Is there a place to find your 鈥榗orrect鈥� French address?
Thousands of rural addresses were changed last year
The address for your property may differ among different documents due to the 3DS law in 2024
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Reader Question: How can we find our correct address? We have several variations in our official paperwork from various bills and tax documents
The given address for your property may differ slightly among different documents, particularly after recent changes as part of the 3DS law in 2024.
It saw many rural addresses updated to follow a standardised format, making it easier for delivery and emergency services to locate properties when needed.
It notably caused road names and numbers to be introduced where previously they were only known by a given name or as part of a lieu-dit (small cluster of properties away from a main hamlet).
Read more: Opinion: France's new addresses lack imagination - but they do help
The most 鈥榦fficial鈥� way to check your address is correct is using the tester by La Poste.
You can fill in the details on its and it will give you its preferred format of your address, which generally follows the system which starts from the smallest/nearest element and works up.
For example, if you live in a group of flats in Toulon called R茅sidence d鈥橝zur, located at 3 rue de la Libert茅, and you live in building A, the address may look like: B芒timent A R茅sidence d鈥橝zur, 3 rue de la Libert茅, 83100 TOULON.
You may be able to use this tool to help you update some contracts and documents, especially if it is easy to do so online.
Note that, generally-speaking, it will not matter if some bodies are using slight variations in ordering, as long as all the key information is there (including a new street number, if applicable).
Many kinds of residency cards (but not those issued for just one year) need to be updated following an address change if you move home, but if your address was changed due to the 3DS law an update was not required.
Read more: Must I update French residency card due to street name changes?
This is not the same for vehicle registrations, which always need to be updated following a new address (even if you have not 鈥榤oved鈥� and your address was simply updated).
Read more: Missing this car registration detail in France may cost you 鈧�135
If you live in a shared building (eg. a block of flats) you can also ask the syndic managing agents for the official title of the address.
