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In France, an account seizure allows authorities or creditors to freeze and confiscate funds from a debtor's bank account to recover unpaid debts. This process ensures that debts are settled through legal enforcement.

Seizures are regulated under the Code des procédures civiles d'exécution (French Code of Civil Enforcement Procedures), which defines the framework for debt recovery and the rights of both creditors and debtors.

Seizure orders are sent to banks by the relevant authority or judicial officer, including:

• Tax authorities: the French tax administration can directly instruct banks to seize funds for unpaid taxes without a court order, using a procedure called Saisie Administrative à Tiers Détenteur (SATD)
• Courts: judicial bodies can authorise seizures as part of enforcement proceedings
• Private creditors: after obtaining a court judgment, private creditors can request enforcement through judicial officers
• Social security institutions: public bodies such as URSSAF or CPAM can also initiate seizures to recover unpaid social contributions or health-related debts

If your account has been frozen due to a seizure, we can't restore access to your funds until we receive a formal instruction to do so from the authority that issued the seizure. This could be the French tax office, a judicial officer (huissier de justice), or a court.

To unblock your account, you’ll need to contact the authority directly. Their contact details can be found in the notification email we sent you. Once we receive their formal instruction to release the account, we'll take the necessary steps to make your funds available again.

If your account is subject to a seizure and you receive income — such as a salary, pension, or social benefits — into this account, a portion of your balance will remain available to you each month. This is a legally protected amount designed to ensure you can still cover essential living expenses.

A minimum amount known as the solde bancaire insaisissable (SBI, unseizable bank balance) is protected from seizure. This amount is set at €646.52 per month and it is updated every year by the French government. This protection applies automatically, and there's no need to request it.