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French Monthly Rent Receipt (Quittance de Loyer) Template

Document issued by a French landlord to a tenant confirming rent payment, free of charge (art. 21, law 89-462), and usable as proof of address.

Is a quittance de loyer free of charge?

Yes. Article 21 of Law n° 89-462 of 6 July 1989 requires landlords to issue the receipt free of charge whenever the tenant requests it. Any clause in a lease that provides for a fee — whether for drafting or sending the quittance — is deemed unwritten and therefore unenforceable under Article 4(j) of the same law.

Source: Service-public.fr — Quittance de loyer (fiche F947) · updated 2026

About this form

A quittance de loyer (French rent receipt) is the document by which a landlord (bailleur) formally confirms that a tenant (locataire) has paid their rent and service charges in full for a given month. Under Article 21 of Law n° 89-462 of 6 July 1989 — the core French private tenancy statute — landlords are legally required to issue this receipt free of charge whenever a tenant requests it, and must itemise the rent separately from the charges (provisions sur charges, monthly contributions towards shared costs such as utilities and building maintenance). For English-speaking tenants — expats, foreign employees, international students — this document is essential: the CAF (Caisse d'Allocations Familiales, France's family-benefit agency) relies on it to process APL (aide personnalisée au logement, means-tested housing benefit), and future landlords expect it as proof of a reliable payment history. Where rent has been only partially paid, the landlord must issue a reçu (partial-payment acknowledgement) rather than a quittance.

Worked example

Marie, an expat renting a flat in Lyon, pays a monthly rent of 720 € plus 80 € in provisions sur charges (monthly service-charge contributions), totalling 800 €, received by her landlord on 3 June 2026. Her landlord issues a quittance for June 2026 showing 'Rent: 720 €' and 'Charges: 80 €' — total 800 € — at no cost. Marie forwards the document to the CAF to maintain her APL housing-benefit entitlement.

How to fill out the form

  1. Record the identities and addresses of both parties: the full name and address of the landlord or their property manager (mandataire), the tenant's name, and the address of the rented property.
  2. State the period covered — for example 'rent for the month of June 2026' — and the date on which payment was actually received by the landlord.
  3. Break down the amounts paid by clearly separating the rent (loyer) from the service-charge provisions (charges), then state the grand total received.
  4. Confirm that full payment has been received. If only a partial payment was made, issue a reçu instead — never a quittance, which legally implies complete settlement of all sums due.
  5. Date and sign the document, then deliver it to the tenant free of charge — by post or by email, provided the tenant has given their express prior consent (accord exprès) to electronic delivery.

Good to know

  • The quittance must always be free of charge. Any clause in a lease agreement that provides for a fee — for drafting or sending the receipt — is legally void and unenforceable under Article 4(j) of the Law of 6 July 1989.
  • Breaking rent and charges down separately is mandatory under Article 21 of the 1989 Law. A single lump-sum figure with no itemisation is non-compliant and may be rejected by the CAF or a future landlord.
  • A quittance may only be issued once rent is paid in full. A partial payment entitles the tenant to a reçu only; issuing a quittance in error would constitute legal evidence of complete settlement.

Frequently asked questions

Is a quittance de loyer free of charge?

Yes. Article 21 of Law n° 89-462 of 6 July 1989 requires landlords to issue the receipt free of charge whenever the tenant requests it. Any clause in a lease that provides for a fee — whether for drafting or sending the quittance — is deemed unwritten and therefore unenforceable under Article 4(j) of the same law.

Is the landlord legally obliged to provide a quittance?

Yes, provided the tenant has paid rent and charges in full and formally requests the document. The landlord cannot refuse. If they persistently decline, the tenant may send a formal mise en demeure (written notice of non-compliance) and, if necessary, refer the matter to the juge des contentieux de la protection — the local judge competent for tenancy disputes in France.

What is the difference between a quittance and a reçu de loyer?

A quittance (full receipt) certifies that the total rent and charges due have been paid in full for a specific period. A reçu (acknowledgement of receipt) is issued only when payment is partial — it records the amount actually received without implying the balance has been cleared. Only a quittance constitutes legal proof of complete settlement, which is why the distinction matters for the CAF and future landlords.

Must the quittance itemise rent and charges separately?

Yes. Article 21 of the 1989 Law explicitly requires that the quittance break down the amount paid into rent (loyer) and service-charge provisions (charges). This itemisation is mandatory for the CAF to calculate APL (aide personnalisée au logement) entitlement and for the document to be accepted as a valid justificatif by future landlords or housing bodies.

Can the quittance be sent by email?

Yes, but only if the tenant has given their express prior consent (accord exprès) to electronic delivery. Without that consent, the landlord must provide the document in paper form. Once consent is on record — for example, written into the lease or confirmed by email — electronic delivery is fully valid under French tenancy law.

Is the quittance required to claim APL housing benefit?

The CAF (Caisse d'Allocations Familiales) may request a quittance or an attestation de loyer (landlord's formal rent declaration) to open or maintain APL entitlement. Because the quittance itemises rent and charges separately and constitutes proof of full payment, it is the most widely accepted supporting document for housing-benefit applications in France.

Official sources

Updated on 2026-06-27

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