The citizen census, a mandatory step from the age of 16

It is mandatory for young French people to carry out their citizen census. The census certificate is essential to be able to register before the age of 18 for an exam (BEP, baccalaureate...) or an administrative competition in France.

If you were born French, you can take your citizen census from the day you turn 16; you then have 3 months, from the date of your birthday, to complete this process.

If you became French between the ages of 16 and 25, you must complete your citizen census within one month of obtaining French nationality.

You can carry out your citizen census online or at the town hall of the municipality of your home.

The online procedure for the citizen census is carried out on the website Service-public.gouv.fr (you must sign in with your account Public Service or via FranceConnect).

Since November 2025, several courses are proposed so that you can carry out the process according to your profile. You can choose to indicate that the census is conducted for:

• « myself », if you are a person between the ages of 16 and 25 doing this independently;
• « my minor child », if you are a parent carrying out the procedure for his minor child;
• « the young man i legally represent », if you are the guardian of a young minor or the legal representative of an adult placed under a legal protection regime (guardianship measure, etc.).

What supporting documents do you need to provide?

To complete the citizen census, you must submit the following documents:

• an up-to-date family record book;
• a valid national identity card or passport, or any other document proving your French nationality.

Since November 17, 2025, for the family booklet, only the pages relating to the parents and the page where the young person conducting the census appears must be sent during the online process; it is no longer necessary to communicate the pages of the family booklet that concern his siblings.

In addition, as part of the online citizen census process, you no longer have to submit proof when you apply for medical exemption from the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC). You only need to indicate the reason, which can be that:

• you hold a mobility inclusion card marked “invalidity” ;
• or that your disability makes you permanently unfit to participate in the JDC.

The National Service and Youth Center on which you depend will contact you later to assess your situation.