Everything about prefectures and Perfecture.fr
Two categories of questions: préfecture processes in general, and how our appointment-monitoring service works.
Préfecture processes and appointments
What's the difference between a préfecture and a sous-préfecture?
The préfecture is the seat of the department's administration, in the department's chief town. Sous-préfectures are local branches, one per arrondissement, that handle part of the same processes (residence permits, ID cards...) for residents further from the chief town.
How do I book an appointment at the préfecture?
Almost all préfectures now operate by online appointment only, through their official site (often on demarches-simplifiees.fr or a dedicated module). There's generally no more walk-in service or phone booking.
Why is there never any slot available?
Préfectures open their slots in waves (often at the start of the month or week), in limited numbers. They're gone within minutes, sometimes seconds. That's exactly why services like Perfecture.fr exist - to catch these openings.
Where can I find my préfecture's opening hours and address?
Each préfecture has its own page on Perfecture.fr with address, opening hours and available processes. You can also check the official .gouv.fr site for the relevant department.
How long does the préfecture take to respond after a file is submitted?
It varies enormously depending on the process and the préfecture, from a few weeks to several months for a residence permit or naturalization. A récépissé or proof-of-filing document legally covers you while it's being processed.
What is a récépissé and what rights does it give?
It's a temporary document issued when a residence permit application is filed, certifying that your file is being processed. It generally authorizes you to stay and, in some cases, to work in the country until a decision is made.
Is the vehicle registration certificate handled at the préfecture?
No. Since 2017, vehicle registration is handled entirely online via the ANTS site (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés), not at the préfecture counter.
How do I book an appointment for the driving licence medical board?
The medical board (or an approved doctor) depends on the préfecture or department. Booking methods vary locally: some préfectures open a dedicated online module, others go through a list of approved doctors to contact directly.
How Perfecture.fr works
Is Perfecture.fr affiliated with the French government?
No. Perfecture.fr is an independent service that monitors the slots publicly available on prefecture websites.
Do you book the appointment for me?
No. You receive the alert with the direct link, then you book it yourself on the official site.
Which prefectures and processes are covered?
Coverage depends on the processes and prefectures in our catalogue and on our latest scans. The "Live" map shows the availability we currently know about across the country.
How often do you check for slots?
Our bots scan continuously, day and night. How quickly an alert goes out depends on the scan frequency for that specific process, we don't promise instant-to-the-second, but we're faster than manually refreshing the page.
How am I notified?
By email as soon as a slot is detected, with the direct link to the official site to book it.
How much does it cost, and can I cancel easily?
All plans are free during beta. Reference prices are €5.90 for 7 days, €9.90 for 30 days, €24.90 for 90 days, and €4.90 per month for civic exam preparation. Paid plans can be cancelled from your account.
Can I track several processes or different people?
Yes. During beta, you can track the processes allowed by your free account.
How do you use my email address?
It's mainly used to send you your alerts by email. We don't sell it and you can request deletion of your data at any time.
What if no slot shows up for a long time?
It happens depending on the prefecture, availability depends entirely on the administration, not on us. Your subscription stays active and you're alerted the moment a slot appears, even after several weeks of silence.
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