An SAS (société par actions simplifiée, a simplified joint-stock company) is set up with at least two shareholders and freely chosen share capital from €1, and is run by the president (and, where applicable, managing directors), who are treated as employees. At current rates, the mandatory legal fees for an SAS in mainland France come to €291.96 incl. VAT (greffe, i.e. the commercial court registry, beneficial ownership declaration and legal notice). With LegalRapide's Essentiel plan, the setup costs €0 excl. VAT: you only pay these legal fees. 
Service-public
Who is it for?
It suits you if: You are starting with partners and want to organise powers, the entry of investors and the transfer of shares freely.
Good to know: Freedom in drafting the articles calls for well-written articles: approval, exit and governance clauses. Service-public recommends entrusting them to a lawyer. Sources (3)Service-publicService-public: choosing the legal formService-publicService-public: cost of company formation formalitiesService-publicService-public: setting up and depositing share capital
Key features
| Point | SAS |
|---|---|
| Shareholders | At least two shareholders |
| Capital | Freely set, €1 minimum; at least 50% of cash contributions paid in at incorporation, the balance within 5 years |
| Executive | The president (and, where applicable, managing directors), treated as employees |
| Taxation | Corporation tax by default |
| Liability | Limited to contributions |
Setup steps
- Choose the name, business activity, registered office and amount of capital.
- Draft the articles of association (with LegalRapide: generated from your answers).
- Deposit the capital in a bank account in the name of the company being formed and obtain the certificate of deposit of funds.
- Sign the articles.
- Publish the legal notice of incorporation.
- File the application with the guichet unique (the single online filing portal), which forwards it to the greffe, Insee, URSSAF and the tax office.
- Receive the Kbis extract once the greffe has approved the filing.
What does it cost?
| Item | Current amount |
|---|---|
| Registration (greffe) | €33.83 |
| Beneficial ownership declaration | €19.33 |
| Legal notice of incorporation (mainland flat rate) | €199 excl. VAT, i.e. €238.80 incl. VAT |
| LegalRapide service, Essentiel plan | €0 excl. VAT |
| Total with the Essentiel plan | €291.96 incl. VAT |
| Option: Rapide plan (+ €149 excl. VAT, filing within 24 working hours) | €470.76 incl. VAT |
The capital is not a cost: it stays with the company. See is share capital a cost?
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum capital for an SAS?
€1. At least 50% of cash contributions must be paid in at incorporation, the rest within 5 years.
How much does it cost to set up an SAS?
€291.96 incl. VAT in legal fees in mainland France at current rates, plus any provider's service fee.
Written by Razvan Toma, founder of LegalRapide. How we check our figures · LinkedIn