Town hall or préfecture: who does what?

This is the most time-consuming confusion for anyone discovering the French administration, and a recurring exam question. The distinction fits in one sentence: the town hall is the level of the commune, the préfecture is the arm of the State in the département.

What the town hall does

Headed by the mayor, elected by the municipal council which is itself elected for six years, the town hall is the administration closest to daily life. It keeps the civil registry: birth, marriage and death certificates, the family record book. It registers children for nursery and primary school. It manages the electoral rolls and organises the practical side of ballots. It issues planning permissions, maintains local roads, sports and cultural facilities. The mayor is also a registrar of civil status and conducts marriages.

What the préfecture does

The préfecture is headed by the prefect, who is not elected but appointed: they represent the State in the département. It handles what falls under national sovereignty and security: residence permits and documents for foreign nationals, vehicle registration and driving licences, legal oversight of the communes' decisions, coordination of emergency services. Many of these procedures are now done online, but the decision-making authority remains with the préfecture.

The other counters not to confuse

Two more bodies often complete the picture and also cause confusion. The caisse d'allocations familiales pays housing allowances and family benefits. France Travail supports jobseekers and pays, under conditions, unemployment benefit. Finally, the Assurance maladie manages the carte Vitale and the reimbursement of care. Remembering five contacts for five areas — commune, State, family, employment, health — is enough to answer most questions on this topic.

Online procedures and where to get help

Many procedures are no longer done at a counter. Residence permits, driving licences and vehicle registration documents now go through online services, even if the decision remains with the préfecture. Civil registry certificates are also requested online from the commune. This move online poses a real difficulty for anyone who is not at ease with a computer or with administrative French. Two resources exist for that: the France Services centres, present in many communes, where a member of staff helps with formalities free of charge; and the municipal social action centres, attached to town halls. Going there with your documents avoids a great many incomplete files.

Worth remembering

• Town hall: civil registry, primary school, electoral rolls, planning.
• Préfecture: residence permits, driving licences, vehicle registration, representing the State.
• The mayor is elected; the prefect is appointed.

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