Last updated:
Key takeaways
- The documents a landlord can request are defined by law: Décret n° 2015-1437 du 5 novembre 2015. Four categories only: identity, current address, professional situation, and income.
- Asking for anything outside this list (bank statements, medical records, employer references, credit records) is illegal and exposes the landlord to a fine.
- DossierFacile (dossierfacile.logement.gouv.fr) is a free government service that certifies your documents. Using it significantly improves your chances in competitive markets like Paris.
- VISALE (visale.fr) is a free rental guarantee for tenants under 30 and recent private-sector employees. Apply before searching: VISALE issues a certificate of eligibility that strengthens your dossier.
- For non-French applicants: foreign payslips and a certified translation are accepted. If you have no French tax returns, foreign equivalents with a certified translation suffice.
Legal note: This article is for informational purposes only. Document requirements may be updated by legislation. Always verify against the current version of Décret n° 2015-1437 and the guidance on Service-Public.fr. For advice specific to your situation, contact your local ADIL (free).
The legal basis: Décret n° 2015-1437
In France, what a landlord can ask for in a rental application is not a matter of custom. It is defined by law. Décret n° 2015-1437 du 5 novembre 2015, adopted under the ALUR law, sets out an exhaustive (and closed) list of documents that landlords and letting agents may request from candidates and their guarantors.
The decree organises documents into four categories, each with a defined list of acceptable alternatives. A landlord can ask for documents from these four categories only. Requesting anything outside them is a legal violation. The reasoning is anti-discrimination: unlimited document requests were historically used to screen out tenants based on factors (family situation, origin, income type) that are now legally protected.
Key point: Landlords must choose from the approved list: they cannot require a specific document within a category if a legal alternative also exists. For example, they cannot insist on a payslip if the applicant is self-employed and provides a tax return. If a landlord asks for documents outside the legal list, you are not obliged to provide them. You can report the violation to the DDPP (Direction Départementale de la Protection des Populations).
Documents for employed applicants
This is the most common applicant profile. An employed applicant with a CDI (permanent contract) and 3 payslips is the strongest possible dossier from a landlord's perspective.
| Category | Accepted documents (choose one per category) |
|---|---|
| Identity | Valid passport, or national identity card (EU/EEA/Switzerland), or titre de séjour (non-EU nationals) |
| Current address | Last 3 rent receipts or last rent payment evidence, or written declaration from host (if staying with someone), or last electricity, gas, or water bill in your name |
| Professional situation | Employment contract (CDI or CDD, signed by both parties), or promesse d'embauche / lettre de mission for employees starting a new job |
| Income | Last 3 payslips (bulletins de salaire), or last 2 tax return notices (avis d'imposition), or both |
Additional items commonly requested (but optional for the tenant)
- RIB (relevé d'identité bancaire): bank account details for setting up the direct debit. This is not used to assess income: it is requested for administrative purposes after the application is accepted. Providing it before acceptance is not required by the decree, though many landlords ask for it at the dossier stage. You may choose to provide it or withhold it until after approval.
- Photo: a landlord may not request a photograph of the applicant. This is explicitly prohibited as a potential tool for discrimination.
CDD (fixed-term contract) applicants
CDD holders are often viewed less favourably than CDI holders by landlords, as income is not guaranteed beyond the contract end date. If you have a CDD, supplement your dossier with the most recent payslips, the contract showing the end date, and, if possible, a letter from your employer confirming the likelihood of renewal or conversion to CDI. A strong guarantor is particularly valuable for CDD applicants.
Documents for self-employed applicants
Self-employed applicants (indépendants, freelancers, gérants de société, auto-entrepreneurs) need to demonstrate stable, verifiable income. The approved documents differ from the employed route.
| Category | Accepted documents |
|---|---|
| Identity | Same as employed (passport, ID card, titre de séjour) |
| Current address | Same as employed (rent receipts, utility bill, host declaration) |
| Professional situation | Extrait Kbis (company registration extract from the Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés), or SIRET/SIREN registration notice for auto-entrepreneurs, or profession-specific registration document |
| Income | Last 2 years' tax declarations (déclarations fiscales / avis d'imposition), both years |
Self-employed applicants with variable income may find it harder to satisfy the 3x rent income requirement based on official declarations alone. In these cases, a strong personal guarantor or a VISALE-equivalent private guarantee service (such as Cautioneo) can fill the gap.
