Main courante or complaint in France: differences and preparation
Published on 20/07/2026 · updated on 25/09/2026
Free tool The fact log, ready to print Open the fact logA main courante and a criminal complaint serve different purposes under French law. There is no exact equivalence with every English-language use of “police report”. This guide helps prepare information without choosing a procedure for an individual case.
Aridelle's free fact log creates a personal record. It does not file either declaration with the authorities.
Can a main courante be filed online?
The official guidance describes an in-person declaration at a police station or gendarmerie. It cannot be filed online. A downloaded template is not an official registration.
How does it differ from a complaint?
| Main courante | Criminal complaint |
|---|---|
| Records a person's account of events | Reports an offence of which the person considers themselves a victim |
| Does not automatically start an investigation | May lead to investigation and prosecution |
| Does not interrupt the limitation period | Follows a procedure whose outcome involves the prosecutor |
A main courante does not guarantee that nothing happens: suspected offences may be referred to the prosecutor. The official guidance states that investigation is the rule in intimate partner violence cases. Recording an account does not independently prove every allegation.
What information helps prepare an account?
- Date, time and place of each event, including uncertainty.
- People present and known identities, without assumptions.
- Personally observed facts, separated from secondhand information.
- Messages, documents or witnesses that may explain the events.
- References to earlier steps and a copy of the declaration if obtained.
This is a blank framework, not an invented incident. Organising memories does not require choosing a criminal classification.
The official complaint guide explains available routes. A lawyer or a point-justice can provide guidance. In France, immediate danger is for 17 or 112 (official numbers), without waiting to prepare a file.