Official letters from France, explained in English

French offices send formal letters and often expect a written answer or a step in your online account. Most decisions can be challenged, often within 2 months — the end of the letter (voies et délais de recours) says how.

Offices that write to you

Finances publiques (DGFiP) — Tax office. The public finance office. It handles income tax, property tax and other taxes.
Trésor public / Service de gestion comptable — Public treasury (fines and public bills). Part of the public finance office. It collects increased fines and bills from public services, like hospitals or school canteens.
Caisse d’allocations familiales (CAF) — Family benefits office. Pays family benefits, housing help (APL), the RSA and the prime d’activité.
France Travail (ex Pôle emploi) — Employment agency. Pays unemployment benefit (ARE) and helps you find work. It was called Pôle emploi until 2024.
Préfecture / ANEF — Prefecture (residence permits). The state office in each département. It decides on residence permits. Many requests are now made online on the ANEF website.
OFII — Immigration and integration office. Welcomes new residents from outside the EU. It runs the integration contract (CIR), French classes and some medical visits.
Assurance Maladie (CPAM) — Health insurance. The public health insurance. It pays back part of your doctor, medicine and hospital costs.
Mutuelle / complémentaire santé — Top-up health insurance. A private insurance that pays the part of health costs the Assurance Maladie doesn’t cover.
URSSAF — Social contributions office. Collects social contributions from employers and the self-employed, including micro-entrepreneurs.
Mairie — Town hall. Your local town hall. It keeps birth, marriage and other civil records (état civil) and runs local services like school sign-up.
ANTAI — Traffic fines agency. Sends traffic and parking notices, for example from speed cameras, for the police and for towns.
Commissaire de justice (ex huissier) — Bailiff. A legal officer who delivers court papers and collects debts, sometimes by force. They replaced the huissiers in 2022.
Tribunal — Court. A court. Letters from a court are always important — never ignore them.
Bailleur / agence immobilière — Landlord or letting agency. The owner of your flat, or the agency or social housing body (HLM) that manages it.
Fournisseur d’énergie (EDF, Engie…) — Energy supplier. The company that sells you electricity or gas.
Assurance retraite (CNAV / Carsat) — Pension office. Runs the basic state pension for most private-sector workers. Your work years are recorded here.

Common kinds of letters

Saisie / commandement de payer — Enforcement notice. They are about to take money by force, for example from your bank account or your wages.
Injonction de payer / contrainte — Court payment order. An order to pay that works like a court decision. If you don’t owe the money, you must object fast — often within 15 days or 1 month. Check the letter.
Mise en demeure — Formal demand. A formal last warning. If you don’t pay or act by the date given, they can take legal steps.
Relance / rappel — Payment reminder. You have not paid something on time. Extra fees may be added if you wait longer.
Avis de contravention — Fine. A fine, for example for speeding. Paying quickly is often cheaper, and waiting too long makes it more expensive. You can usually contest it within 45 days.
Amende forfaitaire majorée — Increased fine. A fine that has gone up because it was not paid or contested in time. If you don’t pay, money can be taken from your bank account or wages.
Avis d’imposition — Tax notice. The result of your tax return. It shows how much tax you owe, or if you get money back.
Indu / trop-perçu — Request to pay money back. They believe they paid you too much and want the money back. Often they take it from your future payments.
Convocation / rendez-vous — Appointment. They want you to come to an appointment. Missing it without a good reason can have consequences, for example less money or a delay in your file.
Demande de pièces justificatives — Request for documents. They need papers or information from you before they can decide.
Refus / rejet — Rejection. Your request was turned down. You can usually challenge it — the end of the letter says how and by when.
Notification de droits / attribution — Approval. Your request was accepted. The letter shows what you get, how much and from when.
Résiliation / congé — Termination notice. A contract is being ended, for example your lease, your job, an insurance or a phone contract.
Régularisation des charges — Yearly service charge bill. Your landlord’s yearly bill for shared costs, like water, heating or cleaning. You may pay extra or get money back.

French office words

avis d’imposition, prélèvement à la source, numéro fiscal, taxe foncière, date limite de paiement, majoration, mise en demeure, relance, recours gracieux, RAPO, recours amiable, réclamation, contestation, voies et délais de recours, délai, notification, lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception, pièces justificatives — see all 50 words.

Reply templates in French

Questions

How long do I have to answer an official letter in France?

It depends on the letter. Look for words like “délai”, “avant le”, “au plus tard” — they mark the deadline. In France, a deadline usually starts on the day you receive the letter — for a registered letter, often the day the post first tried to deliver it. The 3 days are only an estimate, so check the envelope or the delivery notice. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“recours gracieux”, “recours administratif préalable obligatoire”, “recours amiable”, “réclamation”, “contestation”, “recours”).

Can I understand a French letter without speaking French?

Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It reads the French text on your device, explains it in plain English, finds deadlines and amounts, and can translate the whole letter.

Is my letter uploaded anywhere?

No. Briefly runs completely in your browser. The letter never leaves your device, there is no account, and it works offline after the first visit.