
The installation grant refers to a financial aid paid to state civil servants upon their first assignment in certain geographical areas. Two schemes coexist: the special installation grant (PSI) and the specific installation grant, each with its own rules for allocation, amount, and relevant area. Understanding the distinction between these two grants helps avoid application errors and unnecessary delays.
PSI and specific installation grant: two schemes not to be confused
The confusion between these two grants often arises, even within HR services. The PSI, governed by decree no. 89-259 of April 24, 1989, applies to civil servants who have been confirmed in Île-de-France or in the Lille European Metropolis. The specific installation grant, on the other hand, targets agents from overseas territories assigned for the first time to the mainland.
See also : Everything You Need to Know About the Honey Leak: Origins, Stakes, and Reasons for the Buzz
The two grants are not cumulative. An agent who meets the criteria for both schemes must choose, and the specific grant generally prevails because its amount is higher. To clearly understand the conditions for the installation grant for civil servants, this distinction serves as the starting point.
The specific installation grant amounts to twelve months of basic indexed salary, paid in three equal installments. The PSI, on the other hand, corresponds to the sum of the gross monthly salary and the residence allowance calculated based on the new major index 431 (gross index 500).
Related reading : Everything You Need to Know About Credit: Tips and Tricks for Borrowing Wisely

Conditions for granting the special installation grant in eligible areas
The allocation of the PSI is based on four cumulative criteria. Missing just one is enough to block the payment.
- The agent must be a confirmed civil servant of the state public service, assigned to a municipality in Île-de-France or the Lille agglomeration. Trainees are not entitled to it until their confirmation is pronounced.
- The agent’s grade must correspond to an index related to the first step below the gross index 445, and an index related to the last step equal to at most the gross index 821. This criterion effectively excludes higher category A bodies.
- The agent must never have received the PSI during their career, including in another body. The right is only opened once.
- Neither the agent nor their spouse or PACS partner should benefit from a functional housing granted by necessity or absolute utility of service. If the spouse receives a compensatory housing allowance, the PSI is reduced by the amount of that allowance in the year following the start of duties.
Former contractual agents of the state public service who attain confirmed status retain their right to the PSI, provided they have never received it before.
Specific installation grant: assignment from overseas to the mainland
This scheme concerns state civil servants, whether confirmed or trainees, whose family residence is located in an overseas department or Mayotte, and who receive a first assignment to the mainland following a transfer, promotion, or entry into the administration.
The central condition pertains to the duration of service: the agent must complete a minimum of four consecutive years of service on the mainland. A non-confirmed trainee who leaves their position before this term is required to reimburse the portion of the grant already paid.
Payment modalities
The amount, equivalent to twelve months of indexed salary, is paid in three equal installments. The first installment is made upon effective installation in the metropolitan position. The next two are paid at regular intervals, provided the agent remains in post.
This grant is significantly more advantageous than the PSI in terms of gross amount. In return, the four-year commitment on the mainland is a firm obligation, not just a goal.

Coexistence with the installation aid for state personnel
A third scheme exists in parallel: the installation aid for state personnel (AIP). Reframed by a circular dated August 11, 2023, it targets newly arrived agents and those assigned to priority neighborhoods of urban policy.
The AIP is distinguished by its resource conditions: it imposes a ceiling on reference tax income for the year n-2. The application must be submitted within twelve months following the assignment and within four months following the signing of the lease. These deadlines are strict and non-extendable.
Most administrative content treats the PSI and AIP separately, while a newly confirmed agent in Île-de-France can theoretically claim both. The rules for accumulation depend on the individual situation. Verification with the managing HR service remains essential before any application, as the texts do not provide for a single point of contact.
Deadlines and supporting documents
For the PSI, the application is made to the employing administration after confirmation. Payment generally occurs in one lump sum, unlike the specific grant.
- Confirmation decree and certificate of assignment in the eligible area.
- Declaration on honor of no prior receipt of the PSI.
- Certificate regarding functional housing (or absence of granted housing).
The AIP additionally requires a rental lease, a tax notice, and a certificate from the employer confirming the first assignment. Agents who combine a change of administrative residence with a first lease in the assignment area should ideally prepare both applications simultaneously.
The 1989 decree regarding the PSI has not been fundamentally modified since its creation, but the indexed thresholds are regularly recalculated during index point revaluations. An agent whose grade is close to the eligibility ceiling has every interest in checking the current scales at the time of their confirmation, as a few index points can affect eligibility.