Criminal record: presentation of the three bulletins
Verified 26 October 2021 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice
A criminal record is a record of judicial and administrative decisions concerning a person. It is divided into 3 ballots. The B1 contains all the sanctions imposed on you by the judiciary or administrative authorities. It is reserved for judicial services. B2 contains only a portion of these decisions. It is issued to administrations and certain employers. The B3 contains your most serious convictions. It is issued to you upon request.
Infographie - Criminal record bulletins B1, B2, B3: what differences?
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Bulletin No. 1 or B1 | Bulletin No. 2 or B2 | Newsletter No 3 or B3 |
|---|---|---|
What does it contain? | What does it contain? | What does it contain? |
All your criminal convictions | Some of your criminal convictions. For example, if you're of age, you'll get firm jail sentences | imprisonment · Some of your criminal convictions, including the most serious ones (e.g. · Prohibitions on engaging in an activity in relation to minors · Disenfranchisement (e.g. right to vote or stand for election) |
What is it for? | What is it for? | What is it for? |
Informing the justice and prison administration about your criminal situation | Inform your employers (current and future) and public authorities of your convictions not shown on bulletin B3 | Inform your employers (current and future) of your serious criminal convictions |
Can you apply for the newsletter yourself? | Can you apply for the newsletter yourself? | Can you apply for the newsletter yourself? |
No, no, no. Only judicial and prison authorities can request it. | No, no, no. Only your employer (current or future) and the authorized public authorities (e.g. the prefect) can request it. | Yes |
How to request or consult it? | How to request or consult it? | How to request or consult it? |
You can only request oral communication of the contents of your criminal record. The application is made on the spot at the registry of the court competent for your domicile. | You can ask for the release of the number 3 of your criminal record on the website of the Ministry of Justice or by mail. | |
What are the convictions recorded in the B1?
The B1 contains the criminal convictions and sanctions that have been handed down against you by the judiciary and administrative authorities. Even the sentences you handed down when you were a child are there. It's the most comprehensive report card.
Bulletin No. 1 contains the following elements:
- Imprisonment Criminal convictions (e.g. fine, suspended or suspended sentence, deprivation of civil rights)
- Administrative and disciplinary decisions which impose a prohibition (e.g. prohibition on working for a certain period of time)
- Judgments revoking parental authority or withdrawing all or part of the rights attached to it
- Orders for expulsion of foreigners from the territory
- Penal compositions the execution of which has been established by the Public Prosecutor
- Imprisonment Sentences or waivers of sentences imposed after the sentence has been postponed (e.g. fine, suspended or suspended sentence, deprivation of civil rights)
- Graces, commuting of sentences or reduction of sentences
- Decisions of parole
- Decisions granting the suspension of sentence
If you are French and you are convicted by a foreign court, the conviction can be entered on your French criminal record. This will be the case if France has signed an agreement with the country in which the sentence was handed down.
How long do convictions stay in the B1?
All convictions or decisions contained in the criminal record are withdrawn at the time of death.
Criminal convictions that have not been followed by a new criminal or correctional sentence are removed from the criminal record after 40 years.
But some of the records are deleted after a shorter period of time.
Decisions | Deadline |
|---|---|
Conviction with amnesty | Immediate |
Conviction with a pardon and removal of the criminal record | Immediate |
Conviction for contravention | 3 years |
Conviction with a waiver of sentence | 3 years |
Penalty or educational measure imposed on minors, except in the case of a new measure or conviction | 3 years |
Criminal composition, except in the event of a new composition or criminal conviction | 3 years |
Judgment pronouncing personal bankruptcy or the prohibition of management of less than 5 years | 5 years |
Management ban of more than 5 years | After the end of the sentence of prohibition |
Sentence to a single term of imprisonment of up to 1 year | 5 years |
Sentence to a term of imprisonment of more than one year, or to more than one term of less than one year, the total of which shall not exceed five years | 10 years |
FYI
if you've been convicted of a repeat offense, the time for deletion is doubled.
Can you get the B1 from your criminal record?
