French Bank Account in 2026: Opening, Fees and Rights

Types of bank accounts in France

French law recognises several account categories. Knowing the differences helps you set up the right structure from day one.

Compte courant (current account)

The everyday account, governed by Articles L312-1 and following of the Monetary and Financial Code. You receive your salary, pay bills, set up direct debits and use a debit card. Funds are available on demand and are not interest-bearing by default. A compte courant is required for almost any administrative or employment step in France.

Compte joint (joint account)

Opened by at least two people under the wording 'Mr or Mrs', a joint account lets each holder operate it alone. It is convenient for couples, civil partners (PACS), spouses or even flatmates. The trade-off is joint and several liability: if the account goes overdrawn or a cheque is rejected, every holder is responsible and may be flagged in the Fichier central des cheques (FCC).

Compte indivis (undivided account)

Less common, the compte indivis is opened under 'Mr and Mrs': every operation requires every holder's signature. It is mainly used after a death (succession account) or for joint property holdings. Highly protective but impractical for daily life.

Compte sur livret and regulated savings

The compte sur livret pays interest but is taxable. It differs from regulated products such as the Livret A, LDDS and LEP, which are tax-free and free of social contributions. For 2026 ceilings and rates, see our savings guide.

Compte professionnel (business account)

Companies (SARL, SAS, SA and similar) must open a dedicated account from incorporation to deposit the share capital. Micro-entrepreneurs must open a separate account (Article L123-24 of the Commercial Code) once their turnover exceeds 10,000 EUR per year for two consecutive years. Below that, a dedicated account remains strongly recommended for bookkeeping.

Opening conditions and required documents

Banks apply EU anti-money-laundering rules (Articles L561-1 and following of the Monetary and Financial Code). They must identify you, verify your address and gather information about the purpose of the relationship.

Identity document

All banks require official photo identification. EU citizens can use a national ID card. Non-EU residents need a valid passport and, for longer stays, a French residence permit (titre de sejour). The document must be currently valid. Online banks accept digital copies; some traditional banks still want to see the original.

Proof of address

The proof must be from the last three months and show your full name and address. Utility bills, rental contracts, property tax notices and official correspondence all work. If you are hosted by a third party, you provide an attestation d'hebergement signed by your host, plus their ID and proof of address.

Proof of activity

Banks usually ask for evidence of your situation: three recent payslips, employment contract, tax notice (avis d'imposition), France Travail certificate, retirement statement, student enrolment certificate or business registration. Some online banks set a minimum monthly income for the free debit card.

Residence permit (non-EU citizens)

Non-EU citizens must show proof of legal stay: long-stay visa, residence permit, or in some cases a renewal receipt (recepisse). Acceptance varies by bank. Asylum applicants can usually open an account with the recepisse from the prefecture plus proof of address from an approved hosting association.

The convention de compte explained

Article L312-1-1 of the Monetary and Financial Code requires a written contract for every personal current account. The convention sets out:

• The fees and terms of service.
• How payment instruments work (card, transfers, direct debits, cheques).
• Authorised overdraft terms and incident handling.
• Closure rules and the contact details of the banking ombudsman.

Any change to fees must be notified at least two months in advance. Without your objection, the change is deemed accepted. Banks must also send an annual summary of fees (DAF, Document Annuel de Frais) by the end of January.

French banking fees in 2026

Most fees are freely set, but several caps apply by law. Figures below come from the Banque de France Observatoire des tarifs bancaires and the Comite consultatif du secteur financier (CCSF).

Legal caps

• Intervention commission: 8 EUR per operation and 80 EUR per month maximum (Article L312-1-3 CMF, Banking Separation Law of 26 July 2013).
• Financially vulnerable customers: 4 EUR per operation and 20 EUR per month for intervention commissions; total incident fees capped at 25 EUR per month.
• Vulnerable customer offer (Decree No. 2014-738): 3 EUR/month maximum, with a systematic-authorisation card, SEPA transfers and debits, two bank cheques per month and incident fees capped at 20 EUR/month and 200 EUR/year.
• Account closure: free. The bank may only invoice the actual cost of transferring assets such as securities.

