When does a banking ban end?

Your registration in the Bank of France file has weighed on your daily life for months, even years. You're seeking to understand when this situation will end and how to return to normal banking life. Here are the legal deadlines and ways to accelerate your removal from the register.

The legal 5-year duration

The banking ban lasts 5 years maximum from the date of registration in the Central Check Register (FCC). This duration applies automatically if you don't regularize your situation before this term.

The period runs from the day the Bank of France records your registration, not from the initial incident. Your bank has a few days to transmit the information after the regularization deadlines expire.

The banking ban is automatically removed after 5 years. The Bank of France then removes registrations from the central check register (FCC) and the national irregular check file (FNCI).

Different files and their durations

FICP registration for credit incidents follows different rules. For unpaid credit, the maximum duration also reaches 5 years. For an over-indebtedness file, it can extend up to 7 years depending on the measures applied.

Each file operates independently. You can exit the FCC while remaining registered in the FICP if you've regularized your checks but not your loans.

Early removal through regularization

The banking ban is removed if all bounced checks have been regularized and the Bank of France has been informed. This early removal represents your best way to quickly recover your banking rights.

Once payment is made, the bank informs the Bank of France. It proceeds with removing the FCC registration within 10 business days maximum.

To regularize, two options are available. Credit the account with the missing amount, then ask the check beneficiary to re-present it for cashing. Or settle the debt through another payment method like cash or transfer.

Processing times for removal

After complete regularization, your bank transmits the information to the Bank of France within 2 business days. The central institution then processes your file within 10 additional business days.

Effective removal therefore occurs between 2 and 12 business days after your regularization. These deadlines remain incompressible even in emergency situations.

Your bank must confirm the ban lifting in writing. Keep this document carefully to justify your regularized situation.

Checking your current status

To know your ban end date, contact the Bank of France directly. You can visit one of its branches, bringing several documents: a two-sided copy of your ID, an IBAN from the concerned account and a canceled copy of the check that caused the incident.

Consulting your file remains free and confidential. You immediately obtain information about your scheduled removal date.

Consequences after lifting

Once the ban is lifted, you regain the right to issue checks. Your bank must return a checkbook within usual ordering times, generally within 10 days.

Other banking services become progressively accessible again. Your authorized overdraft may be restored according to your institution's policy.

Be aware, your banking history keeps track of this incident. Banks may consider it when granting future loans even after your removal from the register.

Managing the waiting period

During the wait for removal, alternative banking solutions exist. Prepaid cards allow you to manage your finances without risk of new registration.

You retain the right to a basic bank account. This service includes check and bank transfer deposits, a payment card with bank authorization, cash deposits and withdrawals at the counter.

The special case of judicial bans

Judicial bans cannot be removed as they constitute a penalty. They follow the duration set by the court, generally between 1 and 10 years depending on the offense severity.

Only an appeal of the court decision allows contesting this ban. Appeal deadlines remain strict: 10 days after judgment in correctional matters.

Preventing new registration

After your removal, remain vigilant about your bank management. A new incident would trigger a new 5-year registration, regardless of your history.

Favor secure payment methods like systematic authorization cards. Regularly monitor your bank balance and use other payment methods if you're uncertain about your balance.

For overdrafts, note the new rules since November 2026. Bank overdrafts will no longer be automatically authorized and will require a solvency assessment like standard credit.

The banking ban ends either automatically after 5 years, or early upon regularization of your incidents. Early removal occurs within 10 business days after complete regularization. Your current situation can be verified free of charge with the Bank of France to know your exact removal date.

Similar articles