French Legislation In English

Search, Read and Apply French Law. In English.

20+ full codes, 2,400+ articles translated and updated. Case law linked to every article. Read the actual text before you ask a lawyer about it — free, no login required.

Try: L.227-1 SAS governance, L.145-9 bail commercial renewal, L.223-18 gérant removal SARL

20+

french codes

Fully translated

2,400+

articles in English

Updated regularly

480+

court rulings linked

Per article

Free

full access

No login required

Showing 291300 of 43698 articles for Art. al. 2

French Civil CodeIn force
Section 3: Common provisions

Article 20-2

…referred to in this title may exercise this option by declaration made in accordance with articles 26 et seq. He may renounce this option from the age of sixteen under the same conditions.

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Section 1: Jurisdiction of the courts and proceedings before them

Article 29-2

The procedure followed in nationality matters, and in particular the communication to the Ministry of Justice of summonses, submissions and avenues of appeal, is determined by the Code of Civil Proced…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Paragraph 7: Ceremony of reception into French citizenship

Article 21-29

The representative of the State in the department or, in Paris, the police prefect notifies the mayor, in his capacity as civil registrar, of the identity and address of persons residing in the commun…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Section 1: Declarations of nationality

Article 26-2

The seat and jurisdiction of the judicial courts or local chambers competent to receive and register declarations of French nationality shall be determined by decree.

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Paragraph 5 : Acquisition of French nationality by decision of the public authorities

Article 21-20

A person belonging to the French cultural and linguistic entity may be naturalised without having to satisfy a qualifying period, if they are a national of a territory or State whose official language…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Paragraph 5 : Acquisition of French nationality by decision of the public authorities

Article 21-21

French nationality may be conferred by naturalisation on a proposal from the Minister of Foreign Affairs on any French-speaking foreigner who applies for it and who contributes by his or her outstandi…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Paragraph 5 : Acquisition of French nationality by decision of the public authorities

Article 21-22

No one may be naturalised unless he or she has reached the age of eighteen. However, naturalisation may be granted to a minor child who has remained a foreigner even though one of his or her parents h…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Paragraph 5 : Acquisition of French nationality by decision of the public authorities

Article 21-24

No one may be naturalised unless they can prove that they are assimilated into the French community, in particular through sufficient knowledge, depending on their condition, of the French language, h…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Paragraph 5 : Acquisition of French nationality by decision of the public authorities

Article 21-25

The conditions under which the assimilation and state of health of foreign nationals awaiting naturalisation will be checked will be laid down by decree.

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
French Civil CodeIn force
Section 1: Loss of French nationality

Article 23-2

French nationals under the age of thirty-five may not make the declaration provided for in articles 23 and 23-1 above only if they are in good standing with the obligations of Book II of the National…

AI translation · Updated 8 Nov 2023Open Article
Common Questions

French legislation in English — Q&A

Our translations are produced and reviewed for accuracy, but the only legally binding version of French law is the French original. For court, registry or contractual use we offer lawyer-reviewed or sworn certified translations on request.

Articles are synced with Légifrance and updated as soon as a reform is published in the Journal Officiel, so you always read the version in force — and can see when each article was last amended.

Each article is linked to the key court decisions (Cour de cassation, Conseil d'État, courts of appeal) that interpret it, so you can read the text and its case-law application side by side.

Yes — every article has an AI plain-English summary, and you can order a lawyer-reviewed explanation of how it applies to your specific situation, with next steps.

No. Reading and searching the codes is free with no login. Paid services — certified translation and the legal application report — are entirely optional.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In French Corporate Practice

English · French · Russian

Ready When You Are

Talk To A Lawyer
In France.

A 20–30 minute call, in English, to scope the engagement. No obligation, no preliminary fee. You will leave the call with a clear view of what the work will cover and what it will cost.

First EngagementFixed Fee

Talk to a French lawyer.

Reply within 24 hours.

Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

Continue

Related legal services

01 / Read

Browse the French codes

20+ full codes and 2,400+ articles in English, with the key court rulings linked to every article — free to read.

Read More
02 / Apply

Legal application report

A lawyer-reviewed report explaining how the relevant articles apply to your situation, with case-law analysis and next steps.

Read More
03 / Act

Talk to a French lawyer

Scope your matter with a Paris-Bar avocate — incorporation, contracts, disputes — handled bilingually, end to end.

Read More