How to use FranceConnect

FranceConnect is the French government’s ID verification system. The idea is to use a single login to access all government services. One single account lets you pay taxes, exchange your driver’s license on ANTS or access your health insurance account on Ameli. It is very similar to ID.me in the United States.

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What’s a digital ID?

A digital ID is the data that identifies a person in the digital world and it’s based on digital identification services.

To authenticate a user, FranceConnect validates his credentials against the data stored in the government’s ID database called RNIPP (Répertoire national d’identification des personnes physiques). When both data match, the user is granted access to the service.

Do you need to use FranceConnect?

As of May 2024, most official websites still provide the option to either log in via FranceConnect or to use an account credentials. That said, France is rapidly moving toward enforcing security to prevent fraud and thus encouraging more people to use their authentication system.

As an example, the French tax website impots.gouv lets you log in with your French numéro fiscal (tax number) or you can click on the S’identifier avec FranceConnect (log in with FranceConnect) button.

Who can use FranceConnect?

FranceConnect is primarily intended for people living in France. Foreigners living in France need to have at least one item in the following list to be able to use FranceConnect.

• French social security number
• French tax number
• European ID
• Swiss ID
• 5-year residence permit

How does FranceConnect work?

You can use FranceConnect with an existing account if you have one, or create one account out of the following options.

• impots.gouv – French tax website. You need a French tax number to create an account.
• Ameli.fr – State health insurance. You need a French social security number to create an account.
• Identité Numérique – French digital ID from French post office. You need a French ID or a 5-year residence permit.
• MSA – State health insurance for farmers. You need a French social security number to create an account.
• Yris – Private company that provides digital IDs. You need a European ID or a Swiss ID or a 5-year residence permit.
• France Identité – French digital ID system for French nationals who have a credit-card format French ID.

After clicking on the S’identifier avec FranceConnect (log in with FranceConnect) button, you indicate which credentials to use to connect to a government website through FranceConnect. Pick your preferred login in the following list:

If you’ve been in France for other a year, you’ve probably already created an Ameli account or an account on impots.gouv to declare your taxes in France. Use your existing account with FranceConnect. If you do have a French social security number but you haven’t created an Ameli account yet, follow the instructions in How to create an Ameli account online.

Services accessible with FranceConnect

FranceConnect lets you connect to over 1,400 French government services. Here’s a list of the most common ones.

• personal and professional tax account on impots.gouv
• public health account on Ameli
• benefits on state welfare agency La Caf
• social charges collection on Urssaf
• exchange your driver’s license on France Titres – ANTS
• consult your kid’s grades on ÉduConnect

As an extra layer of security, you will receive a notification email every time you access a website via FranceConnect.

If you encounter a problem with FranceConnect, fill out this contact form to report the issue.

What is FranceConnect+?

FranceConnect+ is a more secure version of FranceConnect and it’s required to perform administrative tasks that handle more sensitive personal information.

Services exclusively accessible via FranceConnect+

The following administrative tasks require a FranceConnect+ account.

• request a training on Mon Compte Formation
• modify or close an enterprise on INPI Guichet unique
• get an environmental grant from MaPrimeRénov’

FranceConnect+ requirements

Here are the requirements to use FranceConnect+.

1. be over 18
2. have a permanent French social security number
3. have an Identité Numérique account from La Poste

Unfortunately, FranceConnect+ requires an Identité Numérique account (digital ID with La Poste), which itself requires a 5-year residence permit. Therefore, non-French people who have a residence permit with a validity duration shorter than 5 years are not eligible for FranceConnect+. EU Nationals living in France are also prevented from creating Identité Numérique as they don’t need residence cards to live in France.

Create a French digital ID account with La Poste

The Identité Numérique from La Poste uses a two-step process in which a user has to validate the request and enter a code on his smartphone. Here are the requirements to create a digital ID with La Poste.

1. be over 18
2. have a valid French ID or a 5-year minimum residence permit
3. own a smartphone (Android version 6 minimum, or iOS version 15 minimum) with an eligible cell phone number (US phone numbers are accepted!)

