DPAE — pre-hiring declaration
The DPAE (pre-hiring declaration) is the mandatory formality BEFORE any employee starts work: it is sent to the Urssaf (or the MSA for the agricultural scheme), online, at the earliest 8 days before the hire and at the latest before work or the trial period begins. One declaration covers the employee's registration, social protection and the prevention medical visit.
Up to date for 2026 — verified on August 27, 2026Official procedure, no printed formGuide: about 10 min
This content is part of the path: Hiring my first employee· Step 12 of 12· Last step of the path
This content is part of the path: Hiring and funding an apprentice· Step 4 of 4· Last step of the path
Deadlines
- At the latest: before work starts
- The declaration must precede the start of work or of the trial period — not the same day, after the fact.
- At the earliest: 8 days before the hire
- A declaration sent too early is invalid: the window is 8 days.
Documents to prepare
- Employer's SIRET number
- Employee's full civil-status details
- Planned hiring date and time
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 private-sector employer hiring an employee, whatever the contract (permanent, fixed-term, part-time).
- Agricultural scheme: the declaration goes to the MSA, not the Urssaf.
- Electronic filing is mandatory above 50 declarations a year — and advisable always (instant receipt).
Worked example
Example: Léa hires her first employee
Léa's first employee starts on Monday. On the previous Wednesday she files the DPAE online at urssaf.fr — well within the eight-day window before hiring — and receives an acknowledgment that she archives with the employment contract.
How to fill it in, step by step
- Identify the employer (SIRET, contact details).
- Fill in the employee's full civil status (name, date and place of birth, social security number if any).
- State the planned hire date and time.
- File online with Urssaf (or MSA for the agricultural scheme).
- Keep the acknowledgment of receipt with the employee's file.
The form, line by line
- Employer
- Company name, SIRET, address and occupational health service.
- Employee
- Full name, sex, date and place of birth, social security number if already registered.
- Hire
- Planned date and time, contract type (permanent, fixed-term with its end date), trial period length.
- After sending
- Keep the receipt and give the employee a copy (or reference the DPAE in the contract) — your evidence in an inspection.
Good to know
- The DPAE can be filed AT THE EARLIEST eight days before hiring, and must be filed before the employee starts.
- Agricultural scheme: the contact is MSA, not Urssaf.
Common mistakes
- Declaring after work has started: the missing prior DPAE exposes you to concealed-work sanctions — timing is the essence of the formality.
- Declaring more than 8 days ahead: invalid, it must be redone within the window.
- Forgetting the MSA for an agricultural employee.
- Not keeping the receipt or informing the employee.
- Paying a third party for it: the DPAE is free on the official service.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the DPAE filed?
Online with the Urssaf (or the MSA for the agricultural scheme). It is free — official sheet F23107 details the service and special cases.
What does a hire really cost?
The DPAE is free; the real cost is the loaded salary — the linked hiring-cost calculator prices it, first year included.
When is the earliest I can file the DPAE?
At the earliest eight days before the planned hire date — and always before the employee actually starts work.
What are the penalties for skipping the DPAE?
Penalties stack on three levels. Civil: the Urssaf recovers the unpaid contributions. Administrative: a penalty of €1,305 per employee concerned. Criminal: an unintentional omission is a 5th-class petty offence punished by a €1,500 fine; a deliberate omission is the offence of concealed employment, tried by the criminal court — up to €45,000 and 3 years' imprisonment for an individual, €225,000 and judicial supervision for a legal entity.
Do I need a DPAE to take on an intern?
No. An intern does not have employee status: signing an internship agreement (convention de stage) does not require a DPAE. The intern must, however, be entered in a dedicated section of the single staff register (registre unique du personnel), with the internship start and end dates, the tutor's name and the place where the intern works.
Go further
Compute the related amounts
Understand this form: the related course
Related forms
- Urssaf vigilance certificate
- Employer certificate for France Travail
- Workplace accident declaration (DAT, Cerfa 14463)
- Salary certificate — daily allowances for an employee signed off work
- French payslip — the seven zones and the required statements
- Single staff register — what it must contain from the first employee
Official sources
- entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr — Hiring procedure and formalities (sheet F23107, verified 1 June 2026) — August 27, 2026
- urssaf.fr — DPAE: filing the pre-employment declaration (online service) — September 7, 2026
- entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr — Mandatory company registers (fact sheet F1784, verified 5 February 2026): interns entered in a dedicated section of the single staff register (internship start and end dates, tutor's name, place of presence) — September 24, 2026
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.