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Employer certificate for France Travail

The employer certificate for France Travail is due at the end of every employment contract, whatever the reason: it is what allows the employee to claim unemployment benefits. From 11 employees upwards, transmission to France Travail must be electronic. It has no CERFA number and is usually produced from the payroll software, through the DSN social return.

Up to date for 2026 — verified on September 6, 2026Official procedure, no printed formGuide: about 10 min

This content is part of the path: Ending an employment contract· Step 9 of 9· Last step of the path

Deadlines

On the contract end date
The employer keeps the certificate available to the employee on the contract end date — that is, at the end of the notice period, even where the notice is not worked.
Where notice is waived
The certificate may be made available on the actual departure date, provided the final pay has been settled.

Documents to prepare

  • Final payslip, settled
  • Contract start and end dates, including the notice period
  • Reason for termination
  • Access to payroll software (DSN) or the France Travail employer online service
See the procedure on the official site

No form is attached to this procedure: the link leads to the official page that describes it.

What this page gives you

The guide above and the link to the official site. ActioFin does not produce any document for this page: whatever you fill in or file is done on the official medium.

Who this applies to

  • Every employer, at the end of every employment contract: dismissal, resignation, rupture conventionnelle, end of a fixed-term contract, apprenticeship, temping assignment.
  • Private individuals acting as employers too, including for childminders.
  • From 11 employees upwards, transmission to France Travail must be electronic; below that threshold it remains optional.

Worked example

Example: Sofiane's fixed-term contract ends in a 14-employee company

Sofiane finishes a six-month fixed-term contract in a company with 14 employees. The payroll team produces the certificate from the payroll software, which transmits it to France Travail through the DSN — compulsory from 11 employees upwards. The employer keeps it available to Sofiane on the contract end date: it is for Sofiane to collect it, the employer being under no duty to post it. Sofiane then uses it to open their entitlement.

How to fill it in, step by step

  1. Wait until the final payslip is settled: the certificate reports the pay elements of the contract that is ending.
  2. Produce the certificate from your payroll software if you fall within the DSN scope — this is the recommended route, since transmission to France Travail is then automatic.
  3. Failing that, use the France Travail employer online service to draw it up and transmit it.
  4. Keep the certificate available to the employee on the contract end date: the document is collectable, you are not required to send it.
  5. Hand it over together with the other two end-of-contract documents: the work certificate and the final settlement receipt.

The form, line by line

Reason for termination
It governs entitlement: this is the first item France Travail examines. A resignation and a rupture conventionnelle do not open the same rights.
Pay for the recent months
It is used to compute the reference daily wage, hence the benefit amount. An error here feeds straight through to the employee's compensation.
Contract start and end dates
The end of contract means the end of the notice period, even where it is not worked — not the last day actually worked.

Good to know

  • The certificate is a collectable document: the employer keeps it available and is under no duty to post it to the employee.
  • There is no CERFA number for this document: looking for one wastes time — it is produced through the DSN or the France Travail online service.
  • Three documents are due at the end of every contract: the France Travail certificate, the work certificate and the final settlement receipt. Confusing them is common — they serve neither the same purpose nor the same recipient.

Common mistakes

  • Drawing up the certificate on the last day worked while the notice period, even unworked, is still running: the contract end date is the end of the notice period.
  • Waiting for the employee to ask: failure to deliver is penalised, and the employer's passivity is no excuse.
  • Assuming a very short contract or a temping assignment is exempt: the duty applies at the end of every employment contract.
  • Sending the certificate on paper from 11 employees upwards: electronic transmission is then compulsory.

Frequently asked questions

Is the certificate compulsory even where the employee resigns?

Yes. It is due at the end of every employment contract, whatever the reason. It is for France Travail, not the employer, to assess what entitlement follows.

What are the penalties for failing to deliver it?

A judge may order a fine of up to €1,500 for a natural person, raised to €3,000 in the event of a repeat offence, and up to €7,500 for a legal entity.

Is a paper form still needed?

Not as a rule. Employers within the DSN scope produce the certificate from their payroll software, which transmits it automatically. From 11 employees upwards, electronic transmission is compulsory.

Exactly when must the certificate be available?

On the contract end date, that is at the end of the notice period even where it is not worked. Where notice is waived, it may be available on the actual departure date once the final pay is settled.

Go further

Compute the related amounts

Understand this form: the related course

Related forms

Official sources

Read in French

Guide and document provided for information purposes only; they do not constitute personalised legal or tax advice. Check the recipient organisation's requirements and consult a professional if needed.