France Company Registration Guide 2025: Policies, Steps, and Precautions

This guide summarizes how to register a company in France in 2025, explains the main legal options, highlights recent policy directions and interpretations, and lists concrete operational steps and practical precautions. It is written for entrepreneurs, advisors, and foreign investors who need a clear, actionable roadmap. Always confirm final requirements with official sources (infogreffe.fr, guichet-entreprises.fr, inpi.fr) because procedures continue to evolve.

Key company forms and short comparison

Policy context and 2025 interpretations

France has continued its multi-year push to simplify company creation by expanding digital formalities and favoring flexible corporate forms, notably the SAS. Key trends through 2024 into 2025 include:

• Digital-first filings: More CFE procedures, RCS filings and statutory uploads are processed via online platforms (Guichet-Entreprises, Infogreffe), reducing paper steps.
• Pro-innovation clarity: Regulators maintain interpretation that SAS statutes can be highly customized, a feature attractive to founders and investors.
• Tax and compliance continuity: Corporate tax rates stabilized at the standard 25% level for large companies; small-company incentives (reduced rates on initial profits) remain subject to thresholds—check the annual tax bulletin for marginal changes.
• Cross-border rules: VAT and digital services follow EU frameworks; non-EU companies should review VAT registration rules and possibly appoint a fiscal representative.

Because national implementation of EU directives and administrative guidance can shift, monitor official announcements and recent case law from administrative courts that can affect interpretation (examples: business classification disputes or employer social charge rulings).

Step-by-step registration process (practical operations)

1. Choose the legal form and draft statutes. Decide between SAS, SARL/EURL, SA or sole trader structures. Prepare the company statutes (bylaws) with clauses for governance, capital, share transfer rules and decision-making procedures.
2. Set the registered office (siège social). This can be a physical address, domiciliation service, or founder's home (subject to local rules and lease consent).
3. Deposit share capital. Open a temporary bank account or use a notary to deposit capital. The bank issues a certificate of deposit (attestation de dépôt des fonds).
4. Prepare mandatory documents. Typical package: signed statutes, proof of identity for founders, proof of address for registered office, certificate of capital deposit, affidavit of non-conviction for managers, and a declaration of beneficial owners (registre des bénéficiaires effectifs).
5. Publish a legal notice. Announce the company formation in a Journal d’Annonces Légales (legal announcements newspaper) and obtain the publication certificate.
6. File with the CFE / Sélectionnez le greffe. Submit the registration dossier to Centre de Formalités des Entreprises or directly on Infogreffe/Guichet-Entreprises. The greffe registers you with the RCS and issues the Kbis extract once registration is complete.
7. Receive identification numbers. INSEE issues SIREN (company) and SIRET (establishment) numbers; VAT number follows when applicable.
8. Register for social and tax procedures. Register with URSSAF for payroll and social contributions, set up DSN for monthly employee reporting, and register for corporate tax and VAT at the Service des Impôts des Entreprises.
9. IP protection and licenses. If relevant, register trademarks at INPI and check sector-specific authorizations (food, transport, financial services require approvals).
10. Start operations. Finalize insurance, sign supplier contracts, and comply with ongoing obligations (annual accounts, corporate tax returns, shareholder minutes).

Practical checklist (documents and actors)

• Signed statutes (statuts)
• Founders' IDs and proof of address
• Bank deposit certificate or notarial deposit
• Publication attestation from legal journal
• Declaration of beneficial owners
• Registration forms for RCS / Kbis application
• URSSAF and tax registration documents
• If foreign founders: proof of residence permit or fiscal representative details

Important precautions and common pitfalls

• Choose the right legal form early. Changing from SARL to SAS later is possible but can be complex and tax-sensitive; pick a structure that suits investor expectations and governance needs.
• Capital and shareholder clauses. Avoid vague transfer restrictions; clearly define pre-emption, tag-along and drag-along rights when expecting investors.
• KYC and banking hurdles. Banks perform strict anti-money laundering checks. Prepare full documentation for directors and beneficial owners to avoid delays opening a corporate account.
• Non-EU directors and founders. Visa/work permit and tax residency affect payroll obligations and corporate tax exposure; consider local tax counsel and appoint a fiscal representative if required.
• Social charges and payroll compliance. Employer contributions are significant; model payroll scenarios before hiring to ensure cashflow sufficiency.
• Data and employment law. French labor regulations and GDPR apply strictly—draft compliant employment contracts and privacy notices.
• Ongoing reporting. Maintain timely annual accounts (depot des comptes) and corporate records; late filings can trigger fines or legal complications.

Case examples

Example 1: Tech startup choosing SAS

A Berlin-based founder chose an SAS in Paris for flexible governance and investor-friendly share structures. She drafted tailored statutes to protect minority investors and used an online service to file with Infogreffe. Time from signing statutes to Kbis: about 7–10 business days thanks to digital filing.

Example 2: Small craft business selecting SARL

A two-founder artisan team selected SARL for simpler governance. They deposited capital at a notary, published the legal notice locally, and registered with the local greffe. They opted for quarterly VAT reporting under simplified cash accounting to ease cashflow management.

SailGlobal — assistance for foreign founders

For entrepreneurs incorporating from abroad, SailGlobal provides tailored out-of-sea human services: remote company setup assistance, document translation, and liaison with French administrative bodies to speed registration. Consider professional support when navigating banking KYC, tax representation, or complex sector permits.

Where to verify and next steps

• Infogreffe (commercial court registry) — check RCS and Kbis procedures
• Guichet-Entreprises — centralized digital portal for many formalities
• INPI — trademark and IP protection
• URSSAF and Service des Impôts — social and tax registration

Final tip: allocate time for bank onboarding and social registration; even with streamlined digital processes, KYC and sector-specific approvals can extend timelines. When in doubt, retain local legal and accounting counsel to ensure compliance with French corporate, tax and employment law.