How to get a rent receipt (quittance de loyer) from your French landlord

Last updated 15 August 2026AdminLanding Editorial

Need proof of rent for the préfecture, CAF, a visa renewal or your next rental dossier? In France the rent receipt is your legal right, free of charge, on request (article 21, law of 6 July 1989). Most landlords just never send one until asked — so here's exactly how to ask, including a model request letter in French you can copy.

Free by law · Rent and charges itemised · Email delivery valid with your consent · Past months recoverable

Copy the request letter

Your rights in 60 seconds

Article 21, law n° 89-462 of 6 July 1989 — four rules cover almost every situation.

It's your legal right — and it's free

On your request, your landlord must issue the quittance de loyer (rent receipt) free of charge once rent and charges are fully paid — article 21 of law n° 89-462 of 6 July 1989. Any lease clause charging for it is void (article 4).

Rent and charges on separate lines

A valid quittance breaks down the amounts: rent (loyer) and service charges (charges) shown separately. It is always in French — there is no official English version, and the French document is the one with legal force.

Email delivery is valid

Since the ALUR law (2014), article 21 allows the receipt to be sent electronically (email, online portal) with your express consent. You can give that consent in your request letter and receive it monthly without asking again.

Past months count too

You can request receipts for past paid periods — article 21 sets no time limit on the request (rent claims themselves fall under the 3-year prescription of article 7-1). Paid part of the rent only? The landlord must issue a reçu (partial-payment receipt) instead, never a quittance.

Where you'll be asked for it

The quittance doubles as proof of rent AND proof of address — which is why it shows up in so many French files.

Proof of address (justificatif de domicile)

Préfecture files — titre de séjour applications and renewals — plus banks and CPAM routinely accept a recent rent receipt as proof of address. Administrations generally expect one less than 3 months old.

CAF / APL housing aid

CAF files for APL housing aid rely on proof that rent is actually paid. Missing receipts can stall or block your aid — one more reason the law makes them free.

Your next rental dossier

Agencies classically ask for your “last 3 quittances” — it's on the official list of documents a landlord may request (décret n° 2015-1437). No receipts, weaker dossier.

Visa renewals & long-term records

Visa and residence renewals ask for stable-address evidence over time. Keep every receipt for at least 3 years — the prescription window for rent disputes.

Also planning to move out or waiting on a deposit? See our notice-period simulator and the security-deposit return guide.

The model request letter (copy & send)

Send it in French — a request citing the exact legal article almost always gets a same-week answer. Replace the bracketed parts, then email or post it to your landlord.

Objet : Demande de quittance de loyer
Madame, Monsieur,
Locataire du logement situé [adresse du logement], je vous remercie de bien vouloir me transmettre, conformément à l'article 21 de la loi n° 89-462 du 6 juillet 1989, la quittance de loyer pour la période de [mois / année], le loyer et les charges ayant été intégralement réglés.
Je vous serais également reconnaissant(e) de bien vouloir m'adresser désormais, chaque mois, la quittance par courrier électronique à l'adresse suivante : [votre email]. Je consens expressément à cette transmission dématérialisée.
Je vous remercie par avance et vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées.
[Nom, date, signature]

English translation (for your understanding — send the French version)

Subject: Request for a rent receipt

Dear Sir or Madam,

As the tenant of the dwelling located at [property address], I would be grateful if you could send me, in accordance with article 21 of law n° 89-462 of 6 July 1989, the rent receipt for the period of [month / year], the rent and charges having been paid in full.

I would also be grateful if you could from now on send me the receipt each month by email to the following address: [your email]. I expressly consent to this electronic delivery.

Thank you in advance. Yours faithfully,

[Name, date, signature]

Two details worth knowing: you can list several past months (or years) in one request — article 21 sets no time limit. And if you only paid part of the rent, ask for a reçu (partial-payment receipt) for the amount actually paid, not a quittance: a quittance certifies full payment.

If your landlord refuses

Escalate gradually — most cases resolve at step 1 or 2.

Ask in writing

A simple email or letter citing article 21 (use the model above) is usually enough — many landlords simply don't know the receipt is mandatory and free.

Send a formal demand (mise en demeure)

Still nothing? Send a mise en demeure (formal demand) by registered letter with proof of receipt (LRAR — lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception), restating the request and setting a deadline.

Go to the housing judge

The protection litigation judge (juge des contentieux de la protection) can order the landlord to issue the receipt (injonction de faire), and award damages if the refusal caused you real harm — for example blocked housing aid. Note there is no criminal penalty for a mere refusal; it's a civil matter.

Are you the landlord?

Rent receipts are free on every AdminLanding account — up to 20 per month, no pack, no card. The PDF follows article 21 (rent and charges separated), documents are in French for legal validity, with an optional non-binding English reference annexe for international tenants. Tenants of AdminLanding landlords receive their receipts through an encrypted tenant-portal share.

Rent receipts for landlords How the tenant portal works

Frequently asked questions

Is my landlord legally required to give me a rent receipt in France?

Yes — but only if you ask. Article 21 of law n° 89-462 of 6 July 1989 obliges the landlord to issue a quittance de loyer, free of charge, whenever the tenant requests one and the rent and charges have been fully paid. Without a request it stays optional, which is why so many tenants have never received one: ask once, in writing, and you're entitled to it.

Can my landlord charge a fee for the receipt or for sending it?

No, never. The quittance is free by law (article 21), and any lease clause making you pay for its issuance or delivery is deemed void — “réputée non écrite” — under article 4 of the same law. No “processing” or postage fee can be demanded.

Is a rent receipt sent by email legally valid?

Yes. Since the ALUR law (2014), article 21 expressly allows electronic delivery of the quittance (email or online portal) provided the tenant gives express consent. Include that consent in your request letter and you can receive a receipt automatically every month.

Can I get the rent receipt in English?

There is no official English rent receipt: the quittance is a French document, and the French version is the one with legal (probative) force before administrations and courts. Some landlords attach an optional, non-binding English reference annexe for information — useful for reading it, but the French document is the one to submit.

Can I ask for receipts for past months I already paid?

Yes. Article 21 sets no time limit on requesting receipts for periods you have fully paid, so you can ask for previous months — or years — in one go. Rent-related claims fall under a 3-year prescription (article 7-1), so keep every receipt for at least 3 years.

What can I do if my landlord refuses?

Escalate in three steps: (1) a written request citing article 21; (2) a mise en demeure — a formal demand sent by registered letter with proof of receipt (LRAR); (3) the protection litigation judge (juge des contentieux de la protection), who can order the landlord to issue the receipt (injonction de faire) and award damages if the refusal caused you harm, such as blocked CAF aid. There is no criminal penalty for the refusal itself — it's a civil claim.

How recent must a rent receipt be for the préfecture?

For proof of address (justificatif de domicile) — préfecture, titre de séjour, bank, CPAM — administrations generally expect a document less than 3 months old. A monthly email quittance solves this permanently: you always have a fresh one.

Official sources

Important: AdminLanding is a technology platform, not a law firm. We do not practise law, do not provide legal advice, and are not lawyers, notaries or any other regulated legal professional within the meaning of French law n° 71-1130 of 31 December 1971. The documents and information provided are general-purpose templates and calculations made available for information only — they do not constitute personalised legal advice. We recommend consulting a qualified legal professional before relying on any document generated through our platform.

Landlords: never write a rent receipt by hand again

Rent receipts are free on every AdminLanding account — up to 20 PDF receipts a month, rent and charges separated, archived with the lease. No pack, no card.

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