Social Security invalidity pension
Verified 06 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You may be recognized as disabled if your ability to work and earn is reduced by at least 2/3 (66%) as a result of an accident or illness of non-occupational origin. The invalidity pension is granted on a temporary basis. We present you the information to know.
Conditions of incapacity
You are considered invalid within the meaning of Social Security if, after an accident or illness occurred in your private life (non-professional origin), your working or earning capacity is reduced by at least 2/3 (66%).
Thus, you are considered disabled if you are unable to obtain a salary higher than 1/3 (33%) of the normal remuneration of workers in your category and working in your region.
FYI
If the accident or illness is of occupational origin, you can receive, under conditions, an annuity of permanent incapacity.
Conditions for affiliation to Social Security
You must be affiliated to the Social Security since at least 12 months to 1er the day of the month in which the work stoppage (resulting in your disability) occurs or the day in which your disability is established.
In addition to the duration of membership, you must meet at least one of the following conditions:
- Have contributed on the basis of a remuneration at least equal to 2,030 times the Smic: titleContent schedule during the 12 calendar months prior to the work interruption
- Have worked at least 600 hours in the 12 months preceding the interruption of work or the finding of disability.
Example :
Your work stoppage followed by disability began on June 10, 2025. The right to invalidity pension is open if you meet the following 2 conditions (they are cumulative):
- You have been affiliated to the Social Security since at least the 1ster June 2024.
- And you have worked at least 600 hours between 1er June 2024 and 1er June 2025 or, during that same period, you contributed on the basis of remuneration at least equal to €24,116.
If you meet the conditions for the award, the application for a disability pension can be made either directly by your social security organization (CPAM: titleContent, MSA: titleContent) or by yourself.
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Request at the initiative of your Social Security organization
If the CPAM: titleContent or the MSA: titleContent Considers that you meet the conditions for receiving the disability pension, she informs you by registered letter of her decision to pay you this pension.
Request at your initiative
If your social security organization does not take the initiative to offer you a disability pension, you can apply for it yourself directly (in particular on the advice of your attending physician).
You depend on CPAM
You must complete the application form for a disability pension:
Application for invalidity pension
Documents to be provided (copies):
- Last income tax notice (or declarative situation notice)
- Identity card or passport (or any other proof of civil status and nationality) + residence permit if you are a foreigner
- Pension notification if you have an occupational pension
- Pension notification if you have a disability pension paid by a plan other than the general plan
- Pension notification + Reform Commission decision if you have a military pension for illness, war injury or as a civilian victim of war
The form must be sent to your CPAM (accompanied by the supporting documents, the list of which is specified in the leaflet attached to the form).
Your request is made no later than 12 months after, depending on your situation, one of the following dates:
- Consolidation of your injury
- Medical determination of your disability
- Stabilization of your health
- Expiry of the legal period for granting daily allowances (maximum 3 years)
- The date on which CPAM ceased to grant you the daily sickness allowance.
You depend on the MSA
You must complete the application form for a disability pension (it is different depending on whether you are an agricultural employee or a self-employed agricultural worker):
Application for invalidity pension of agricultural employees
Application for pension - Invalidity insurance for self-employed farmers
Documents to be provided (copies):
- Last income tax notice (or declarative situation notice)
- Identity card or passport (or any other proof of civil status and nationality) + residence permit if you are a foreigner
- Pension notification if you have an occupational pension
- Pension notification if you have a disability pension paid by a plan other than the general plan
- Pension notification + Reform Commission decision if you have a military pension for illness, war injury or as a civilian victim of war
The form must be sent to your MSA (accompanied by the supporting documents, the list of which is specified in the notice attached to the form).
Your request is made no later than 12 months after, depending on your situation, one of the following dates:
- Consolidation of your injury
- Medical determination of your disability
- Stabilization of your health
- Expiry of the legal period for granting daily allowances (maximum 3 years)
- The date on which the MSA ceased to grant you the daily sickness benefit.
The CPAM or the MSA shall inform you by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt of its decision on whether or not to pay you the disability pension, within the following period:
- either 2 months after the date on which you submitted your pension application,
- or 2 months after the date on which your caisse informed you by mail of your invalidity.
If you do not receive a response within this 2-month period, it means that your pension application is refused.
If your application for a disability pension is refused, you can
- or make a new application for a disability pension within 12 months of the date your 1re request,
- or challenge the refusal of your caisse (the procedure to be followed is indicated by the CPAM or the MSA).
