Voters list: automatic registration at 18 if the citizen census was done at 16

Verified 28 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of the Interior

Every Frenchman who becomes an adult is automatically entered on a list of electors, under certain conditions. These conditions differ depending on whether he lives in France or abroad.

France

Vidéo - Are people automatically registered to vote at age 18?
Credits : Public Service (DILA)

Conversation between friends, by SMS:

- Are you going to vote in the next elections?

- I would love. I've got to go sign up for City Hall...

- No need, as soon as you turn 18, you will be automatically registered on the electoral rolls. It's automatic.

Misconception: At 18, am I automatically registered to vote?

Expert's word: True, this is not a misconception.

Yes, when you turn 18, you will be automatically registered on the electoral rolls.

But there is a condition: you must have done your citizen census beforehand.

This is a procedure to do with your town hall from the age of 16.

If, at the age of 18, you have not yet completed your citizen census, and you wish to vote, you will have to register on the electoral rolls.

You can make this registration on the site Service-public.fr, or by mail to send to your town hall, or by going directly on site.

You will need to provide proof of address and proof of identity.

If you have any doubts about your registration in your municipality (for example, in case of a move or if you have lost your voter card), or if you simply want to check which is your polling station, you can use the online service called "Query your electoral situation" on the site Service-public.fr.

If you are French and you have made your citizen census at 16, you are automatically registered on the list of electors at 18.

Registration on the list of electors is accompanied by the issuance of an electoral card.

The electoral map is yours:

  • Be given on the occasion of a citizenship ceremony organized by the mayor
  • Be sent by mail no later than 3 days before the election (election or referendum).

If you are absent on the day of citizenship ceremony :

  • Either you're invited to an upcoming ceremony
  • Either the card is sent to you by post at your home no later than 3 days before the 1ster round of the election (or referendum)
  • Either the card is made available to you on election day at your polling station. You can get it by presenting your identity document.

THEInsee: titleContent automatically enrolls you when you reach the age of 18.

INSEE is based on the information you provided during your citizen census.

As a result, you are automatically registered on the electoral list of the commune where you were enumerated.

You can check your registration on the list of electors using this online service:

Check your electoral registration and polling station

If you did not complete your citizen census or did so late, you are not automatically registered on the list of electors at age 18.

The process to register varies depending on where you apply from:

General case

Online

You must provide the scanned version of the following documents:

Online application for registration on the electoral rolls

On site

The documents to be provided vary depending on whether the request is made by you or through another person:

By yourself

You must provide the following:

Who shall I contact
Through another person

You can have someone do this for you.

To do this, you must provide the following documents:

Who shall I contact

By post

You must send the following documents:

Who shall I contact
New Caledonia

To be registered on the voters list, you must complete a form.

At the age of 18, you are automatically registered on the electoral list of the commune that you indicated during your citizen census.

If you have moved since your census, and you want to vote in your new municipality, you must ask your new town hall about you register on his electoral rolls.

Abroad

You must verify your registration at register of French nationals established outside France using this online service:

Register of French nationals established outside France - Consular registration

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

You are a member of the foreigner's French Register

When you turn 18, you are automatically registered on the consular voters list of the country in which you live.

You can then voting from the foreigner.

You can check your registration on the electoral roll:

Check your electoral registration and polling station

If you are not registered, you must go to the consulate (or embassy) to register on the consular voters list.

You must provide the following supporting documents:

For contact details for your consulate or embassy:

You're not on the register

To vote from the foreigner, you must register on the consular list of electors.

You can do this throughout the year.

You must go to the consulate (or embassy) and provide the following documents:

Warning  

But to be able to vote in a particular election, you must do so before a deadline.

Who can help me?

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