Documents for students
Students are an important tenant category in France, particularly in university cities like Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, and Bordeaux. A student's dossier typically relies heavily on a parental guarantor.
| Category | Accepted documents |
|---|---|
| Identity | Passport or national ID card, or titre de séjour for international students |
| Current address | Rent receipts from current accommodation, or host declaration (parents' home), or utility bill |
| Professional/academic situation | Certificat de scolarité (student enrolment certificate for the current or forthcoming academic year), or student card |
| Income | Scholarship or bursary award letter (if applicable), or last 3 months of any employment income, or a declaration of financial support from parents |
For international students: if you have a scholarship that pays in a foreign currency, provide the original scholarship letter and a certified translation. A letter from your university confirming enrolment and expected duration of study is also helpful for the context of a bail étudiant or bail mobilité application.
Wunderflats data: Students represent 20.7% of self-paying tenants in Paris and major French cities on Wunderflats. The bail mobilité is well-suited for study periods of under 10 months, and the bail étudiant for 9-month academic years. Both require the same dossier documents.
Source: Wunderflats internal data (BigQuery), Jun 2025–May 2026. Figures cover furnished mid-term apartments booked in Paris and major French cities.
Documents for applicants with non-French income
Non-French applicants often face extra hurdles in the French rental market, not because the law treats them differently, but because landlords are unfamiliar with foreign documents and may not know how to verify them. The solution is to make your documents as easy to interpret as possible.
Core differences
- Identity: non-EU nationals require a valid titre de séjour (residence permit) as their identity document, in addition to a passport. EU nationals can use a national ID card.
- Tax returns: if you have not yet filed a French tax return (avis d'imposition), you are not required to provide one. Substitute with the last 2 years' tax declarations from your home country. A certified translation (by a traducteur assermenté) is strongly recommended.
- Payslips: foreign payslips are accepted. If they are not in French, provide a certified translation or an employer letter in French confirming your position, salary, and start date.
- Employment contracts: an employment contract from a foreign employer is accepted. For an assignment or secondment, also provide the mission letter from the sending company and, where available, a letter from the French host entity confirming the assignment period.
Practical tips for international applicants
- Use DossierFacile: it accepts international documents and its certification helps landlords trust unfamiliar foreign paperwork.
- If your employer is internationally recognised, include a brief cover letter introducing the company and confirming your role. This context costs nothing and can reassure a landlord who is unfamiliar with your employer.
- Consider VISALE if eligible (under 30, or private-sector employee hired within 6 months): it removes the need for a French guarantor entirely.
- Consider Cautioneo or Garantme: these private guarantor services accept international applicants who cannot provide a French personal guarantor and are not VISALE-eligible.
Wunderflats data: 32.9% of tenants on Wunderflats in Paris and major French cities are self-paying for a work relocation, and 1.4% are company-paid for work. This confirms that international professionals are the dominant tenant profile in furnished mid-term rentals, and the dossier process is well-trodden for this group.
Source: Wunderflats internal data (BigQuery), Jun 2025–May 2026.
Guarantor documents
A guarantor (garant or caution) is a person who commits to covering your rent if you default. Most landlords in France expect either a personal guarantor or an institutional guarantee (VISALE or a private service). The guarantor's documents are governed by the same decree as the tenant's documents.
What a personal guarantor must provide
The same four categories as the tenant:
- Identity: valid passport or national ID card
- Current address: recent rent receipts, utility bill, or host declaration
- Professional situation: employment contract or equivalent
- Income: last 3 payslips and last 2 avis d'imposition
A proof of relationship between the guarantor and the tenant is not legally required by the decree. Some landlords ask for it informally, but you are not required to provide it.
