Bank account attached

Verified 22 May 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

What is a bank account attached ? This is a bank account opened by at least 2 people (called co-holders) to facilitate the management of common expenditure. Account type, opening, use and closing terms: here is the information to know about the attached bank account.

The joint account is a group account opened by at least 2 people, whether or not related.

Each co-holder can act alone on the joint account to carry out all transactions (debit or credit) without the authorization of the other co-holders.

Every means of payment associated with the joint account can be used by any co-holder.

Please note

On a undivided account, any payment, withdrawal or deposit must be validated by all co-holders.

The joint account is often used to manage common expenses. It can be opened for example by couples (married, past or cohabiting), by roommates.

Accounts that can be opened in an attached form are:

FYI  

Regulated savings accounts (home savings account, home savings plan, popular savings booklet, sustainable development booklet, booklet A) and the share savings plans can only be individual accounts.

You must be at least 2 to open the account.

All future co-holders must be present. When opening an online account, the bank can use a certified service provider platform to check your documents and verify the identity of each co-holder.

Please note

The bank may set a maximum number of joint holders.

Verification of identity

You must be major or emancipated minor to be a joint account holder.

To request the opening of a bank account, you must present a valid official identity document, including a photograph:

  • National identity card
  • Passport
  • EU residence card
  • Other residence permit.

You can therefore open a bank account in France if you are a foreign national and legally reside in the country.

Justification of domicile

You must also prove your residence by providing for example one of the following documents:

If you are hosted, the bank may also ask you to provide a certificate of accommodation. A model attestation is available:

Accommodation certificate

Deposit of signature

You must deposit your signature. It will be registered by the bank.

If you give a proxy on the account, the person concerned will have to deposit his signature.

Decision of the bank

If the bank agrees to open an account with you, it informs you of the terms of use and pricing conditions.

If it is from a current account, each co-holder shall sign the bank account agreement on paper or digital media. It contains the rules for opening, operating and closing your account.

If it is another account (savings account, securities account, etc.), you sign a specific contract.

The bank has the obligation to declare any opening of an account in France with the Ficoba file. This declaration shall include the name, surname and address of the holder, the account references and the date of opening.

FYI  

The bank may refuse the opening of a joint account, without the need to justify its decision.

Account statements, letters and checkbooks bear the names of the joint holders bound together by: " or ».

Example :

The account title may be: Mr. or Mrs., Mrs or Mrs., X or Y or Z.

The payment card remains personal, with only one name.

If you are married, you can choose to open the account at your last name or your usual name (name of your wife, husband or double name). The bank verifies that the username is on your ID.

If you are a single customer, the bank cannot require you to use Miss.

Each co-holder is free to feed the joint account. The co-holders decide together on the proportion that each puts in the joint account.

Each co-holder can run the joint account alone under his signature alone. For example, it may do the following on its own, without the consent of the other holder:

  • Withdraw or deposit money
  • Write a check
  • Make a transfer or set up direct debits
  • Pay by card
  • Oppose.

Each co-holder is manager for the amount total the debit balance of the joint account even if it is not the source of the withdrawal or payment.

FYI  

The account title indicates the names of the persons who have the power to act on the account. The title of the account is not sufficient to determine the ownership of the funds deposited in the account.

Example :

The joint account entitled « Mr. X or Mrs. Y » may be funded exclusively by the salaries of Mr. X. Or fed for 1/3 by the salaries of Mr X and for 2/3 by the salaries of Mrs Y.

If X and Y are married under community of property reduced to gains, the sums deposited in the joint account are common property irrespective of the origin of the funds.

The co-holders of the account are jointly and severally liable. This means that in case of payment incident, the bank may apply to any co-holders to regularize the situation.

For this purpose, the bank does not take into account the person who caused the debt or the payment incident. It may request reimbursement of the totality debt to any of the co-holders.

Warning  

In case of rejection of a check for lack of provision, the banking ban may be pronounced against each joint holder on all their accounts (attached or individual).

However, you can designate, at the time of opening the account, a single person responsible for the banking ban related to a bounced check.

In this case, the prohibition on issuing checks will apply only to the accounts of the designated person responsible.

A template letter of designation of a single person in charge is available:

Appoint a single person in case of check without provision on joint or undivided account

Opening the account is free of charge.

The bank may charge you a fee for managing your account. These are the account maintenance fees.

Details of these charges should be provided in pricing information, made available to you.

In case of death of a co-holder, the joint account is not blocked. The co-owner can still operate the account. The account agreement specifies what becomes of the account.

The distribution of funds shall be settled among the heirs, according to the matrimonial regime or the relationship that existed between the joint holders.

A joint bank account may be closed at the initiative of the bank or at your initiative.

Closure at the initiative of the bank

The account can be closed at the initiative of the bank. For this, it must respect a 2 months notice. The bank does not have to justify its decision.

Closure at your initiative

All co-owners must apply for closure. The joint account cannot be converted into an individual account.

If one of the co-holders does not wish to close the account, the joint account can be converted into undivided account.

Warning  

Divorce or separation of spouses or cohabiting partners does not result in the closure of the joint account. A request must be made to the bank to close the account.

The process of closing the joint account is the same as that of an individual account.

The account agreement indicates the conditions for closing the account at your request.

In practice, you must send a cancelation request by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt.

A template letter is available:

Request the closure of a bank account

Remember to keep a sufficient reserve in your account. This will allow the bank to settle ongoing transactions (checks issued in particular) and thus avoid payment incidents.

You must return or destroy all means of payment made available to you.

The transfer or direct debit orders are canceled on the date of receipt of the termination letter.

The bank closes the account within 30 days maximum from your closing request and the return of means of payment. In practice, this period is generally 10 days.

Please note

In the event of a change of bank, you can request to benefit from the free mobility assistance service.

Within a period of 5 days from the request to close the account, the bank offers you a summary of the automatic transactions that have been carried out in the last 13 months. For direct debit payments, the creditors have a time limit of 10 days to take into account your new bank details.

Warning  

Withdrawal of deposited funds does not close the account. The account is closed but not closed, which may result in fees for inactive account.

The joint account can be transformed into undivided account by all co-holders or by a single co-holder:

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By all co-holders

You must send the bank a letter of separation signed by all.

A mail template is available:

Unlink a joint account

By a single co-holder

You must send a letter from denunciation, by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt, to the bank and to each of the co-holders.

You can use the following document templates:

Report a joint account with the bank

Denounce a joint account with a joint holder

All management actions must subsequently be carried out with the signature of all co-holders.

The transfer orders or direct debit authorizations previous perms are canceled.

Other means of payment must be returned to the bank.

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