法国公司注册-初禾源咨询

GLOBAL REGISTRATION

France

Advantages of Registering a Company in France

1. Investment environment: It facilitates expansion into the European market and international promotion of brands.

2. Technology plays a vital role in France’s economy, with substantial government investment in R&D and innovation.

3. French high-end consumer goods enjoy an outstanding global reputation, boasting high investment value and brand added value.

4. VAT self-declaration is available, enabling tax deductions and relief.

5. More reliable supply channels with lower costs.

REQUIREMENTS

COMPANY TYPE

MATERIALS

Serial

Name

Details

Company Name

The company name must be unique and shall not be identical or overly similar to any existing registered company names;

The name must bear the suffix indicating its legal form (such as SARL, SAS, etc.), adopt standard French terms, and avoid purely foreign nouns.

Shareholders and Directors

A minimum of one shareholder is required, who may be a natural person or a legal entity;

A minimum of one director is required, who may be a natural person or a legal entity;

Individual shareholders must be at least 18 years old. In certain cases, a French national or a person holding a ten-year residence permit in France is required to serve as a shareholder or director.

Registered Capital

The minimum registered capital requirements vary by company type.

The theoretical minimum registered capital for a limited liability company is 1 euro, yet in actual operation, the capital amount is recommended to be set according to the company’s scale and business demands.

Joint-stock companies impose higher minimum capital thresholds. For instance, the minimum registered capital for a public joint-stock company (SA) is 37,000 euros.

Registered Address

It must be located in France and be legitimate and genuine. Investors are required to provide supporting documents such as a lease contract, and this address will serve as the company’s statutory correspondence address.

Legal Secretary

A statutory secretary is mandatory, responsible for receiving and forwarding corporate correspondence, daily administrative maintenance and other matters. The statutory secretary must be a French natural person or a French legal entity.

Other mandatory requirements

The company shall have its own Articles of Association, which shall be submitted when handling formalities with government and commercial authorities.

Serial

Name

Details

Private Limited Liability Company(SARL,Société à responsabilité limitée）

The French Private Limited Liability Company (SARL) is the most appealing and prevalent corporate structure for newly incorporated businesses in France. French law does not stipulate a minimum capital requirement, nor are shareholders obligated to fully pay up the registered capital. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the capital amount must be stated in corporate documents and thus plays a crucial role in corporate image.

Simplified Joint-Stock Company(SAS,Société par actions simplifiée )

SAS is a relatively flexible corporate form, ideal for small and medium-sized enterprises. It features comparatively low registration and operating costs with few restrictions on shareholders, making it a popular choice among entrepreneurs and SME operators.

Public Limited Company(SA, Société Anonyme)

This corporate form is commonly adopted by large enterprises, equivalent to what we refer to as listed companies. SA may be a suitable option if you plan to list the company to raise substantial capital or already run a large-scale business. However, its complicated structure and regulations lead to relatively high maintenance costs.

Serial

Name

Details

Information Collection Form

Company name (with suffixes such as LTD, S.A.R.L., etc.);

Registered capital (recommended starting from 1,000 euros, below 7,500 euros – no capital injection required);

Business scope (production and manufacturing activities are not permitted);

Company equity and share allocation ratios;

Registered address in France;

Director’s marital status, as well as the full names of the director’s father and mother.

Individual Shareholder

Scanned copies of the first page of shareholders’ passports for the French company;

Scanned copies of the first page of directors’ passports for the French company;

Address proof for shareholders: utility bills, property invoices or bank statements bearing the shareholder’s full name and address, issued within the past two months;

Address proof for directors: utility bills, property invoices or bank statements bearing the director’s full name and address, issued within the past two months.

Corporate Shareholder

Scanned copies of the first page of the passport of the legal representative of the holding company;

Address proof of the legal representative of the holding company: utility bills, property invoices or bank statements showing the representative’s name and address, issued within the last two months;

Scanned copies of the first page of passports of all shareholders holding more than 25% equity in the holding company;

Address proof of all shareholders holding more than 25% equity in the holding company: utility bills, property invoices or bank statements showing the shareholder’s name and address, issued within the last two months;

Business license of the holding company;

Articles of Association.

Notes

All the above documents shall be accompanied by English translations.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

1

Prepare registration documents

Prepare documents including identity proofs and address proofs of shareholders and directors, as well as the Articles of Association.
2

Company name availability check

Submit three alternative company names to the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) of France for validation.
3

Draft the Articles of Association

Draft the company statutes (Statuts), covering the company name, registered address, business scope, shareholders and their capital contributions, corporate governance structure and other provisions.
4

Open a corporate bank account

Open a corporate bank account with a French bank and deposit the registered capital into it. The bank will issue a certificate of capital deposit.
5

Notarization of documents

The incorporation documents shall be certified by a notary public.
6

Submit registration application

Submit the registration application to the French Business Formalities Centre (CFE), together with supporting documents including the Articles of Association, capital deposit certificate, registered address proof, and identity documents of shareholders and management personnel.
7

Publish a legal notice

Publish a company incorporation notice in an official legal gazette of France.
8

Obtain the business registration certificate

Upon completion of incorporation formalities, the French Business Formalities Centre will issue a Kbis extract, marking the official establishment of the company.
9

Tax Registration

Apply for a VAT number and an EORI customs number.