Final payslip in France (solde de tout compte): what you should get
When your contract ends, your employer pays everything still owed and gives you a receipt called reçu pour solde de tout compte (“final settlement receipt”). Here is what it should contain and what to check before signing.
Updated on 9 November 2026
What your final payslip includes
| Item | French name | When |
|---|---|---|
| Salary up to your last day | Salaire du mois | Always |
| Unused paid leave | Indemnité compensatrice de congés payés | Always, for days not taken |
| Notice pay | Indemnité compensatrice de préavis | If your employer exempts you from working your notice |
| Severance pay | Indemnité de licenciement | Dismissal (not for serious misconduct), at least 8 months of service |
| Mutual termination payment | Indemnité de rupture conventionnelle | Rupture conventionnelle |
| End of fixed-term bonus | Indemnité de fin de contrat (10%) | CDD, with exceptions |
The legal severance pay is at least 1/4 of a month’s salary per year of service up to 10 years, then 1/3 beyond (article R1234-2 of the Labour Code). Calculate yours with the severance pay calculator (in French).
Example
| Line | Base | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salaire de base | 151.67 h | 15.8238 | 2,400.00 |
| Indemnité compensatrice de congés payés 1 | 10 j | 923.08 | |
| Indemnité de licenciement 2 | 6 ans | 3,600.00 | |
| Total gross | 6,923.08 |
- 10 days × 2,400 ÷ 26 = €923.08 (or more with the 10% rule, whichever is higher: see paid holidays).
- 2,400 × 1/4 × 6 years = €3,600. Within legal limits, it is exempt from contributions and income tax.
Documents you must receive
- The final payslip.
- The reçu pour solde de tout compte, listing the amounts paid, in two copies.
- The work certificate (certificat de travail).
- The certificate for unemployment benefits (attestation France Travail).
Signing the receipt: the 6-month limit
You do not have to sign the receipt, and your employer cannot withhold payment because you refuse. If you sign it, you have 6 months to challenge the amounts listed, by registered letter (article L1234-20 of the Labour Code). After that, those amounts can no longer be disputed. Unsigned, it does not release your employer, and the usual time limits apply (3 years for unpaid wages). Details on service-public.gouv.fr.
Key points
- Check unused leave, notice and severance before signing.
- Signed receipt: 6 months to challenge it by registered letter.
- Ask for all four documents on your last day.
Check your French payslip in seconds
PaieVerif reads your French payslip (bulletin de paie), compares it with the official rates and shows you what to double-check. Free, no account, your payslip stays on your phone. The app is in French.
Frequently asked questions
What does solde de tout compte mean in English?
Final settlement: the receipt listing everything your employer paid when your contract ended (last salary, unused leave, notice, severance).
Do I have to sign the solde de tout compte?
No. Your employer must still pay you. If you sign it, you have 6 months to challenge the amounts by registered letter.
Read next
- Paid holidays in France (congés payés): 5 weeks, how they are paid
- Mistake on your French payslip? How to check it and get paid
- French payslip glossary: French–English translation of every term
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This guide gives general information about French employment law. It is not legal advice: your collective agreement (convention collective) or contract may give you more. If in doubt, ask your payroll department, an employee representative, the labour inspectorate or a lawyer.