Single staff register — what it must contain from the first employee

The single staff register exists to make employment transparent in every establishment of a business. It must be opened as soon as the FIRST employee is hired. No particular form is imposed — no template, no required medium — but certain entries are compulsory, and they differ depending on whether the person is an employee, an intern or a civic service volunteer, the last two having to appear in a SEPARATE part of the register. Entries are made in order of hiring for employees, and in order of arrival for interns and volunteers. The register may be kept digitally after consulting the works council, and it is kept available to the labour inspectorate and to works council members. The absence of a register, a failure to update it, or a missing compulsory entry can attract a fine of up to €750 per employee concerned.

Up to date for 2026 — verified on September 11, 2026Official procedure, no printed formGuide: about 25 min

Deadlines

From the hiring of the first employee: A staff register must be opened as soon as the 1st employee is hired: there is no headcount threshold below which the duty would not apply.
On every arrival and every departure: The dates of joining and leaving the establishment are compulsory entries, and failing to update them is penalised just as the absence of a register is.

Documents to prepare

Each employee's identity: surname and first names, nationality, date of birth, sex
Job, qualification and dates of joining and leaving the establishment
Type of contract, to record the literal entry required (fixed-term, agency, part-time, apprentice, professional training)
Name and address of the temporary employment business or employers' grouping, where relevant
The permit authorising employment of foreign workers, a copy of which is attached
For interns: start and end dates, supervisor's name and where the intern is based
Consultation of the works council, if the register is kept digitally

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, from the hiring of the first employee
Employees of the establishment, whatever their contract — permanent, fixed-term, part-time, apprenticeship, professional training contract
Agency workers supplied by a temporary employment business
Workers made available by an employers' grouping
Interns and civic service volunteers, in a separate part of the register
Not covered: associations and foundations using the simplified association employment voucher

Worked example

Example: Atelier Ferrand keeps its register for five people on different statuses

Atelier Ferrand employs five people on different statuses, and the register shows it. For its workshop manager on a permanent contract: surname and first names, nationality, date of birth, sex, job, qualification, dates of joining and leaving. For its summer cover, the same plus the entry "fixed-term contract". For January's agency worker, the entry "agency worker" with the name and address of the temporary employment business. For its apprentice, the entry "apprentice". For its part-time shop assistant, the entry "part-time employee". A college intern arrives in the spring: he appears in the part specific to interns, with his surname and first names, the start and end dates of the workplace training period, and his supervisor's surname and first names as well as where he is based. Employees are entered in order of hiring, the intern in order of arrival. As the workshop recruited a foreign welder holding a permit authorising employment, it records the type and serial number of that permit in the register and attaches a copy, kept available to the labour inspectorate, works council members and social security inspectors.

How to fill it in, step by step

Open the register as soon as the first employee is hired: it is the hiring, not a headcount threshold, that triggers the duty.
Choose the medium: no particular form is imposed, and the register may be kept digitally AFTER consulting the works council.
Record, for each employee: surname and first names, nationality, date of birth, sex, job, qualification, dates of joining and leaving the establishment.
Add the entries specific to the situation: the date of any required hiring or dismissal authorisation — or the date of the application failing that; for a foreign worker who must hold a permit authorising employment, the type and serial number of that permit; the entry "fixed-term contract"; "agency worker" with the name and address of the temporary employment business; "made available by an employers' grouping" with that grouping's name and address; "part-time employee"; "apprentice" or "professional training contract".
Open a SEPARATE part for interns, with their surname and first names, the start and end dates of the workplace training period or placement, and the supervisor's surname and first names as well as where the intern is based.
Open a separate part for civic service volunteers, with their surname and first names.
Keep to the order: order of hiring for employees, order of arrival for interns and civic service volunteers.
Attach the required documents: the posting declaration for workers posted by a foreign business, and a copy of the permits authorising employment of foreign workers — that copy being kept available on the premises, or on each site or separate workplace for those who work there.
Keep the register available to the labour inspectorate and to works council members.

The form, line by line

Entries common to all employees: Surname and first names, nationality, date of birth, sex, job, qualification, dates of joining and leaving the establishment. They admit of no exception.
The entry "fixed-term contract": To be recorded for workers on a fixed-term contract: it is the literal wording the rule requires, not an abbreviation.
The entry "agency worker": For agency workers, together with the name AND address of the temporary employment business.
The entry "made available by an employers' grouping": Together with the grouping's name and address.
Foreign workers: Type and serial number of the permit authorising employment in the register, and a copy of the permit ATTACHED, kept available to the labour inspectorate, works council members and social security inspectors.
The part specific to interns: Surname and first names, start and end dates of the workplace training period or placement, supervisor's surname and first names and where the intern is based.
The part specific to civic service volunteers: Surname and first names — only two entries, but in a separate part of the register.

Good to know

The register may be kept digitally, but only AFTER consulting the works council: going digital is not a unilateral decision.
The single staff register is not compulsory for associations and foundations using the simplified association employment voucher.
Workers posted by a foreign business require the posting declaration to be attached to the register of the business receiving them.
The copy of foreign workers' permits is kept available either on the premises or on each site or separate workplace for those who work there — a rule written with construction in mind.
The single staff register is only one of a business's compulsory registers: the same official guidance describes others, including the workplace risk assessment document, which is a separate duty with its own penalties.
The register is not the pre-employment declaration: that one is sent to the social security collection agency before hiring, while the register is kept in the business and updated afterwards.

Common mistakes

Waiting for a headcount threshold: the register is opened as soon as the first employee is hired.
Assuming an official template exists: no particular form is imposed, it is the ENTRIES that are compulsory.
Going digital without first consulting the works council.
Mixing employees, interns and civic service volunteers together: interns and volunteers belong in SEPARATE parts of the register.
Entering people out of order: order of hiring applies to employees, order of arrival to interns and volunteers.
Leaving out the literal status entries — "fixed-term contract", "agency worker", "made available by an employers' grouping", "part-time employee", "apprentice", "professional training contract".
Failing to attach the copy of foreign workers' permits, or to make it accessible on the site where they work.
Not updating the register on departures: a failure to update is penalised like the absence of a register, up to €750 per employee concerned.

Frequently asked questions

From when must a single staff register be kept?

From the hiring of the first employee. No headcount threshold exempts a business from this duty.

Is there a compulsory template?

No. No particular form is imposed, but certain entries are compulsory, and they differ depending on whether the person is an employee, an intern or a civic service volunteer.

Can the register be digital?

Yes, after consulting the works council.

Who may inspect it?

It is kept available to the labour inspectorate and to works council members. The copy of foreign workers' permits, attached to the register, is also kept available to social security inspectors.

What is the penalty?

The absence of a register, a failure to update it or a missing compulsory entry can attract a fine of up to €750 per employee concerned.

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.