Identification or affiliation to social security: what differences?

Verified 30 October 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Identification (formerly called registration) is automatic, from your birth if you were born in France. Membership depends on your work situation and where you live.

Identification consists of: 

It is important to distinguish whether you were born in France or not.

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Birth in France

If you were born in France, identification shall be carried out from birth.

However, it is from the age of 16 that your child becomes aware of his full Social Security number, when he receives the vital card.

Its number is indeed indicated on the card.

If your child does not yet have a Vital Card, their Social Security Number (NIR) is shown on your certificate of entitlements, which you can get in your Ameli account.

Birth abroad

If you were born abroad, you have to ask this number to the organization which corresponds to your situation (example: if you are an employed farmer, you need to contact the MSA: titleContent).

Affiliation is to be attached to the body responsible for managing your basic sickness insurance benefits.

It depends on:

  • Your professional situation
  • And of your place of residence.

This is why:

  • If you are employed, self-employed or in a professional capacity, you are covered by the National Health Insurance Fund (Cnam). At the local level, with some exceptions, you are attached to the CPAM: titleContent of your habitual residence.
  • If you are an employee or a farmer, you are covered by the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA).
  • If you are not employed or active, you should contact your health insurance fund.

Membership in a CPAM: titleContent also has the consequence of you attach to a Carsat (pension and occupational health insurance fund) in particular, for the management of your pension entitlements.

Please note

Any person who deliberately refuses to become affiliated or who persists in not committing the procedure for compulsory membership of a social security scheme shall be punishable by six months' imprisonment and a fine of €15,000, or only one of those two penalties.

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