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How to correct a civil status document (error, typo, double indent)?
Verified 15 September 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Did you notice an error in your birth certificate or marriage certificate? You can have a civil status document if you notice an error or omission. The procedure varies if it is a simple error in form (shell, double dash...). or a an error that alters critical information.
What applies to you ?
Act drawn up in France
What errors are involved?
These are the most serious errors and material oversights simple.
Example :
Misspelled name error, birth date error, forgot first name
You can also have a birth certificate corrected that includes a double dash between the two surnames of a child.
After correction, a heading is added after the double name, in the following form: (1st part: ... 2nd part: ...).
Example :
The double name Jérémy DUBOIS — DURAND becomes, after correction: DUBOIS DURAND (1st part: DUBOIS 2nd part: DURAND)
Please note
if your birth certificate contains a material error, you must first obtain its correction before requesting, if necessary, the correction of other civil status documents (marriage, death...).
How do I apply?
On the spot
You must submit your application to the town hall where the deed was done.
The request is made on free paper.
The documents to be attached to your application are as follows:
- Full copy(ies) of the civil status documents to be rectified
- A full copy of an act without error or a copy of any document justifying the correction.
For example, the birth certificate of a married person whose name is misspelled on the marriage certificate. - Copy of your ID. For example, national identity card, passport.
Depending on your situation, additional parts will be requested.
By mail
You must send your request to the town hall where the act was done.
The request is made via the cerfa form no. 11531.
The documents to be attached to the application form are as follows:
- Full copy(ies) of the civil status documents to be rectified
- A full copy of an act without error or a copy of any document justifying the correction.
For example, the birth certificate of a married person whose name is misspelled on the marriage certificate. - Copy of your ID. For example, national identity card, passport.
Depending on your situation, additional parts will be requested.
Examination of the request
Depending on the case, your request is processed by the registrar or the public prosecutor.
In any case, you are informed by mail of the decision.
What errors are involved?
This is errors or omissions which relate to a essential information of the civil status document and who require the assessment of the court.
Example :
- Daughter error
- Mistake on the indication of the sex and given names of a person with a variation of genital development. A doctor must have noticed that his sex does not match that shown on his birth certificate.
How do I apply?
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
You live in France
You must deposit or send your request to graft of the court or in the vicinity of your home or the place where the act was done.
The documents to be attached to your application are as follows:
- Full copy(ies) of the civil status documents to be rectified
- Full copy of an act without error or copy of any document justifying the rectification
- Copy of your ID. For example, national identity card, passport.
Depending on your situation, additional parts will be requested.
Who shall I contact
You live abroad
You must deposit or send your request to graft of the Paris Court of Justice.
The documents to be attached to your application are as follows:
- Full copy(ies) of the civil status documents to be rectified
- Full copy of an act without error or copy of any document justifying the rectification
- Copy of your ID. For example, national identity card, passport.
Depending on your situation, you will be asked for additional parts.
Who shall I contact
Act drawn up abroad
What errors are involved?
These are the most serious errors and material oversights simple.
Example :
- Error on misspelled name
- Error in date of birth
- Forgotten first name
You can also have a birth certificate corrected that includes a double dash between the two surnames of a child.
After correction, a heading is added after the double name, in the following form: (1st part: ... 2nd part: ...).
Example :
The double name Jérémy DUBOIS — DURAND becomes, after correction: DUBOIS DURAND (1st part: DUBOIS 2nd part: DURAND)
Please note
if your birth certificate contains a material error, you must first obtain its correction before requesting, if necessary, the correction of other civil status documents (marriage, death...).
How do I apply?
You can make the request on free paper.
The documents to be attached to your application are as follows:
- Full copy(s) of the civil status documents to be rectified
- A full copy of an act without error or a copy of any document justifying the correction.
For example, the birth certificate of a married person whose name is misspelled on the marriage certificate. - Copy of your ID. For example, national identity card, passport.
Depending on your situation, additional parts will be requested.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
For a Frenchman
You have to go to the court in Nantes.
Who shall I contact
- Central Civil Registry Service (Scec)
Civil status (birth, marriage or death) of a Frenchman abroad
Only by mail to:
Central Civil Registry Service
11 White House Street
44941 Nantes Cedex 09
The service is not open to the public.
You can apply for a civil status certificate through a online service.
For more information, you can:
- Go to diplomatie.gouv.fr
- Call the+33 1 41 86 42 47 Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm
Free access to video interpretation or instant speech transcription for the deaf or hard of hearing - Email courrier.scec@diplomatie.gouv.fr
For a refugee or stateless person
You have to go to the court of law in Paris.
Who shall I contact
What errors are involved?
It's about'errors or omissions which relate to a essential information of the civil status document and who require the assessment of the court.
Example :
- Error in parentage
- Mistake on the indication of the sex and given names of a person with a variation of genital development. A doctor must have noticed that his sex does not match that shown on his birth certificate.
How do I apply?
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
For a Frenchman
You must deposit or send your request to graft of the Nantes Court.
The documents to be attached to your application are as follows:
- Full copy(ies) of the civil status documents to be rectified
- Full copy of an act without error or copy of any document justifying the rectification
- Copy of your ID. For example, national identity card, passport.
Depending on your situation, additional parts will be requested.
Who shall I contact
For a refugee or stateless person
You must deposit or send your request to graft of the Paris Court of Justice.
The documents to be attached to your application are as follows:
- Full copy(s) of the civil status documents to be rectified
- Full copy of an act without error or copy of any document justifying the rectification
- a copy of your ID. For example, national identity card, passport.
Depending on your situation, additional parts will be requested.
Who shall I contact
- Civil Code: Articles 99 to 101Correction (principle and persons concerned)
- Code of Civil Procedure: Articles 1046 to 1047Administrative correction (competent authority)
- Code of Civil Procedure: Articles 1048 to 1055Judicial rectification (jurisdiction)
- Decree No. 2017-890 of 6 May 2017 on civil status
- Circular of 26 July 2017 relating to various provisions in the field of the rights of individuals and the family of Law No. 2016-1547 of 18 November 2016 (PDF - 566.9 KB)
- Circular of 25 October 2011 on the amendment of the procedures for indicating dual names (PDF - 273.2 KB)
FAQ
- Change in civil statusService-Public.fr
- Choice of a child’s surname by father and motherService-Public.fr
- Birth certificate: request for full copy or extractService-Public.fr
- Marriage certificate: request for full copy or extractService-Public.fr
- Death certificateService-Public.fr