Revocation of a power of attorney, with notice to third parties (France)
Published byDocMuse
This document is in French
The PDF you download is in French — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
For ending a power of attorney, general or for one act, given to a relative or anyone else. The French document holds two letters, sent the same day by registered post with proof of receipt: the revocation to the agent, asking for the original back and an account of what was done (articles 1993 and 2004 of the French Civil Code), and the notice to the bank or body that knows of the power. Without that second letter, third parties unaware of the revocation may still rely on the power (article 2005).
- Made for use in France
- Last updated October 13, 2026
When to use this document
- You no longer trust the person you authorised to act for you in France and want to withdraw that authority.
- You are back from abroad and no longer need a relative to handle your affairs.
- You want your bank to stop accepting instructions from the person who acted for you.
- You want to revoke the power of attorney you gave and ask for the original back with an account of what was done.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Principal
- Principal's address
- Agent
- Agent's postal address (street, then postcode and town)
- City
- Date
- Date the power of attorney was given
- What the revoked power covered
- Bank or body told of the revocation
- That body's postal address (street, then postcode and town)
- Your reference there (account, contract or file, or “none”)
Preview
This document is produced for you. Your answers are typed into it and the finished PDF is yours to keep.
Common questions
- Why tell the bank as well as the agent in France?
- Because a revocation notified to the agent alone cannot be relied on against third parties who dealt with the agent without knowing of it (article 2005 of the French Civil Code). If the agent withdraws money after the revocation and the bank knew nothing, the transaction may stand, leaving you only a claim against the agent. So send the second letter to every bank, office or business the power was shown to.
- Is a reason needed to revoke a power of attorney in France?
- No. The principal revokes the power whenever they wish, without giving reasons (article 2004 of the French Civil Code). A mandate also given in the agent's own interest (mandat d'intérêt commun) may give rise to compensation if revoked without legitimate cause. Appointing another agent for the same matter also revokes the first power, from the day the first agent is notified (article 2006).
- How should a French revocation of a power be sent, and what should be kept?
- By registered letter with proof of receipt, both letters on the same day: the receipt proves the date from which each of them knows of the revocation. Keep a copy of the letters, the posting receipts and the proofs of receipt. A bank may also accept the revocation handed in at the counter against a receipt, or sent through your online banking messages; ask it for written confirmation. The agent must give you back the original power.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
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