, or titre de séjour / residence permit).
4. You will receive an email containing a confirmation link. You must click on this link to validate the request.
5. Once the request is processed, you will receive an email containing a secure link to download your Bulletin No. 3 in PDF format (usually showing néant / nil convictions).
If you do not have internet access, you can send a completed application form (Cerfa No. 10071*14) to the following address:
> Casier judiciaire national
> 44317 Nantes Cedex 3
For people born outside France, a legible copy of an identity document must be attached.
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To easily navigate your procedures, here are the essential figures to remember:
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Sofia is applying for a job as a financial advisor in a private bank. The employer wants to verify her integrity.
Antoine wants to become a security guard to monitor construction sites.
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Yes, in certain specific cases. If holding a clean criminal record is an essential and determining condition for the performance of your duties (provided for by your employment contract or the convention collective / collective agreement, such as for a cash-in-transit courier), your refusal to provide the document can constitute a real and serious cause for dismissal, or even misconduct.
Yes. If you reside or have resided in France, the French Casier judiciaire national can issue you a Bulletin No. 3. This will only mention convictions handed down against you by French courts. To make the request online, you must attach a scan of your identity document or your titre de séjour.
Entries on the criminal record are automatically deleted after a certain period, known as "legal rehabilitation". For example, for a minor traffic offence, deletion occurs after a period of 3 years. For a single prison sentence of less than 1 year, the period is 5 years from the end of the execution of the sentence, provided that no new conviction has occurred in the interval.
Although you cannot obtain a physical copy of your Bulletin No. 2, the law grants you an indirect right of access. Under Article 777-2 of the Code de procédure pénale, you can request to view the contents of your Bulletin No. 2 by making an appointment with the procureur de la République of the tribunal judiciaire (judicial court) of your place of residence. The document will be read and shown to you, but no copy can be given to you.
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Legal information for guidance only, not personalised legal advice. For your specific situation, ask your question free of charge on AvocatAI — answers based on French law, in your language.