You cannot request the B1 of your criminal record, as it is reserved for magistrates and prison officials.
But you can look at the entire contents of your criminal record, but you can't get a copy of it.
You must make the request in writing to the public prosecutor of the judicial court of your domicile.
Who shall I contact
The application must be accompanied by proof of identity (national identity card or passport).
What are the convictions recorded in the B2?
Bulletin No. 2 contains all judicial convictions and administrative sanctions, except the following :
- Decisions against minors (e.g. community work, placement in a closed educational center)
- Convictions for contraventions (e.g. fine)
- Convictions with a waiver of sentence or a postponement of sentence
- Decisions revoking parental authority
- Conditional sentences, where the probation period has ended without execution of the entire sentence (unless a socio-judicial follow-up, a ban on working with minors or an ineligibility sentence has been imposed for a longer period than the sentence)
- Repealed deportation orders
- Penal compositions
- Convictions for price or merchant competition offenses (unless otherwise ordered by court)
- Convictions designated by a specific decision of the court at the time of judgment
- Foreign court sentences against a minor
- Convictions issued by a foreign court which has expressly prohibited any use outside the framework of criminal proceedings
How long do convictions stay in the B2?
All convictions or decisions are removed from the criminal record at the time of death.
Criminal convictions that have not been followed by a new criminal or correctional sentence are removed from the criminal record after 40 years.
Certain elements of the B2 are erased after a certain period of time.
Sentences handed down in France
Decisions | Deadline |
|---|---|
- Conviction with amnesty - Conviction with judicial pardon | Immediate |
Sentence to a fine of days | 3 years |
Personal bankruptcy or a ban on management of less than 5 years | 5 years |
Sentence to citizenship training or community service or confiscation of vehicle or weapons | 5 years |
Sentencing of less than 5 years to a license suspension or prohibition, prohibition from managing a company or from paying by check | 5 years |
Sentencing of more than 5 years to a license suspension or prohibition, a prohibition on managing a company or paying by check | After the end of the sentence |
Sentence to a single term of imprisonment of up to 1 year | 5 years |
Sentence to a term of imprisonment of more than one year, or to more than one term of less than one year, the total of which shall not exceed five years | 10 years |
Sentences handed down in a European country
If you are a French national and a conviction handed down by a European court is included in your B2, the time limits for erasure are as follows:
- 3 years for financial penalties
- 10 years for sentences of more than 1 year in prison
- 40 years for sentences of imprisonment of more than 10 years
- 5 years for any other type of sentence
FYI
the time limit is doubled in the case of a repeated conviction.
Can we get the B2 from his criminal record?
You cannot request the B2 of your criminal record, as it is reserved for public services and some private employers.
But you can look at the entire contents of your criminal record, but you can't get a copy of it.
You must make the request in writing to the public prosecutor of the judicial court of your domicile.
Who shall I contact
You must attach proof of identity (national identity card or passport) to the application.
What are the convictions recorded in the B3?
The bulletin 3 is the most restricted newsletter. It contains only the most serious convictions, namely:
- Sentences for crimes and offenses exceeding 2 years of unsuspended imprisonment, pronounced in France or abroad
- Convictions for crimes and offenses of less than 2 years' imprisonment without a suspended sentence, if the court has ordered the mention thereof
- Certain disqualifications or inabilities in the course of execution (e.g. loss of parental authority, prohibition of professional activity)
- Socio-judicial follow-up measures and penalties for prohibiting persons from engaging in professional or voluntary activity involving habitual contact with minors
Please note
some convictions may not be recorded on this bulletin by a specific decision of the court.
How long do convictions stay in the B3?
All convictions or decisions are removed from the criminal record at the time of death.
Criminal convictions that have not been followed by a new criminal or correctional sentence are removed from the criminal record after 40 years.
But some elements can be immediately erased from the B3:
- Convictions with amnesty
- Convictions granted a pardon with the removal of a criminal record
Can we get the B3 from his criminal record?
You can get the B3 of your criminal record for free. You must apply online or by mail.
Contents of the criminal record
Erasure of convictions
FAQ
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