PACS Agreement

Since 1 November 2017, PACS registration is carried out by the civil registrar of the town hall of the municipality where the partners establish their shared residence (or before a notaire, a French civil-law notary). You file together: the joint PACS declaration (CERFA form no. 15726*03 or the version in force), the PACS agreement, birth certificates less than three months old, and identity documents. Registration is free at the town hall.

Under the separation regime (art. 515-5 of the Code civil), each partner retains the administration, use, and free disposal of their personal assets acquired during the PACS. Under the joint-ownership (indivision) regime (art. 515-5-1 of the Code civil), assets acquired together or separately for valuable consideration during the PACS are presumed to belong to each partner in equal halves, unless proven otherwise or stated otherwise in the acquisition deed.

Yes. The partners may amend their agreement at any time by a supplementary deed, subject to the same registration formalities as the original agreement (art. 515-3 para. 3 of the Code civil).

A PACS may be terminated by mutual agreement (joint declaration), at the initiative of a single partner (unilateral declaration notified to the other), or upon the marriage or death of one of them (art. 515-7 of the Code civil). Termination takes effect between the partners on the date of its registration. The partners then settle the rights and obligations arising from the PACS.