Opening your company in France without getting lost in the paperwork 🚀

Opening a company in France may seem complex at first glance. Between choosing the legal status, the administrative procedures, registration and tax obligations, many give up before they even start.

However, starting a business in France is more accessible today than it was a few years ago, provided you follow a specific method. Each step is important: the legal structure you choose impacts your taxes, your liability, your social security coverage, and even your ability to raise funds.

The key is not to know everything from the start. The key is to understand the order of steps and make the right strategic decisions from the beginning.

In this article, you will discover how to open a company in France step by step, in a clear, structured and efficient way.

1. Choose the legal structure

Choosing the right legal structure is crucial. Here are the most popular structures for setting up a company in France:

Micro-enterprise (formerly auto-entrepreneur) :

1. Ideal for small businesses with limited revenue.
2. Very easy to set up with few formalities and costs.
3. No minimum capital required.
4. Annual turnover ceilings: €188,700 for sales activities.
5. Simplified social security contributions based on your turnover.

Limited liability company (SARL) or single-member limited liability company (EURL) :

1. Suitable for entrepreneurs who wish to limit their personal liability.
2. The EURL is the single-member version of the SARL.
3. No minimum capital required (generally from €1).
4. The creation process is more complex than for a micro-enterprise.

Simplified joint-stock company (SAS) or SASU (single-member version) :

1. Greater management flexibility than a limited liability company (SARL).
2. No minimum share capital required (from €1).
3. Suitable for larger-scale projects and fundraising.

2. Draft the company's articles of association

The articles of association are the official documents that define the company's operating rules. For a micro-enterprise, this step is not necessary. However, for a SARL, EURL, SAS, or SASU, you will need to:

Define the share capital, the partners, the shares, the voting rights, etc.

The articles of association must be signed and filed when the company is registered.

3. Deposit of share capital

If you create a SARL, EURL, SAS, or SASU, you must deposit the share capital into a dedicated professional bank account.

The amount of capital is flexible (generally from €1), but it is advisable to have sufficient capital to cover the initial needs of your business.

4. Company's registered office

You need to choose an address to register your company. This could be:

1. Your personal residence if you work from home.
2. A business address provider that supplies a professional address.
3. A coworking space or shared office.

5. Register the company

Once the documents are ready (articles of association, proof of address, share capital deposit), you must register your company with the relevant Business Formalities Centre (CFE) . Here are the steps:

1. Complete a registration file (forms M0 for companies, P0 for micro-entrepreneurs).
2. Submit the application to the Registry of the Commercial Court or send it online via platforms such as Infogreffe.fr.
3. Receive a Kbis , which is the official extract proving the legal existence of your company.

6. Obtain a SIRET number and intra-community VAT number

Once registration is complete, you will receive your SIRET number , which is your unique business identifier in France.

If you wish to sell internationally, you will also need to apply for an intra-community VAT number for transactions within the European Union.

7. Open a business bank account

This is an obligation for companies

To learn more, click HERE

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