Income expectations for guarantors
Most landlords expect the guarantor's income to be at least 3–4x the monthly rent. A guarantor who earns exactly 3x the rent while also paying their own housing costs may be seen as insufficient. In Paris, where median rents for furnished apartments reach 1,989 EUR/month, this means looking for a guarantor earning at least 6,000–8,000 EUR/month net, which rules out many potential personal guarantors.
If a personal guarantor with sufficient income is not available, institutional alternatives are the practical solution:
| Option | Cost | Eligibility | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISALE (visale.fr) | Free | Under 30 (any status), or private-sector employee earning ≤1,710 EUR/month hired within 6 months | Up to 36 monthly payments + 2 months' rental damages |
| Cautioneo | Fee (% of annual rent) | International applicants, non-standard income profiles | Varies by policy |
| Garantme | Fee (% of monthly rent) | CDI, CDD, freelance, international, broad acceptance | Varies by policy |
What landlords cannot request
Décret n° 2015-1437 du 5 novembre 2015 explicitly prohibits landlords from requesting the following documents from candidates or their guarantors:
| Prohibited document | Why it is prohibited |
|---|---|
| Bank account statements (relevés de compte) | Reveals spending habits; not a reliable income indicator; privacy violation |
| Employer reference letters | Not in the approved list; can be used for discriminatory profiling |
| Medical records or health information | Sensitive data; health discrimination is illegal |
| Credit record or proof of no debt | Not in the approved list; France does not have a credit score system for rentals |
| Marriage certificate or family situation documents | Family situation is a protected ground under anti-discrimination law |
| Photograph of the applicant | Potential tool for origin or appearance-based discrimination |
| Attestation of no rental debt from previous landlord | Not in the approved list |
| Copy of social benefits (RSA, APL, etc.) beyond what establishes eligibility | Receiving benefits is a protected ground; landlords cannot penalise this |
If a landlord or agency requests documents outside this list, you can:
- Politely decline, citing Décret n° 2015-1437
- Report the violation to the DDPP (Direction Départementale de la Protection des Populations) in your department
- File a complaint with the Défenseur des droits if you believe the request constitutes discrimination
Using DossierFacile
DossierFacile (dossierfacile.logement.gouv.fr) is the free government platform for certifying your rental application documents. It was created to address a specific problem: landlords receiving unverified document bundles from strangers, and tenants struggling to demonstrate credibility in a competitive market.
The platform is built on Décret n° 2015-1437. When you upload documents, the system guides you through the four required categories and flags if anything is missing or non-compliant. Once verified by the team, your dossier receives an official certification and a unique shareable link.
How to create your DossierFacile
- Go to dossierfacile.logement.gouv.fr and create a free account using your email address
- Select your applicant profile (employed, student, self-employed, etc.)
- Upload documents for each category: identity, address, professional situation, income
- If you have co-tenants or a guarantor, they can be added to the same dossier with their own document uploads
- Submit for verification. The team typically reviews dossiers within 1 business day
- Share the certified link directly with landlords when contacting them about apartments
DossierFacile accepts documents in French and other languages. For non-French documents, the platform notes their origin and the certification still applies to the overall dossier. This is particularly useful for international applicants whose documents would otherwise require the landlord to assess unfamiliar formats.
Key point: Creating your DossierFacile before you start looking for apartments is the right approach. Once certified, you can share the same link with every landlord you contact. You do not need to re-certify unless your documents change significantly (new job, new address, etc.).
VISALE: the free rental guarantee
VISALE (Visas pour le Logement et l'Emploi) is a free rental guarantee scheme operated by Action Logement, a joint public-private housing body funded by employer contributions. It acts as a guarantor on behalf of eligible tenants, covering unpaid rent and rental damages.
