Category, body, job manager, grade and step: what are the differences?
Verified 20 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Civil servants belong to bodies in the State Public Service (FPE) and Hospital Public Service (FPH) or to job managers in the Territorial Public Service (FPT). They are classified in category A, B or C. These bodies or managers of posts generally comprise several grades and each grade comprises several steps. Here is the information you need to know.
Vidéo - Public service employment, how does it work?
Employment in the Public Service
How does it work?
Are you going to work in the public service? Categories, job managers, corps, grades, echelons... If it does not evoke anything for now, do not panic, we explain.
First of all, there are three public functions.
The State civil service, the territorial civil service and the hospital civil service. Categories, what is it?
In each public service, jobs are classified into 3 categories: A, B or C. They set the level of diploma or training required at the entrance.
Thus, for category A, at least one tray + 2 is required. For B, the baccalaureate is enough. Category C is accessible without a diploma or with a level V or V bis diploma (CAP, BEP, college certificate).
And for the bodies and managers of jobs, what is it about?
In each category A, B and C, civil servants are grouped into corps (for the State and hospital civil services) or into cadres d'emplois (for the territorial civil service). Within the same body or framework of employment, they perform the same functions.
What is the difference with ranks?
Each corps or cadre of posts comprises one or more grades.
At the beginning of your career, you usually start on the 1st grade. You can then access - under conditions - the higher grades called advancement grades.
And the ranks in all this?
Each grade has several steps. The step is used to calculate remuneration.
Here too, you usually start your career on the 1st step of your grade. With seniority, you automatically move up the ranks.
Do we recap with a diagram?
Each civil service is organized into categories A, B and C. These categories are composed of bodies or managers of posts, which comprise one or more grades, themselves composed of several levels.
EPF
The bodies of the State civil service are classified in a hierarchical category according to their level of recruitment. Each corps consists of officials subject to the same set of rules, called special status. The special status of each body is determined by decree. Each official shall hold a grade in his or her staff and a step in that grade.
In the public service, jobs are classified according to their level of recruitment into 3 categories, designated by the letters A, B, C.
Categories | Levels of recruitment |
|---|---|
A | Tray + 2 minimum |
B | Minimum bin |
C | Level V or V bis diploma (HEADING: titleContent, BEP: titleContent, college certificate) or no diploma |
The transition from one category to another is possible by internal promotion or contest.
Each category includes a number of body bringing together officials subject to the same special status.
Each body comprises one or more grades.
The grade allows the holder to occupy different posts in that grade.
When there are several grades, they are hierarchical.
Except in exceptional cases, access to a corps is at the lowest rank or early career grade.
During the course of the career, it is possible to advance to the next higher grade by advancement of grade.
The conditions for advancement in grade are laid down for each corps by the special status.
Rank advancement is not not a right.
Each grade includes several levels which form the index grid.
The number of steps in each grade is fixed by decree.
Each step shall be accompanied by the special status with a period of service necessary to move up to the next step.
The step determines the employee's primary remuneration.
Indeed, a gross index (called career index) is assigned to each step.
This gross index corresponds to an increased index (called the remuneration index) from which a index treatment (or basic treatment).
In principle, access to the grade is made on the 1er step.
Over the course of his career, the grievor moves up the ranks by advancement.
Rank advancement is a right.
Example :
Classification | Title |
|---|---|
Category | A |
Body | Teachers of schools |
Recruitment grade | Teacher of normal class schools: 11 levels |
1er advancement grade | Senior School Teacher: 7 levels |
2e advancement grade | Outstanding Class School Teacher: 5 levels |
FPT
Territorial public service job managers are classified in a hierarchical category according to their level of recruitment. Each job manager brings together public servants who are subject to the same set of rules, called special status. The specific status of each employment manager is determined by decree. Each official shall hold a grade and, in that grade, a step in his post.
In the public service, jobs are classified according to their level of recruitment into 3 categories, designated by the letters A, B, C.
Categories | Levels of recruitment |
|---|---|
A | Tray + 3 minimum |
B | Minimum bin |
C | Level V or V bis diploma (HEADING: titleContent, BEP: titleContent, college certificate) or no diploma |
The transition from one category to another is possible by internal promotion or contest.
Each category includes a number of job executives bringing together officials subject to the same special status.
Each employment framework includes one or more grades.
The grade allows the holder to occupy different posts in that grade.
When there are several grades, they are hierarchical.
Except in exceptional cases, access to an employment manager is at the lowest rank or early career grade.
During the course of the career, it is possible to advance to the next higher grade by advancement of grade.
The conditions for advancement to grade are laid down, for each manager, by the special Staff Regulations.
Rank advancement is not not a right.
Each grade includes several levels which form the index grid.
The number of steps in each grade is fixed by decree.
Each step shall be accompanied by the special status with a period of service necessary to move up to the next step.
The step determines the employee's primary remuneration.
Indeed, a gross index (called career index) is assigned to each step.
This gross index corresponds to an increased index (called the remuneration index) from which a index treatment (or basic treatment).
In principle, access to the grade is made on the 1er step.
Over the course of his career, the grievor moves up the ranks by advancement.
Rank advancement is a right.
Example :
Classification | Title |
|---|---|
Category | C |
Employment Framework | Municipal Police Officers |
Recruitment grade | Brigadier Guard: 12 levels |
Advancement Grade | Senior Chief Brigadier: 10 levels |
FPH
The hospital civil service bodies are classified in a hierarchical category according to their level of recruitment. Each corps consists of officials subject to the same set of rules, called special status. The special status of each body is determined by decree. Each official shall hold a grade in his or her staff and a step in that grade.
In the public service, jobs are classified according to their level of recruitment into 3 categories, designated by the letters A, B, C.
Categories | Levels of recruitment |
|---|---|
A | Tray + 3 minimum |
B | Minimum bin |
C | Level V or V bis diploma (HEADING: titleContent, BEP: titleContent, college certificate) or no diploma |
The transition from one category to another is possible by internal promotion or contest.
Each category includes a number of body bringing together officials subject to the same special status.
Some senior hospital jobs may not be organized into corps. Bodies and posts whose missions are identical are subject to the same special status.
Each grade includes several levels which form the index grid.
The number of steps in each grade is fixed by decree.
Each step shall be accompanied by the special status with a period of service necessary to move up to the next step.
The step determines the employee's primary remuneration.
Indeed, a gross index (called career index) is assigned to each step.
This gross index corresponds to an increased index (called the remuneration index) from which a index treatment (or basic treatment).
In principle, access to the grade is made on the 1er step.
Over the course of his career, the grievor moves up the ranks by advancement.
Rank advancement is a right.
Each grade includes several levels which form the index grid.
The number of steps in each grade is fixed by decree.
Each step shall be accompanied by the special status with a period of service necessary to move up to the next step.
The step determines the employee's primary remuneration.
Indeed, a gross index (called career index) is assigned to each step.
This gross index corresponds to an increased index (called the remuneration index) from which a index treatment (or basic treatment).
In principle, access to the grade is made on the 1er step.
Over the course of his career, the grievor moves up the ranks by advancement.
Rank advancement is a right.
Example :
Classification | Title |
|---|---|
Category | A |
Employment Framework | Nurse anesthetists |
Recruitment grade | 1er nursing rank: 10 steps |
Advancement Grade | 2e nursing rank: 8 steps |