Categories of invalidity
To determine the amount of the pension, disabled persons are classified by the Social Security in 3 categories, according to their situation:
Category | Situation |
|---|---|
1re category | Disabled person capable of gainful employment |
2e category | Disabled absolutely incapable of practicing any profession |
3e category | Disabled who, being absolutely incapable of practicing a profession, and, in addition, in the obligation to have recourse to the assistance of a third person to carry out the ordinary acts of life |
Your disability category is determined by the medical officer of the primary health insurance fund (CPAM) or the agricultural social mutual (MSA).
Be recognized as invalid by 2e or 3e category does not automatically result in your inability to work. It is up to the occupational physician to see it according to the procedure for incapacity. However, the occupational physician can declare you fit to work under conditions that will be set in his (partial) incapacity notice, even in case of classification in 2e or 3e category.
FYI
The classification in a category is not definitive, an invalid person can for example go from the 2e category to 1re category.
Calculation Formula
Your pension is calculated on the basis of an average annual salary. It is obtained from your best 10 years of salary (salaries subject to contributions within the limit of the annual Social Security ceiling, or €4,005 per month in 2025).
The pension shall be calculated taking into account the category of invalidity, under the following conditions:
Disability category | Percentage of average annual salary | Minimum monthly amount of invalidity pension | Maximum monthly amount of invalidity pension |
|---|---|---|---|
1re category | 30% | €335.29 | €1,201.50 |
2e category | 50% | €335.29 | €2,002.50 |
3e category | 50%, increased by 40% by the third-party markup | €1,601.89 | €3,229.10 |
The amount of the pension may be increased or decreased if your health is changing or if you're getting back to work.
The invalidity pension may be subject to the following taxes or contributions:
- Income tax
- Social contributions (CSG and CRDS)
- Additional solidarity contribution for autonomy (Casa).
However, the third-party surcharge is not subject to any levy.
The invalidity pension may be accumulated with other pensions.
The effective date of your pension is the date on which your CPAM or MSA's medical officer assessed your disability. That is, on one of the following dates:
- Date of consolidation of your injury, in the event of a non-occupational accident
- Expiry of the maximum period for receipt of daily allowances (3 years)
- Medical finding of disability due to premature wear of your body.
If you are on sick leave with compensation, your pension is paid no later than 2 months after the medical officer's estimate of your disability.
Your Social Security organization pays you your pension every month, term expired (e.g. early November for the October pension).
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You don't work anymore
You stop receiving your disability pension when you reach the statutory retirement age for incapacity and you no longer work.
The legal retirement age for incapacity is 62 years.
You then receive a retirement pension from 1er the day of the month following the month in which you reached the statutory retirement age for incapacity.
Please note
If you meet the conditions for early retirement (for disability, long careers or permanent incapacity), your pension is interrupted as of the date from which you are entitled to it.
You work
If you reach the statutory retirement age for incapacity and work, you continue to receive your disability pension until you apply for the pension.
Your invalidity pension is automatically replaced by the incapacity pension obtained on account of your invalidity, from the age of 62. However, if you wish to continue your professional activity, you can continue to accumulate your income from activity with your disability pension after 62 and up to 67 years.
You're unemployed
You can continue to receive your disability pension up to 6 months after reaching the statutory retirement age if you meet the following 2 conditions:
- You are unemployed by the time you reach the legal retirement age
- You worked 6 months before that age.
Please note
To continue receiving your disability pension, you must apply for it, if you meet the 2 conditions.
The legal retirement age for incapacity is 62 years.
If you have not found a job at the end of these 6 months, your disability pension is automatically replaced by the retirement pension.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Health insurance - 3646
To obtain information about your rights and procedures, ask a question about your file, report a change in situation, consult your refunds or obtain a certificate of rights.
By phone
3646
Open Monday to Friday.
Careful : hours may vary depending on your department.
As a general rule, opening hours are at least from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
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From Mayotte, call 02 69 61 91 91:
- Monday to Thursday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Friday from 7:30 am to 12 pm
From the foreigner: +33 1 84 90 36 46 (free service + price of a call).
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If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can contact a advisor by videointerpretation.
Disability condition
Amount of invalidity pension
Retirement age
Retirement age
Condition of affiliation to social security: article R313-5
Disability condition
Amount of invalidity pension
FAQ
National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam)