Child support arrears in France: how much you can still recover
Every unpaid month adds to the debt, but not forever: after five years it is too late.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy
Child support arrears are instalments owed and not paid, indexation included. In France they can be recovered for 5 years at most, with an enforceable title: a judgment, a court-approved agreement or a divorce by mutual consent agreement. The tools do not all cover the same period. Direct payment (“paiement direct”), arranged through a commissaire de justice (the French enforcement officer), collects support from the paying parent’s employer or bank and recovers only the last 6 months of arrears, spread over 12 months, on top of current support. ARIPA, the CAF’s agency, can pursue the full 5 years. Example: €250 a month unpaid for 14 months adds up to €3,500; through direct payment €1,500 is recovered, €375 deducted each month for a year, support included. The calculator works out your claim.
How much can you still claim?
Recoverable arrears
€3,500
| Recoverable months (5 years at most) | 14 |
| Lost to the time limit | €0 |
| Direct payment: monthly deduction | €375 |
What each procedure recovers
| Procedure | Arrears covered | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Direct payment (commissaire de justice) | last 6 months | spread over 12 months, from one day late |
| ARIPA (CAF intermediation) | up to 5 years | friendly, then enforced |
| Wage, bank account or property seizure | up to 5 years | through a commissaire de justice |
| Recovery by the Public Treasury | up to 5 years | after another procedure has failed, application to the public prosecutor |
The statement by length of non-payment
| Months unpaid | Total debt | Recoverable | Monthly deduction by direct payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | €900 | €900 | €375 |
| 6 | €1,800 | €1,800 | €450 |
| 12 | €3,600 | €3,600 | €450 |
| 24 | €7,200 | €7,200 | €450 |
| 60 | €18,000 | €18,000 | €450 |
| 72 | €21,600 | €18,000 | €450 |
After more than two months without full payment, the receiving parent can also file a criminal complaint for family abandonment. The steps, from a reminder letter to ARIPA, are in the unpaid support guide.