Practical digital skills

Find an official French public service online

Start from the government information portal and verify the agency before submitting personal data.

Step-by-step guideUpdated
Follow the method ↓
A user checks the official French administration portal before starting a form

The answer in 30 seconds

Search results for a French administrative task may include adverts and paid intermediaries. Some private assistance services are legitimate, but their look and price can make them easy to confuse with the public procedure.

Start from the official Service-Public portal or the responsible agency, follow its link to the online procedure and read the required documents, cost and official domain before entering sensitive information.

Examples to adapt

A civil record

Check the official procedure and whether any fee applies before using a search advert.

An address change

Read which agencies a form will notify and what confirmation you should receive.

A confusing result

Compare the domain and publisher with the route provided by Service-Public.

Follow the method

  1. 1
    Name the procedure

    Identify the document or action and the agency responsible.

  2. 2
    Start officially

    Open Service-Public or that agency's known domain and use its navigation.

  3. 3
    Read conditions

    Check eligibility, documents, cost and the exact online destination.

  4. 4
    Keep proof

    Save the submission receipt and follow-up instructions in a safe place.

A checklist to keep

Use these checks to record what you found. The grid supports a decision; it does not make one for you.

Find an official French public service online: checklist
CheckWhat to examineAction
ProcedureWhat exact task is needed?Define
AgencyWho is responsible?Identify
DomainDoes the official route lead here?Verify
CostWhat does the official procedure charge?Read
ReceiptHow is completion confirmed?Keep

Download the CSV checklist

Free, no sign-up. UTF-8 text with semicolon-separated columns.

What to check

A top search result can be an advertisement or paid intermediary.

A .fr ending alone does not prove a site is official.

Different procedures have different fees and eligibility rules.

Common questions

Is every paid administrative site fraudulent?

No, but compare its role and price with the official procedure before paying.

Where should I start if the agency is unclear?

Use the French government's Service-Public portal to identify the relevant procedure and authority.

Sources and documentation

Documentation consulted on . Examples are illustrative; interfaces and results may change.

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