Ending a French civil partnership or "Pacte civil de solidarité (Pacs)"

If you both agree to end the “Pacs”, you can take the following steps:

• Fill in the “déclaration conjointe de dissolution d’un Pacte civil de solidarité” (joint dissolution declaration) that you can download here.
• Both of you must sign it.
• Send it by post to the authority that originally registered your “Pacs”. It could be a town hall or “mairie”, a court, a public official called a “notaire” or a French consulate or embassy.
  • Include a photocopy of a valid identity document for each partner with your letter.
  • Keep a copy of your declaration.
  • Send the letter by registered post with recorded delivery or “lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception”, which is the only way to prove your letter has been received. Keep the receipt as proof of postage.

In the weeks that follow, you should receive a document confirming the termination of the agreement, called a “confirmation d’enregistrement”. This document is proof that the “Pacs” has been terminated. It will be sent to the address you provided on the declaration form.

If you have not heard anything after two months, you can contact the authority that received your declaration and ask for an update on its status.

You can end the “Pacs” without your partner’s consent. You do not need to justify your decision. To do this, follow these steps:

• Contact a legal professional called a “huissier”. You can find one near you in this directory.
• The “huissier” will be responsible for informing your partner of your decision. The "huissier" will serve your partner with a document confirming your wish to end the “Pacs”, known as a “signification du souhait de dissolution du Pacs”. A fee is charged for this service.
• The “huissier” will then send a copy of this document to the authority that registered your “Pacs”. It could be a town hall or “mairie”, a court, a public official called a “notaire” or a French consulate or embassy.

In the weeks that follow, you should receive a document confirming the termination of the agreement, called a “confirmation d’enregistrement”. This document is proof that the “Pacs” has been terminated. It will be sent to the address you provided on the declaration form.

If you have not heard anything after two months, ask the “huissier” to contact the authority that received the document for an update on its status.