Typical chargeable items

• Account maintenance: 0 to 5 EUR per month depending on the bank.
• Debit card: 0 to 150 EUR per year (classic, premier or contactless).
• Non-SEPA operations: 1.5 to 3% conversion fee plus fixed withdrawal charges.
• Unauthorised overdraft information letter: about 15 EUR.

Before signing, ask for the standardised pricing leaflet (DIT, Document d'information tarifaire) and the harmonised glossary mandated by the ACPR. They make comparisons consistent.

Overdraft and overdraft convention

An overdraft is never automatic. If it lasts more than one month, the bank must offer a written convention de decouvert (Article L312-1-1 III CMF) setting out the cap, the term, the annual percentage rate (TAEG) and the repayment schedule. Interest must remain below the usury rate published quarterly by the Banque de France for authorised overdrafts.

Exceeding the agreed limit or going into unauthorised overdraft allows the bank to reject direct debits and cheques. A rejected cheque triggers an entry in the Fichier central des cheques (FCC) and a regularisation deadline under Article L131-73 CMF.

Banking mobility: switch banks without hassle

Since the Macron Law of 6 August 2015 (Article L312-1-7 CMF), the banking mobility service is free and automatic. The new bank takes care of transferring your recurring operations.

1. Open an account at the new bank and sign a mobility mandate.
2. The new bank retrieves the list of recurring transfers and direct debits from the last 13 months.
3. It notifies issuers (employer, suppliers, French Treasury, social bodies) of your new RIB. They have 10 business days to update.
4. You can request automatic closure of the old account once the transfer is complete.

Legal deadline: 22 business days. The new bank is liable for any errors during the switch. Keep a small balance on the old account for two or three months in case a forgotten direct debit is presented.

Vulnerable customers: the 3 EUR/month offer

Customers in financial vulnerability benefit from specific protection. Vulnerability is assessed against criteria defined at Article R312-4-3 CMF: income level, repeated account incidents, registration with the FCC, or an admissible over-indebtedness file at the Banque de France.

The offre specifique clientele fragile (OCF) is capped at 3 EUR per month and includes:

• Account opening, maintenance and closure.
• A debit card with systematic authorisation.
• Counter cash deposits and withdrawals.
• SEPA transfers (online or in branch), direct debits and TIP payments.
• Two bank cheques per month.
• One address change per year.
• Incident fees capped at 20 EUR/month and 200 EUR/year, intervention commissions at 4 EUR each.

Every bank must propose this offer. If your bank refuses or makes access difficult, you can escalate to the ACPR (Autorite de controle prudentiel et de resolution).

Dispute resolution and the banking ombudsman

If you disagree with your bank (contested fees, abusive closure, failed mobility, refused vulnerable customer offer), follow this escalation path:

1. Your branch adviser, for an amicable resolution.
2. The bank's written complaints department, which must reply within two months at most (AFB Charter commitment).
3. The independent banking ombudsman (mediateur bancaire). The contact details are in your convention de compte. Decisions are rendered within 90 days.
4. The courts, as a last resort.

The CCSF publishes the list of ombudsmen and their annual reports. For commercial practice issues, you can also alert the DGCCRF via SignalConso.

Deposit protection: what the FGDR covers

Every ACPR-licensed bank contributes to the Fonds de garantie des depots et de resolution (FGDR). Your funds are protected up to 100,000 EUR per depositor and per institution in case of bank failure. Compensation is paid within seven business days.

For exceptional temporary deposits (property sale, inheritance, severance), coverage rises to 500,000 EUR for three months. Protection is automatic and free; no registration is required.

Tips for newcomers and non-residents

Opening a French account before arrival is technically possible but rare. Traditional banks usually require a French address. Online banks and neo-banks are more flexible: see our overview of online banks in France.

For newcomers, a practical sequence works well: open a neo-bank account first to receive your first salary, then move to a traditional or online bank once you hold a residence permit and proof of address. Switching is free thanks to the banking mobility service described above.

The droit au compte applies to anyone legally present in France, EU citizens established in France and French nationals living abroad. If multiple banks refuse you, the Banque de France will designate one within one business day.

Official sources used

ACPR, Banque de France, service-public.fr, Code monetaire et financier, CCSF, FGDR.

Frequently asked questions