Visale: the free rent guarantor for renting in France

What is the Visale guarantee?

Visale is a free rental guarantee granted by Action Logement, the body financed by contributions from French companies. Concretely, if you stop paying your rent, Action Logement compensates the landlord (unpaid rent and charges, up to 36 monthly payments in the private market), then arranges a repayment plan with you.

For the landlord, it is security equal to, and often better than, a family guarantor. More and more landlords in the Paris region accept it, and some rental platforms even require it by default.

Who qualifies?

The home must be your main residence, located in France, and the rent including charges must not exceed a cap that depends on the commune: up to €1,940 in Île-de-France, €1,575 or €1,365 elsewhere in France (Service-public.fr, January 2026). Check the exact cap for your commune on the official visale.fr simulator before you apply.

• Everyone aged 18 to 30, whatever the status: student, work-study trainee, employee, jobseeker.
• Private-sector employees over 30, if they apply within 6 months of being hired or transferred, or if their net salary is €1,710 per month or less.
• Anyone signing a bail mobilité (mobility lease), with no age condition.
• International students and researchers on mobility programmes, subject to residence-permit conditions.

How to get your Visale visa: the 3 steps

Tip: request your visa BEFORE you start viewing apartments. An application that arrives with a validated Visale visa goes to the top of the pile.

• 1. Create your account on visale.fr and submit your application (ID, proof of your situation). The answer usually arrives within 2 working days.
• 2. You receive your certified "visa", valid for 6 months, to include in your rental applications: it reassures the landlord immediately.
• 3. Once the lease is signed, the landlord activates the guarantee on their own visale.fr account using your visa number.

Visale, family guarantor or paid guarantor: which to choose?

Visale is free, while private paid guarantors (GarantMe, Cautioneo and others) typically charge 3 to 5% of the annual rent. If you qualify for Visale, always start there. If you do not, see our guide to guarantor options in France.

One rule to know: a landlord cannot combine a guarantee (a guarantor or Visale) with rent-default insurance, except for students and apprentices. If a landlord declines Visale because they already have insurance, that is consistent with the rule: look for a compatible home instead.

More guides in English: Guarantor in France: your options when you don't have one DossierFacile: the state-certified rental file landlords trust Mobility lease: renting furnished for 1 to 10 months

En français : Garantie Visale : le garant gratuit pour louer en Île-de-France