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Exercising parental authority (1/2)
Parents have rights and duties towards their child under 18. All these rights and duties together are called parental authority.
Key points of the sheet
- Both parents have parental authority, with the same rights and the same duties. Their situation changes nothing: married, in a civil partnership (pacsés), living together or separated.
- From birth, parents must declare their child at the town hall (mairie).
- Parents act in the interest of their child and with respect for the child, without physical or psychological violence. They involve the child in decisions about the child, according to age and maturity.
- Parents must look after the child's safety. They watch the child's relationships, movements, communications and social media, and protect the child, for example, against harassment.
- Parents must look after the child's school, intellectual, moral and possibly religious education. Instruction is compulsory between 3 and 16, otherwise parents risk a fine and prison.
- Each parent must help to feed and house the child. Each parent must also help to meet the child's needs, such as leisure and culture.
- The sheet also names the duty to ensure the child's health. Finally, it names the duty to protect the child's private life and image.
Words to know
- parental authority (autorité parentale)
- It is all the rights and duties of both parents towards their child.
- the interest of their child (intérêt de leur enfant)
- Parents exercise their rights and duties in the interest of their child.
- town hall (mairie)
- Parents must declare their child there from birth.
- psychological violence (violence psychologique)
- Parents use neither psychological nor physical violence.
- instruction
- It is compulsory for every child between 3 and 16.
- duty of maintenance (Devoir d'entretien)
- Each parent must help to feed, house and meet the needs of the child.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Where must parents declare their child at birth?
In French, the language of the exam: Où les parents doivent-ils déclarer leur enfant à sa naissance ?
From birth, parents must declare their child at the town hall (mairie).
Parents involve the child in decisions about the child according to what?
In French, the language of the exam: Les parents associent l'enfant aux décisions qui le concernent selon quoi ?
Parents involve their child in decisions about the child, according to age and maturity.
Parental authority concerns children under what age?
In French, the language of the exam: L'autorité parentale concerne les enfants de moins de quel âge ?
The rights and duties of parents, called parental authority, concern their child under 18.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- About a child's social media, which statement is correct?
- From what age to what age is schooling of children compulsory?
- What is the definition of parental authority (autorité parentale)?
- Parents do not respect the duty to educate their children. What is the maximum penalty they risk?
- In case of divorce, who has parental authority?
More in this topic (Parenthood)
- Exercising parental authority (2/2)
- School for allophone children (children whose first language is not French)
- The freedom to choose your child's school
Source
Sheet “Exercice de l’autorité parentale (1/2)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.