If you are eligible, install the Identité Numérique app on your phone and follow the instructions to create your French digital ID. If you don’t already have a La Poste account, you will have to create one. You can later use that account to order stamps online.

Foreigners without a 5-year residence permit

Many foreigners living in France are currently prevented from creating an Identité Numérique account because they don’t have a residence permit with a validity duration longer than 5 years. This is problematic for administrative tasks that require a FranceConnect+ account such as:

• closing down or modifying a company on the INPI website
• applying for a CPF training on Mon compte formation

Fortunately, FranceConnect+ workarounds are available for both of these tasks and I’ll describe them next.

Close or update a business with no FranceConnect+ account

Not being allowed to create a FranceConnect+ account is problematic for people who want to close their business or their auto-entreprise.

People who don’t have a FranceConnect+ account can use an advanced electronic signature based on a qualified certificate to complete the closing or updating of their business on the INPI website.

At the end of modifying or closing a company, you need to have the formality summary electronically signed through a qualified certification company that will provide you with a certificat de signature électronique avancé (advanced e-signature certificate).

One annoying known issue is that INPI keeps changing the companies from which it accepts advanced electronic signatures. You might have to try a number of companies before you find one that is accepted by INPI.

I recommend that you start with Lex Community because they offer advanced signatures for free and many people had success using their services.

You can find a list of the accepted certification companies on the French government France Num website.

Apply for a CPF training with no FranceConnect+ account

When you work in France, you cumulate CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation) points that you can use to take courses. A common usage of CPF points can be to take the French driving test for instance.

To apply for a CPF (Compte personnel de Formation) training, there is the possibility to have your ID verified by regular mail instead of using FranceConnect+. The process takes a lot longer but it doesn’t require a residence permit valid for 5 years.

Step #1 – Create a CPF account

Create your CPF account on Mon compte formation. A French social security number is required to create a CPF account.

Step #2 – Fill out a form

Download and fill out the form called Demande de vérification d’identité pour l’achat de formation CPF (ID verification request for a CPF training).

Step#3 – Gather documents

Make a copy of your residence permit and download an attestation de droits (certificate of coverage) from your Ameli account.

Step #4 – Mail in your application

Send your application (no stamp necessary) along with your documents via regular mail to the following address:

MCF
Service de demande de vérification d’identité
Libre Réponse 78788
59889 LILLE CEDEX 9

Step #5 – ID in-person verification

After 4 to 6 weeks, you should receive a letter via certified mail and your ID will be confirmed by the mailman, either at your place or at the post office.

Step #6 – Confirmation letter

Ten days after confirming your identity, you should receive a confirmation email that you can use to apply for a CPF training.

What’s the RNIPP?

The RNIPP (Répertoire national d’identification des personnes physiques) is the registry that contains personal information for all people who have lived in France and more specifically, all persons who had a French social security number or NIR at some point. Since French people get a social security number at birth, they are automatically entered in the RNIPP at birth.

A foreigner’s personal information is added to the RNIPP as soon as a French social security number is issued upon enrolling into the French healthcare system.

Since identity verification in France is based on the data in the RNIPP registry, this is crucial that this information is accurate. If the information stored in the RNIPP is incorrect, you won’t be able to use FranceConnect and you’ll probably run into ID verification issues later on.

Tip
When you apply for French state health insurance, make sure you enter your last name at birth and that this name has the exact same spelling as the one on your birth certificate. In France, women keep their maiden names forever, even when they use their spouse’s last name after getting married. You can read more about this in French naming conventions.

How to fix your data in the RNIPP

If you find out that you can’t use FranceConnect because there is an error in your personal data in the RNIPP, you will need to provide a birth certificate to fix the error.

People who were not born in France need to contact CPAM to fix the error in the RNIPP because CNAV (Caisse nationale d’assurance vieillesse) is in charge of modifying the RNIPP for persons born outside France. I advise that you use Espace d’échanges (secure messaging system) from your Ameli account to send your request to CPAM.

People born in France can make a request online for INSEE to fix the issue.

I hope you’re more at ease with the French authentication system. How about moving to a lighter subject and read about French greetings?