Who is eligible (from January 2026)
- Any tenant under 30 years old, regardless of income, employment status, or nationality
- Any private-sector employee (salariat privé) of any age earning up to 1,710 EUR/month net, who has been in their current position for under 6 months (new hire, job change, or professional mobility)
- Seasonal workers of any age (geographical mobility requirement removed in 2026)
- Tenants eligible for bail mobilité and those housed through housing intermediation organisations
What VISALE covers
- Up to 36 months of unpaid rent in the private sector (from January 2026; previously covered the full lease duration)
- Up to 2 months' rent equivalent of rental damages at the end of the tenancy
- Free for both the tenant and the landlord
How to apply
- Go to visale.fr and create an account
- Check your eligibility and complete the application
- Receive a VISALE certificate of eligibility (visa)
- Include the visa reference in your dossier
- Once you sign a lease, return to visale.fr to activate the guarantee for your specific address
Key point: Apply for VISALE before you start flat-hunting, not after you find an apartment. VISALE issues a certificate of eligibility that you can include in your dossier from the start. This signals to landlords that a recognised institutional guarantee is already in place, which can be decisive in competitive markets.
Source: visale.fr, Visale 2026 changes; Service-Public.fr, F33453.
FAQs about French rental documents
▶ What documents can a landlord legally request in France?
Only documents from the four categories defined by Décret n° 2015-1437 du 5 novembre 2015: identity, proof of current address, proof of professional situation, and proof of income. The landlord cannot ask for a specific document within a category if a legal alternative also exists. For example, if you have a tax return but no payslips (because you are self-employed), the landlord cannot insist on payslips. Within each category, it is the landlord's or applicant's choice which approved document to use. Anything outside the four categories is illegal to request. Source: Légifrance, Décret n° 2015-1437; Service-Public.fr.
▶ I do not have a French avis d'imposition. What should I provide instead?
If you have not filed French taxes (common for new arrivals or those on short assignments), you are not required to provide a French avis d'imposition. Substitute with your two most recent foreign tax declarations or assessments. These should be translated by a certified translator (traducteur assermenté). If translation is not practical in your timeline, provide an employer letter in French or English confirming your annual gross and net salary, your position, your start date, and the expected duration of your assignment. DossierFacile will accept these documents and note their origin in the certification.
▶ Can a landlord refuse my application because I receive housing benefits (APL)?
No. Refusing a rental application because the applicant receives APL (aide personnalisée au logement) or other housing benefits is discriminatory and illegal under French law. The Loi Égalité et Citoyenneté (2017) explicitly added the receipt of social benefits as a protected ground for anti-discrimination purposes. If you believe you have been refused on these grounds, file a complaint with the Défenseur des droits at defenseurdesdroits.fr. The same protection applies to recipients of RSA and AAH.
▶ My guarantor lives abroad. Will French landlords accept them?
Some landlords will accept a foreign guarantor; many will not. The practical challenge is verification: a landlord in Paris cannot easily verify the income or identity of a guarantor based in another country. If your guarantor is abroad, their documents should be translated and, ideally, notarised or apostilled. Even then, some landlords will decline. In this situation, VISALE (if you are eligible) or a private guarantee service like Cautioneo (which is designed for international applicants) is a more reliable route. Both provide institutional guarantees that require no landlord verification of a third party's personal documents.
▶ How many payslips should I include in my dossier?
The decree specifies the last 3 payslips. Providing more does not help and may bulk out the dossier unnecessarily. The key is that they are the most recent 3 (showing your current employer and income level) and that they are legible and complete. For a new job where you have fewer than 3 payslips, provide what you have and supplement with your employment contract and, if available, a promesse d'embauche. DossierFacile will flag if the income evidence is insufficient and suggest what to add.
Sources
- Décret n° 2015-1437 du 5 novembre 2015, liste des pièces justificatives (Légifrance)
- Liste des documents à fournir, DossierFacile (dossierfacile.logement.gouv.fr)
- DossierFacile, free government rental application certification
- VISALE, garantie locative gratuite, Action Logement
- Visale: ce qui change en 2026, visale.fr
- Garantie Visale: conditions d'éligibilité, Service-Public.fr (F33453)
- Défenseur des droits, discrimination complaints
- ADIL, find your local housing advice agency (anil.org)
- Wunderflats internal data (BigQuery), Jun 2025–May 2026. Tenant profile: 32.9% work relocation, 27.9% temporary housing need, 20.7% studying, 3.3% internship, 4.3% other self-paying, 1.4% company-paid.
