Modeling agencies in Marseille

### What the law requires of a French agency

A French modeling agency has to meet several legal obligations. When one is missing, it is rarely a paperwork oversight, and usually the sign of an outfit to avoid.

**A licence.** The agency must hold a modeling agency licence issued by the Paris prefecture. Without it, placing models for profit is a criminal offence, punishable by six months in prison and a 75,000 euro fine.

**A written work contract.** You are presumed to be a salaried employee of the agency. Your contract must be written and state its purpose. A collaboration offered without a written contract sits outside the legal framework.

**A salary floor indexed on the client.** Your pay for a job cannot fall below a minimum percentage of what the client pays the agency, a floor set by the collective agreement.

**Free advice.** An information meeting or an assessment of your potential cannot be charged to you. The law guarantees that career advice given to a young person is free.

**No upfront fees.** Costs the agency spends to develop your career can only be recovered through capped deductions on your future salaries, up to 20 percent of the wages due. A demand for upfront payment, a book, a course or a registration fee has no legal basis.

**A financial guarantee.** Every agency must hold a guarantee covering your salaries and contributions if it defaults, of at least 15,200 euros or 6 percent of its payroll.

**A medical certificate.** The work requires a certificate confirming that your health is compatible with the profession.

### Protections for underage models

For minors, the law adds several safeguards. Employing a minor requires authorisation, and regularly employing models under 16 requires a specific agency approval, reviewed by a panel chaired by a children's judge.

The directors' criminal records are checked, and part of a child's earnings is paid to the Caisse des Dépôts until they come of age. An agency that works around these rules has no place in your shortlist.

### Working in France from abroad

An agency based in the European Union or the European Economic Area can work in France on a temporary basis after a simple declaration. An agency based outside the EU and EEA must hold the French licence on the same terms as a local agency. This matters if you are already represented abroad and you are aiming at the French market.