Probation period in France vs the UK: durations, renewal and notice
In short
- French law caps probation at 2, 3 or 4 months by category; most sales executives fall in the 4-month band.
- One renewal is possible only with a branch agreement, a contract clause and the employee's written consent: 8 months maximum for executives.
- Ending it requires notice of 24 hours to one month; in the UK, probation is purely contractual.
In France the probation period (période d'essai) is set by law, not just by the contract. For a permanent contract it lasts at most two months for clerical staff, three months for supervisors and technicians, and four months for executives (Code du travail, article L1221-19, checked 21 October 2026). It must be written in the contract, or it does not exist.
What are the maximum probation periods in France?
| Category | Typical sales roles | Initial maximum | With one renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clerical staff (employés) | Some inside sales and sales assistant roles | 2 months | 4 months |
| Supervisors and technicians (agents de maîtrise, techniciens) | Many field sales and technical sales roles | 3 months | 6 months |
| Executives (cadres) | Business developers, account executives, KAMs, sales managers and directors, often | 4 months | 8 months |
Source: Code du travail, articles L1221-19 and L1221-21 (code.travail.gouv.fr), checked 21 October 2026. The category depends on your collective agreement's job classification, not on the job title. Next check: January 2027.
Durations are a ceiling. Since the law of 9 March 2023, collective agreements can no longer set longer periods; only shorter durations in an agreement or in the contract are valid (L1221-22). For a fixed-term contract, probation is one day per week of contract, capped at two weeks for contracts of up to six months and one month beyond (L1242-10). See CDI vs CDD.
When can I renew a probation period?
All of these conditions must be met (L1221-21, L1221-23 and service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F1643, verified 12 August 2026):
- An extended branch agreement (accord de branche étendu) provides for the renewal and its length.
- The employment contract or offer letter expressly says the probation can be renewed.
- The employee agrees to the renewal in writing, during the initial period.
Miss one and the renewal is void: the employee is confirmed in post at the end of the initial period, with full protection against dismissal.
How do I end a probation period?
Either side can end the probation without giving a reason or paying severance, but the employer owes notice (délai de prévenance) that grows with time spent in the company (L1221-25):
| Time in the company | Notice from the employer | Notice from the employee (L1221-26) |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 8 days | 24 hours | 24 hours |
| 8 days to 1 month | 48 hours | 48 hours |
| After 1 month | 2 weeks | 48 hours |
| After 3 months | 1 month | 48 hours |
Source: Code du travail, articles L1221-25 and L1221-26 (code.travail.gouv.fr), checked 21 October 2026. Next check: January 2027.
The notice does not extend the probation. If your executive is at month three and three weeks, a one-month notice runs past the end of the period: you can still end it, but the days beyond the end date are paid as compensation. Decide early, and put the decision in writing.
How does it compare with the UK?
| France | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Labour Code, with legal maximums | Contract only, no statutory probation |
| Typical length for a sales executive | Up to 4 months, 8 with renewal | Whatever the contract says, often 3 to 6 months by custom |
| Ending it | No reason or severance, notice from 24 hours to 1 month | Contractual notice, at least 1 week after 1 month of service |
| Protection after probation | Dismissal rules apply in full | Unfair dismissal after 2 years, 6 months for dismissals from 1 January 2027 |
Sources: Code du travail L1221-19 to L1221-26; GOV.UK, Dismissal: your rights, Fixed-term employment contracts, and Employment Rights Act timeline update of 14 October 2026; all checked 21 October 2026. The "3 to 6 months" UK custom is general practice, not a legal rule.
The practical consequence for a UK company: the French probation is your only window to part ways without the dismissal procedure. Use it to assess real sales activity, not just onboarding. After it, ending a CDI follows the rules in notice and dismissal in France.
How do I make the probation work for a sales hire?
- Agree measurable activity goals for the probation (meetings booked, pipeline built), since revenue often takes longer than four months.
- Hold a formal review before the end of month two, so you still have time to give notice.
- Check that your collective agreement allows a renewal before you put a renewal clause in the contract.
We include a replacement guarantee during the probation period when we recruit sales staff in France for you. The other French rules to plan for are in our guide to hiring sales staff in France.
What we cannot tell you
- The probation period in your collective agreement: since the law of 9 March 2023 only shorter durations than the legal ones are valid (L1221-22), but whether your agreement allows a renewal, and for how long, depends on your sector.
- Whether a given end of probation would be found abusive: French courts accept ending a probation for reasons linked to the employee's skills, not for unrelated reasons, and each case turns on its facts.
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How long is the probation period in France?
For a permanent contract (CDI), the legal maximum is 2 months for blue-collar and clerical staff, 3 months for supervisors and technicians, and 4 months for executives (cadres), under article L1221-19 of the Labour Code. A salesperson hired as a cadre can therefore be on probation for up to 4 months.
Can a probation period be extended in France?
It can be renewed once, only if an extended branch agreement allows it, if the contract says so, and if the employee agrees in writing during the initial period. Including the renewal, it cannot exceed 4, 6 or 8 months depending on the category (L1221-21, service-public.gouv.fr F1643).
How much notice do I give to end a probation period?
At least 24 hours under 8 days of presence, 48 hours between 8 days and one month, 2 weeks after one month and one month after three months (L1221-25). The notice cannot extend the probation period, so start it early enough.
Is there a statutory probation period in the UK?
No. In the UK the probation period is a contractual arrangement with no legal maximum. What protects UK employees is the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, currently 2 years and falling to 6 months for dismissals from 1 January 2027 under the Employment Rights Act 2025 (GOV.UK timeline update of 14 October 2026).
Sources and method
Every rule, rate and amount on this page was checked at the source on the date shown. I update the page when a source changes.
- Code du travail (code.travail.gouv.fr): L1221-19, L1221-20, L1221-21, L1221-22, L1221-23, L1221-25, L1221-26, L1242-10, checked 21 October 2026
- Service-public.gouv.fr, fiche F1643 (Période d'essai pour un salarié), checked 21 October 2026. Fiche verified by the publisher on 12 August 2026
- GOV.UK, Dismissal: your rights (qualifying period) and Fixed-term employment contracts (minimum notice), checked 21 October 2026
- GOV.UK, Plan to Make Work Pay and Employment Rights Act: timeline update, checked 21 October 2026. Updated 14 October 2026
Olivier Niel, Founder and Managing Director, Eagle Rocket
Olivier founded Eagle Rocket in 2020, a sales recruitment firm on a human scale. The firm works for a single fixed fee paid on success, and holds two in-depth interviews with each candidate before presenting them to a client.
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Rules and figures are checked against official French and UK sources (service-public.gouv.fr, the French Labour Code, URSSAF, gov.uk) on the date shown. Published by Eagle Rocket SARL (RCS Évreux 883 581 803). This guide is general information, not legal advice.