Early retirement: disability, permanent incapacity and unfitness for work

Three distinct schemes allow an employee in the general social security system to retire earlier or without a reduction in benefits: early retirement for disabled insured persons, as early as age 55; retirement for permanent disability of occupational origin, from age 60 according to fact sheets F14044 and R24448; and retirement for incapacity for work, from age 62. These schemes entitle the employee to the maximum rate, the full rate of 50 %.

This page deals with private sector employees. It does not cover supplementary pensions, the civil service, the self-employed or farmers, people residing abroad, or long careers. For retirement due to occupational disability, the required disability rate and exposure conditions should be verified with the Carsat (Regional Pension and Occupational Health Insurance Fund).

The three devices at a glance

Reminder: an employee who waits until age 67 retires at the full rate regardless of the number of quarters they have contributed (fact sheet F14044 from service-public.gouv.fr, verified on 08/14/2026). For those born between 1963 and March 31, 1965, the minimum age is 62 years and 9 months, with 170 quarters required for the full rate.

Early retirement for disabled insured persons

The conditions

• Age. Early retirement can be granted from the age of 55 (Cnav circular 2025-22 of 01/08/2025).
• Disability. You must have worked with a permanent disability of at least 50 (%), or in a situation of comparable level of disability. The French National Retirement Insurance Fund (Assurance retraite) website lists among the situations concerned those receiving a 2nd or 3rd category disability pension and those receiving the allowance for disabled adults.
• Recognition of disabled worker status. According to the Pension Insurance page, it is only taken into account for periods before 31/12/2015.
• Concomitance. The disability must be justified for the entire required contribution period (circular 2025-22).
• The period of contributions. It varies according to the year of birth and retirement age. It is calculated across all pension schemes, up to a limit of 4 quarters per year. At age 55, the French National Retirement Insurance Fund (Assurance retraite) website indicates 110 quarters of contributions for those born between 1967 and 1969, and 112 for those born from 1973 onwards. The complete table, including other ages, is available on the Assurance retraite website.

What changed in 2023

Circular 2025-22 applies to pensions taking effect from September 1, 2023. It indicates that the 2023 amending social security financing law eliminated the requirement for a total insurance period: only the period of contributions is taken into account. It also indicates that the law reduced to 50% the required permanent disability rate for insured individuals who cannot demonstrate their disability over the entire period of contributions.

The amount

According to fact sheet F14044, a full pension is available from age 55 for a person who has worked while disabled. According to the French National Retirement Insurance Fund (Assurance retraite) website, an increase in the pension amount is granted if the maximum insurance period has not been met; the amount depends on the number of quarters of contributions made while disabled.

The certificate and the application

Information sheet F16337 on service-public.gouv.fr (verified on 21/08/2025) and the website of the French National Retirement Insurance Fund (Assurance retraite) describe a certificate, requested from the regional pension fund, issued no earlier than six months before the possible retirement date. Its mandatory nature should be verified with the regional pension fund (Carsat) before submitting the application.

Retirement benefits are not paid automatically. The French National Retirement Insurance Fund (Assurance retraite) website requires you to apply 5 months before your desired retirement date and warns: do not stop working before receiving confirmation of your situation.

Retirement due to permanent disability of occupational origin

This scheme applies to permanent disability resulting from an occupational disease or workplace accident. Fact sheets F14044 and R24448 on service-public.gouv.fr indicate that eligibility begins at age 60.

The required disability rating and any exposure to occupational risk factors should be verified with the Carsat (Regional Pension and Occupational Health Insurance Fund). Your pension statement and the fund that recognized your disability are the relevant references.

According to the French National Retirement Insurance Fund's page dedicated to this scheme:

• The retirement pension for permanent disability is awarded at the maximum rate, regardless of the number of quarters; ;
• It is not awarded automatically: you must complete the application form.

Retirement due to incapacity for work

The conditions

Fact sheet F14044 states it in one sentence: you are entitled to a full pension from age 62 if you are recognized as unfit for work. The CNAV circular 2024-26 (02/08/2024) specifies:

• Incapacity implies a work incapacity of at least 50 %; ;
• It is recognized by the medical advisor of the body that awards the pension; ;
• the file includes a medical report from the attending physician or a form from the occupational physician; ;
• Certain categories of insured persons are presumed unfit, without medical examination: for example, former beneficiaries of an invalidity pension, beneficiaries of the allowance for disabled adults or holders of the disability card (mobility inclusion card with disability mention).

The amount

The pension is calculated at the maximum rate of 50 %, regardless of the length of insurance coverage. The rate of 50 % does not mean a full pension: the basic pension formula applies.

Disability and incapacity: the handover at age 62

Disability pension ends when you reach age 62. It is replaced by retirement due to incapacity for work, provided you submit a retirement application to your regional pension fund.

How is the basic pension calculated?

Form F21552 (verified on 01/09/2026) provides the formula: average annual income × pension rate × (insurance period ÷ insurance period for a full rate). The rate is 50 % if you are entitled to the full rate. Otherwise, it is reduced by 0.625 % per missing quarter, up to a maximum of 20 quarters: this is the reduction (form F19666). The number of quarters used is the smaller of two differences: the difference between the age of 67 and the required period.

Early retirement: a numerical example (fictitious profile)

Situation. Marc, born in 1964, worked in the private sector. He has 150 quarters of contributions and an average annual income of €38,400 (the amount in the example on form F21552). Assumptions of the hypothetical profile: same income and same quarters in both cases, retirement at 62 years and 9 months, the minimum age for his generation.

Issue. For his generation, a full pension requires 170 quarters of contributions. He is 20 quarters short. Without recognition of his incapacity, he would be subject to a reduction in his pension.

Strategy. Check with the pension fund to see if their situation qualifies as incapacity and, if so, submit the retirement application.

Result.

The difference is €3,600 gross per year in this profile. Calculation assumption: the formula in forms F21552 and F19666 applies as is, including the insurance period (150 out of 170); this should be confirmed with a retirement insurance simulator. The calculation does not take into account the minimum contributory pension, the ceiling, or supplementary pension benefits. It is not indicative of your specific situation.

Early retirement: what changes depending on your situation

• Your year of birth : the required contribution period for disability and the required period for the full rate depend on the generation.
• Your diet This page deals with the general scheme for private sector employees. Other schemes have their own rules.
• Your medical file The determination of unfitness for work rests with the medical advisor of the health insurance fund. The categories of presumed unfitness are subject to change by circular: the list cited here comes from the circular of August 2, 2024.

The rule depends on your situation. No results are guaranteed.