Request for an extract from a criminal record (bulletin n°3)
Verified 08 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Do you need the number 3 form of your criminal record for an administrative procedure or a job search? You can get it free of charge. The procedures for obtaining this extract vary depending on your place of birth (or the place of birth of the person you are applying for). We present the information to know.
The request for bulletin n°3 of the criminal record is free of charge.
The procedure for requesting this document varies depending on your place of birth.
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You were born in metropolitan France
The request can be made on the internet or by mail:
Request on the internet
You must use the Department of Justice online service:
Online application for a criminal record extract (bulletin n°3)
Once your request has been registered, you will receive an email confirming that your request has been taken into account by the National Criminal Records Service.
Your request will be taken into account when you have clicked on the confirmation link present in this email.
If the bulletin n°3 does not contain any condemnation, you can find it directly on the online service of the Ministry of Justice, receive it by mail or by post.
If a conviction appears on the B3 of your criminal record, you will receive it by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The deadline for receiving an extract from the criminal record (bulletin n°3) varies depending on the method of sending. It is:
- From one hour to 24 hours in case of transmission via FranceConnect or by email
- 2 weeks (including postage) if sent by post (or by LRAR).
Request by mail
You must complete the form cerfa n°10071 and send it to the National Criminal Records Service.
You do not have to attach an envelope or stamp to obtain your criminal record extract.
Who shall I contact
If your report card does not contain any convictions, it is sent to you by simple mail. However, if it bears one or more statements of conviction, it is sent to you by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
In all cases, the response is within 2 weeks (including postal delays).
You were born overseas
Depending on your place of birth, the request for bulletin n°3 can be made on the internet, by email, by mail or directly on site:
You were born in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion
Request on the internet
You must use the Department of Justice online service:
Online application for a criminal record extract (bulletin n°3)
Once your request has been registered, you will receive an email confirming that your request has been taken into account by the National Criminal Records Service.
Your request will be taken into account when you have clicked on the confirmation link present in this email.
If the bulletin n°3 does not contain any condemnation, you can find it directly on the online service of the Ministry of Justice, receive it by mail or by post.
If a conviction appears on the B3 of your criminal record, you will receive it by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The deadline for receiving an extract from the criminal record (bulletin n°3) varies depending on the method of sending. It is:
- From one hour to 24 hours in case of transmission via FranceConnect or by email
- 2 weeks (including postage) if sent by post (or by LRAR).
Request by mail
You must complete the form cerfa n°10071 and send it to the National Criminal Records Service.
You do not have to attach an envelope or stamp to obtain your criminal record extract.
If your report card does not contain any convictions, it is sent to you by simple mail. However, if it bears one or more statements of conviction, it is sent to you by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
In all cases, the response is within 2 weeks (including postal delays).
Who shall I contact
You were born in French Polynesia
Request on the internet
You must use the Department of Justice online service:
Online application for a criminal record extract (bulletin n°3)
Once your request has been registered, you will receive an email confirming that your request has been taken into account by the National Criminal Records Service.
Your request will be taken into account when you have clicked on the confirmation link present in this email.
If the bulletin n°3 does not contain any condemnation, you can find it directly on the online service of the Ministry of Justice, receive it by mail or by post.
If a conviction appears on the B3 of your criminal record, you will receive it by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The deadline for receiving an extract from the criminal record (bulletin n°3) varies depending on the method of sending. It is:
- From one hour to 24 hours in case of transmission via FranceConnect or by email
- 2 weeks (including postage) if sent by post (or by LRAR).
Request by mail
You must complete the form cerfa n°10071 and send it to the National Criminal Records Service.
You do not have to attach an envelope or stamp to obtain your criminal record extract.
If your report card does not contain any convictions, it is sent to you by simple mail. However, if it bears one or more mentions of convictions, it is sent to you by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
In all cases, the response is within 2 weeks (including postal delays).
Please note
It is not possible to receive your newsletter n°3 by fax.
Who shall I contact
You were born in New Caledonia
Request by email
You must send the form cerfa n°10071 to the e-mail address of the Court of First Instance of Nouméa.
Your application must be accompanied by proof of identity (example: an identity card or passport).
If your B3 does not contain any mention, it is sent to you by simple letter. If it bears one or more statements of conviction, it is delivered to you by hand or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The response time is approximately 15 days. This period may vary depending on the duration of delivery (return postal delays).
Request by mail
You must send the form cerfa n°10071 at the Registry of the Court of First Instance of Nouméa.
This form must be accompanied by a copy of both sides of a proof of identity (for example, identity card or passport).
If your B3 does not contain any mention, it is sent to you by simple letter. If it bears one or more statements of conviction, it is delivered to you by hand or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The response time is approximately 15 days. However, it may vary depending on the duration of delivery (return postal delays).
Request on site
To obtain the bulletin n°3 of your criminal record, you must go to the registry of the court of first instance of Nouméa, with an identity document.
