Can I check my criminal record?
Yes, you can get your bulletin no. 3. Anyone can request, for free, their bulletin no. 3 (B3) of the criminal record: it lists the most serious convictions about you (and is the only one you can obtain yourself). The request is made online, by post or in person, with the National Criminal Record (in Nantes), on proof of identity. The bulletin no. 1 (B1), listing all convictions, is reserved for judicial authorities; the bulletin no. 2 (B2) is accessible to certain administrations and public employers, but not to individuals. The B3 is often requested for a job or a procedure.
📋 The rules
- Bulletin no. 3 (B3): free, accessible to the person concerned
- Lists the most serious convictions
- Request online, by post or in person (National Criminal Record, Nantes)
- B1: reserved for judicial authorities
- B2: certain administrations, not individuals
🔓 Exceptions
- Free request: no paid service needed (beware fake sites)
- Erasure/rehabilitation possible for some convictions (procedure)
- For others: only authorised authorities can obtain the B1/B2
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Checking your own B3 is a free right. Beware fake sites charging for a free official procedure: only use the public service. Using a fake extract, or impersonating someone to obtain their record, is an offence. If a conviction seems due for erasure (rehabilitation, amnesty), a procedure lets you ask for its removal from the bulletin.
📎 Official sources
- Service-Public.fr · Requesting your criminal record (B3) →
- National Criminal Record · Bulletin no. 3 request →
- Légifrance · Code of Criminal Procedure (record, art. 768 ff.) →
❓ Frequently asked
How do I get my criminal record?
Request your bulletin no. 3 (B3) for free, online, by post or in person, with the National Criminal Record in Nantes, on proof of identity. You then receive it by post or electronically.
Is the criminal record paid?
No. Requesting bulletin no. 3 is entirely free. Beware private sites charging for this official procedure: only use the public service (casier-judiciaire.justice.gouv.fr).
What's the difference between B1, B2 and B3?
The B1 lists all convictions and is reserved for judicial authorities. The B2, narrower, is accessible to certain administrations and public employers. The B3, the least extensive, is the only one you can obtain yourself.
Can a conviction be erased?
Yes, in some cases: by rehabilitation (automatic after a period without a new conviction, or judicial), by amnesty, or by a request to the judge. The conviction is then removed from the relevant bulletin.
What's the bulletin no. 3 for?
It's often requested for a job (notably working with minors or vulnerable people) or some procedures. As it only lists the most serious convictions, many B3s are blank.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “request criminal record b3”
- “criminal record free online”
- “bulletin no 3 record”
- “difference b1 b2 b3 record”
- “erase conviction record”
- “criminal record job”