Selecting a language will automatically trigger the translation of the page content.

What can a young person do before the age of 18?

Verified 02 March 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Only the young adult or emancipated minor full independence. Before age 18, the young person must obtain, in the vast majority of cases, the agreement or authorization of his parents (who have parental authority) or of his guardian if he has one.

General case
Tableau - Identity and family

What can a young person do?

From what age?

Alone or with the agreement of the parents (or guardian)?

Have personal papers:

- National identity card

- Certificate of French nationality

- Passport

- Republican ID

- European Health Insurance Card

At any age

Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

Go to your personal origins

At any age

Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

Recognizing your child and exercise parental authority

At any age

Alone

Accept or decline your simple or plenary adoption

13 years

Alone

Accept or reject sound change first name or sound name

13 years

Alone

If he is born in France to foreigners parents, consent to the acquisition of French nationality

13 years

Alone

Perform the citizen census

16 yrs

Alone

Request a certificate of french nationality

16 yrs

Alone

Get your emancipation

16 yrs

Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

Declining French nationality, if he was born in France to foreigner parents

17 years

Alone

Young foreigner
Tableau - Young foreigner

What can a young foreigner do?

From what age?

Alone or with the agreement of the parents (or guardian)?

Ask For asylum in France

At any age

Alone

Get a minor foreigner movement document

At any age

Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

Request the reintegration into french nationality

At any age

Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

Request a residence permit to work

16 yrs

Alone

Applying for French nationality 

  • if it is born in France to foreigner parents
  • or if he did the subject of simple adoption
  • or if it has been collected in France
  • 16 yrs

    Alone

    Request the reintegration into french nationality

    16 yrs

    Alone

    At any age and alone, young people can:

    Who shall I contact
    Who shall I contact

    Tableau - Schooling

    What can a young person do?

    From what age?

    Alone or with the agreement?

    Be authorized to leave high school or college

    At any age

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Prepare your educational guidance

    At any age

    Only (decisions may require parental consent)

    Be class delegate and to organize meetings in its college or secondary school

    At any age

    Alone

    Participate in the management of a high school students' house

    16 yrs

    Alone

    Tableau - Leisure

    What can a young person do?

    From what age?

    Alone or with the agreement?

    Join a association

    At any age

    Alone

    Be temporarily self-sufficient if they have scouting

    At any age

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Participate in the creation of a association and be responsible for its administration

    At any age

    Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

    Participate in the setting up an association and being responsible for its administration

    16 yrs

    Only (however, the association concerned must inform the parents without delay).

    Enter, without an adult, into a bar or a café that does not sell alcohol

    13 years

    Alone

    Enter, without an adult, into a bar (however, it can neither buy nor be offered alcohol)

    16 yrs

    Alone

    Getting used to tattoos and piercings by a professional

    At any age

    Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

    Get the hunting permit

    15 years

    Agreement of a parent (or guardian)

    Tableau - Training and work

    What can a young person do?

    From what age?

    Alone or with the agreement?

    If he is dropping out of school, apply for a pathway to professional integration

    13 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Working during school holidaysunder certain conditions

    14 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Integrate a alternance training scheme (Dima)

    15 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Conclude a apprenticeship contract under certain conditions

    15 years

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Engage in a civic service (ESC)

    16 yrs

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Be volunteer firefighter

    16 yrs

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Leave the school system and starting integration steps to work

    16 yrs

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Engage in a European Voluntary Service (EVS)

    17 years (under certain conditions)

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Be volunteer in the military

    17 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Become military reservist (operational reserve)

    17 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Engage in the citizens' reserve

    17 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Pass the Bafa certificate

    17 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Leave work at a par abroad (in some countries only)

    17 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Subscribe to the National Universal Service (SNU)

    15 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    In France

    In principle, children can travel alone in France as long as they have an identity document.

    However, even if the young person has the capacity to travel alone, some carriers (airline, railway, marine) will require the minor to be accompanied by a major third party. This service is most often charged.

    Abroad

    In principle, a minor cannot leave France without his or her documents and authorization to leave the territory at least one of his parents in his possession.

    These provisions are valid for any departure from French territory within the European Union.

    For travel outside the European Union, the minor will have to present, depending on the country, a passport, an authorization to leave the territory and the documents requested by the host country to which he is going (example: visa, reservation on the spot, return ticket,...).

    However, when a parent fears that his minor child will leave France alone (terrorism, holidays, fugue,...), he can ask for a opposition to exit from the territory (OST) in case of emergency or travel ban. Once the decision is made, the child can no longer leave the territory.

    Tableau - Transport

    What can a young person do?

    From what age?

    Alone or with the agreement?

    Pass the road safety certificate (category AM of driving license) and drive a moped up to 50 cm³ or a light quadricycle like a cart

    14 years

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Learning in advance to driving while driving.

    To finance the costs of driving, he can be helped by the €1 permit scheme

    15 years

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Prepare the light motorcycle license (A1 permit)

    16 yrs

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Subscribe to the examination of the driving license

    17 years

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Tableau - Silver

    What can a young person do?

    From what age?

    Alone or with the agreement?

    Hold a bank account or savings book

    At any age

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Have a withdrawal card

    At any age

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Hold a life insurance contract in his name

    At any age

    Agreement of parents (or guardian)

    Acquire and use traveler's checks

    At any age

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Entering a Retirement Savings Plan (PER)

    At any age

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Ask For opening a young booklet and having a withdrawal card

    12 years

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    Tableau - Health and housing

    What can a young person do?

    From what age?

    Alone or with the agreement?

    Controlling the risk of unintended pregnancy:

  • Contraceptive methods (including emergency)
  • Delivery under X
  • At any age

    Alone

    Dealing with health issues:

  • Registration social security
  • Vital Card
  • Choosing a treating physician
  • Opening a personal medical file
  • 16 yrs

    Alone

    Have your own accommodation (get a lease by his parents and receive a housing allowance)

    At any age

    Agreement of a parent or guardian

    A minor can obtain a Vital Card at age 16 (or 12 if they are attached to their parents' account).

    Concerning the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)He can apply for it as soon as he gets his social security number.

    Under 15

    Any relationship with an adult, whatever it may be, is prohibited and considered non-consensual.

    On the other hand, minors can have sexual relations with each other as soon as they are consented to (that is to say, without violence, coercion, surprise, threat, etc.).

    From 15 years

    Sexual relations between a minor and an adult, apart from family relations (parent, grandparent,...) and persons who care for him (instructor, animator,...), are accepted by law.

    On the other hand, sexual relations between minors less than 5 years apart are considered to be consensual (i.e. without violence, coercion, surprise, threat, etc.).

    Tableau - Death

    What can a young person do?

    From what age?

    Alone or with the agreement?

    To oppose the subscription by a third party of a life insurance guaranteeing the payment of capital or an annuity following his death

    12 years

    Alone

    Oppose the removal of his organs upon his death by registering the national register of refusals

    13 years

    Alone

    Make a will (within certain constraints)

    16 yrs

    Alone

    Who can help me?

    Find who can answer your questions in your region