In this case, it is possible that your criminal record extract will be given to you immediately. Otherwise, it takes about 2 weeks.
Who shall I contact
Criminal records department of the Nouméa court
By phone
00,687 27 93 67
By courier
Casier-judiciaire.tpi-noumea@justice.fr
By mail
Court of First Instance
Criminal Record Service
BP F4
98848 Nouméa Cedex
By fax
00 687 27 96 15
Please note
It is not possible to receive your newsletter n°3 by fax.
You were born in Wallis and Futuna
Request by email
You must send the form cerfa n°10071 to the e-mail address of the Criminal Records Department of the Mata-Utu Court of First Instance.
Your application must be accompanied by proof of identity (example: an identity card or passport).
If your B3 does not contain any mention, it is sent to you by simple letter. If it bears one or more statements of conviction, it is delivered to you by hand or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The response time is approximately 15 days. However, it may vary depending on the duration of delivery (return postal delays).
Request by mail
You must send the form cerfa n°10071 the Criminal Records Department of the Mata-Utu Court of First Instance.
A photocopy (double-sided) of a proof of identity (e.g. identity card or passport) must be added to the form.
If your B3 does not contain any mention, it is sent to you by simple letter. If it bears one or more statements of conviction, it is delivered to you by hand or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The response time is approximately 15 days. This period may also vary depending on the duration of the journey (return postal delays).
Request on site
In order to obtain the bulletin n°3 of your criminal record, you must present yourself to the Criminal Record Service of the Court of Mata-Utu, with an identity document.
In this case, it is possible that your criminal record extract will be given to you immediately. Otherwise, it takes about 2 weeks.
Who shall I contact
Criminal Records Department of the Court of Mata-Utu (Wallis and Futuna)
By phone
00,681 72 27 15
By mail
Court of First Instance
Criminal Records Service
BP12
98600 Mata Utu CEDEX
By fax
00,681 72 26 64
You were born abroad
The request for a criminal record extract (bulletin n°3) can be made on the internet or by mail.
Request on the internet
You can use the online service of the Department of Justice:
Online application for a criminal record extract (bulletin n°3)
Once your request has been registered, you will receive an email confirming that your request has been taken into account by the National Criminal Records Service.
Your request will be taken into account when you have clicked on the confirmation link present in this email.
The deadline for receiving an extract from the criminal record (bulletin n°3) varies depending on the method of sending. It is:
- From one hour to 24 hours in case of transmission via FranceConnect
- 2 working days in case of transmission by email, if you have not used FranceConnect
- 2 weeks if sent by post.
Warning
If you apply on the Department of Justice website without going through FranceConnect, you must attach a copy of your identity document (example: identity card or passport). This applies in particular to persons born abroad, whose identity documents do not mention their place of birth.
Request by mail
You must submit the form cerfa n°10071 the National Criminal Records Service.
It is necessary to attach a copy of both sides of your ID to your request.
It is not necessary to attach an envelope or stamp for the answer.
If your B3 contains no mention of conviction, it is sent to you by simple letter. If it bears one or more mentions of conviction, it is sent to you by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The response time is approximately 15 days. However, it may vary depending on the duration of delivery (return postal delays).
Who shall I contact
Bulletin No. 3 of the criminal record may be requested free of charge by the legal representative of a minor (e.g. parents) or an adult under guardianship.
These are the only 2 cases where a person can apply for a B3 on behalf of someone else (for example, a person cannot apply for a friend's bulletin #3).
The request can be made on the online service of the Ministry of Justice:
Online application for a criminal record extract (bulletin n°3)
It may also be made by post addressed to the National Criminal Records Service.
Who shall I contact
You do not have to attach an envelope or stamp for the answer.
In all cases, the response is sent by post within 2 weeks (including postal deadlines for metropolitan France).
Warning
A person who applies for a B3 for a third party, without being authorized to do so, is liable to a penalty of €7,500 of a fine.
Warning
For minors under the age of 12 and minors born outside France, the application must be accompanied by proof of identity of the child unless legal representative used FranceConnect.
For adults placed under guardianship, the application must be supplemented by the court decision designating the applicant as legal representative.
These 2 requests are obligatorily transmitted to the National Criminal Records Service, by mail.
The law does not provide for a period of validity for the extract of criminal record (bulletin n°3). In general, the organization or employer that asks you for bulletin n°3 specifies the desired length of service (example: less than 3 months).
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For help if you have trouble getting the B3 from the criminal record
National Criminal Records Service
By phone
02 51 89 89 51
Telephone reception from Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm
24-hour voice server
Obtaining the bulletin n°3 of the criminal record
Application procedures for Bulletin 3
Application for a criminal record in Overseas France
Request for bulletin n°3 to the Criminal Records Department of the TGI of Mata-Utu
FAQ
Service-Public.fr