Are you over 30 and considering a work-study programme to build your skills or change careers? The apprenticeship contract remains accessible, but only through specific exemptions laid down in the French Labour Code. Here is the 2026 overview, profile by profile, with the steps to follow in each case.
In short: the general rule sets the limit at 29 completed years (Art. L. 6222-1 of the Labour Code). Article L. 6222-2 provides exemptions: no age limit for people recognised as disabled workers (RQTH), business creators or buyers and high-level athletes; a limit raised to 35 completed years for a new contract following a previous apprenticeship (higher diploma, termination beyond your control or temporary unfitness), with less than one year in between. The minimum salary is then at least the SMIC. Without an exemption, the professionalisation contract and the career-change period (période de reconversion) remain open.
For the general rules of the contract (age, length, pay, rights, formalities), see our complete guide to the apprenticeship contract.
What is the general rule in 2026?
Article L. 6222-1 of the Labour Code sets the framework:
- Minimum age: 16, or 15 if the young person has completed the final year of lower secondary school (3ᵉ).
- Maximum age: 29 completed years (that is, up to the day before your 30th birthday).
This limit applies to all apprenticeship contracts, across all sectors. A contract that does not meet the age conditions is likely to be refused by the OPCO when it is filed: hence the importance of identifying the applicable exemption before signing.
For a first diploma, a standard career change or a return to training after a few years of work, the simplest option is often to be under 30 — explore our work-study offers and our job profiles to fine-tune your project.
The exemptions that open apprenticeship after 30
1. Disabled worker (RQTH) — no age limit
This is the best-known exemption. As soon as you are recognised as a disabled worker by the CDAPH (via an application submitted to the MDPH of your département), no age limit applies. The contract can be extended to 4 years, with a 15-point increase in the minimum wage during the extension.
On the employer side, the hiring aid for an apprentice recognised as a disabled worker can reach €6,000 for the first year, and Agefiph offers additional support (hiring aid, funding for workstation adjustments). Each CFA also has a disability adviser. Full details are in our article Work-study and disability: RQTH aids and adjustments.
2. High-level athlete — no age limit
Athletes registered on the list of high-level athletes of the Ministry of Sport (Article L. 221-2 of the French Sports Code) can sign an apprenticeship contract at any age. The maximum length of the contract can be extended to 4 years to take training and competition constraints into account.
3. Business creator or buyer — no age limit
Do you have a plan to create or take over a business that depends on obtaining the diploma or qualification being prepared? Apprenticeship is open with no age limit. Prepare a file showing the link between the training and the project (for example a business plan); ask your CFA or OPCO which supporting documents are expected.
4. New contract after a previous apprenticeship — up to 35 completed years
The age limit is raised to 35 completed years (36 minus one day) when the new apprenticeship contract:
- leads to a higher-level diploma than the one obtained at the end of the previous contract;
- or follows a contract terminated for reasons beyond your control (for example the liquidation of the company);
- or follows a contract terminated due to temporary physical unfitness.
⚠️ The deadline is strict: no more than one year may pass between the two contracts.
Finally, if you fail the exam, the apprenticeship can be extended by up to one year, including through a new contract with another employer (Art. L. 6222-11): the age limit does not prevent this extension.
Summary table of exemptions
| Situation | Maximum age | Contract length | Main supporting document |
|---|---|---|---|
| General rule | 29 completed years | 6 months to 3 years | — |
| RQTH | No limit | Up to 4 years | MDPH decision |
| High-level athlete | No limit | Up to 4 years | Registration on the ministerial list |
| Business creator / buyer | No limit | 6 months to 3 years | Project file |
| New contract after a previous apprenticeship | 35 completed years | Depending on the target diploma | Less than one year between the two contracts |
What salary does an apprentice over 30 earn?
Good news for a career change: from the age of 26, an apprentice earns at least 100% of the SMIC, i.e. €1,867.02 gross per month since 1 June 2026, or the collective-agreement minimum wage for the job if it is higher — from the 1st year. If you chain a new contract, your pay is at least that of the last year of the previous contract. Check your future salary with the pay simulator.
What alternative if you do not qualify for any exemption?
For a career change after 30 outside these cases, two main routes remain open:
- The professionalisation contract: open in particular to jobseekers aged 26 and over, with pay of at least 100% of the SMIC (or 85% of the collective-agreement minimum if more favourable) and training funded by the OPCO. Ideal for quickly building skills in a specific job.
- The career-change period (période de reconversion) (since 2026): allows a private-sector employee to train on a work-study basis without resigning. Full details are in our article Career-change period 2026: training on a work-study basis without resigning.
To compare the two contracts, also reread Apprenticeship or professionalisation: how to choose. And if you are preparing a doctorate, note that it does not open any age exemption: the CIFRE agreement is a common route.
How do you put your application together step by step?
- Check your eligibility for one of the exemptions above. If you have a recognised disability (or recognition is in progress), start with the RQTH.
- Identify the target qualification: a diploma or professional title registered in the RNCP. For a career change, aim for a level 5 to 7 title (two to five years of higher education) depending on your project.
- Find a CFA offering the training and get admitted. Our training page lists the main work-study programmes.
- Find a host company ready to sign the contract. The work-study offers and the guide finding a company for your work-study programme speed up the process.
- Gather the supporting documents specific to your exemption (MDPH decision, certificate of registration on the high-level athletes list, business creation or takeover project file, previous apprenticeship contract) before signing.
- Sign the contract (Cerfa) and complete the DPAE (pre-hiring declaration). The employer then sends the contract to its OPCO no later than 5 working days after the start of the contract; the OPCO has 20 days to rule on financial coverage (no answer means refusal) and files the contract with the ministry electronically. For a public-sector employer, the contract is filed with the DREETS.
Apprenticeship after 30 remains possible, provided you identify the right exemption and document it properly. CFAs, OPCOs and Cap emploi (for people with disabilities) are your first points of contact to secure the arrangement.
Key takeaways
- General rule: apprenticeship open from 16 to 29 completed years (Art. L. 6222-1).
- No age limit: RQTH, high-level athlete, business creator or buyer (Art. L. 6222-2).
- 35 completed years: new contract after a previous apprenticeship (higher diploma, termination beyond your control or temporary unfitness), with less than one year in between.
- Salary: at least 100% of the SMIC (or the collective-agreement minimum if higher) from age 26.
- No exemption?: the professionalisation contract and the career-change period remain solid alternatives.
- Good habit: identify the exemption before signing, gather the supporting documents, and get support from your CFA, your OPCO or Cap emploi.