France Company Formations | Request Quotation |
A limited company in France is either incorporated as a Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS) or a Société à Résponsibilité Limitée (Sàrl). The SAS is the newer type of company, typically used by non-residents.
| France Company Incorporation fees | France Annual Compliance fees |
|---|---|
| Company Formation: £1840 | Registered Office: £1300 |
| Registered Office: £1300 | Annual Government fee: £80 |
| Chamber of Commerce or Artisanat, Court fees, CFE, legal publicity: £480 | Shareholder & Directors Register Maintenance: £180 |
| Shareholder & Directors Register: £180 | Compliance fee: £200 |
Our French company incorporation package includes:
- Checking the availability of your company name with the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle
- Liaising with the local registrar and relevant authorities
- Structuring the company as per your requirements
- Prepare your Company Registration Forms
- Drafting the Articles of Association / Statutes for signature
- Filing the documents with the Centre de Formalitiés des Entreprises
- Publication in the Official Journal
- Commercial Registry fee
- Stamp Duty
- Appointment of the Directors
- Initial Government licence fee payable on incorporation
- Certificate of Incorporation (Kbis)
- All documents and certificates supplied in a professional folder
- Delivery of documents by FedEx / DHL courier
Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS)
Société à Responsabilité Limitée Company Incorporation (Sàrl)
To incorporate your company in France we require the following:
- Your proposed company name
- Registered office of the company.
- Companies objects – a brief description of the intended activities of your company
- One director and one shareholder is required for an SAS
- The names and addresses of the directors and shareholders
- Copy of the passports of the directors and shareholders
- Percentage of the shares belonging to each shareholder.
- Proof of the deposit of the paid-up capital deposited in a bank account opened in the company name
Company Names
All departments in France have a register of company names and so most company names are allowed so long as it is not used by another company in the same department.
We will check your chosen company name with the Register of the Commercial Courts and the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle.
- Adding the word France after the company name is usually means you are a non French company
- A company name check can be carried out free of charge to see if a required name has already been registered
- We can then reserve your Sàrl name for up to ten days.
French Company Director – Gérant
The legal representative of a Sàrl or a SAS company company is called a Gérant; which is the equivalent of a director in other countries.
Only one Gérant of any nationality is required for your French company.
If you wish to appoint a Gérant who is not a resident of the EU or an OECD country then they will need state authorisation.
French Company Shareholders
A minimum of one shareholder is required for your company with no restriction placed on nationality or residence. A shareholder may be a corporation or an individual.
Authorised and Issued Share Capital
The minimum share capital is €1.
A Sàrl usually adopts a closed structure, so that share transfers only occur between existing shareholders or with the unanimous permission thereof.
Registered Office
We will provide a registered office service in Paris.
French Bank Account
The capital is held with the notary or a bank during the course of the formation of the company and the share capital is unblocked as soon as the banker receives the Kbis Certificate.
As soon as the bank receives the money, they issue an attestation, with this and the signed documents the company is registered with the Chamber of Commerce.
When the company is formed the Chamber of Commerce issues a Kbis (Certificate of incorporation). We then send the Kbis to the bank, who will open the business bank account and release the share capital into it.
VAT/TVA Registration
Upon receipt of the Certificate of Incorporation the bank account is activated, this will enable the registration for the VAT number.
France Ready Made Companies
Ready made companies do not exist in France. As soon as a company is registered, a VAT number is issued and tax returns are due. Companies are required to file tax forms from incorporation – regardless of whether or not the company has started trading.