Cost and commitment 5
Setting up a company for €0: which fees are still payable?No, a company is never set up for €0: the "€0" refers to the online service's own fee. The legal fees still apply: €223.56 incl. VAT for a SASU and €291.96 incl. VAT for a SAS in mainland France, at current rates.Can you set up a SASU without an accounting subscription?Yes. No law requires you to hire a chartered accountant to set up a SASU, or to run it afterwards. Some free formation offers are tied to an accounting subscription; with LegalRapide, the Essentiel and Rapide plans require no subscription.Which fees do you pay before registration?Before registration, you pay the legal notice (€142 excl. VAT for a SASU at current rates) to the newspaper, then, when the application is filed, the greffe (commercial court registry) fees (€33.83) and the beneficial ownership declaration (€19.33). The capital is deposited before registration, but it remains the company's property.Is share capital a formation cost?No. Share capital is not an expense: it is the money you contribute to your company. It is frozen during formation, then released to the company's bank account after registration, and the company can use it for its business. The legal minimum is €1 for a SAS, SASU, SARL and EURL.Company not set up after all: how do you recover the deposited capital?Deposited capital stays frozen until registration. If the company is not registered within 6 months of the first deposit, the shareholders can recover their funds, either by asking the depositary (bank or notaire) directly through a representative acting for all shareholders, or by applying to court (Commercial Code, art. L223-8 for the SARL and EURL, art. L225-11 applicable to the SAS and SASU).
Timelines 5
Setting up a company in 24 hours: which step is actually completed?What can be completed in 24 hours is the filing of a complete application with the guichet unique (the one-stop online filing portal). Registration, and therefore the Kbis, then depends on approval by the greffe, which no one can guarantee. With the Rapide plan, LegalRapide commits to filing within 24 business hours of receiving the complete application, or the service fee is refunded.When does the filing deadline for my application start?The 24-business-hour deadline of the Rapide plan starts when we receive your complete application: signed articles of association, certificate of deposit of funds, certificate of publication of the legal notice, proof of registered office address, ID and signed declaration of no criminal record. Your client area shows the time your complete application was received and the filing deadline, and you also receive them by email. The deadline is counted in consecutive hours; Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are not counted.Can you invoice before receiving your Kbis?You can sign quotes and contracts on behalf of the company in formation before registration: the company takes them over once registered, if they are listed in the articles of association or approved afterwards. Invoices, however, must show the SIREN number and RCS registration, so issue them after registration.What can delay a registration?A registration is delayed mainly by an incomplete or inconsistent application: an illegible or expired ID, an address or capital that differs between the articles, the notice and the form, or missing proof of registered office. The guichet unique then lists the missing items, which must be sent within 15 working days.Application rejected by the greffe: are the fees lost?A request for correction (missing document, inconsistency) costs nothing extra: you have 15 working days to respond. A final rejection, on the other hand, can mean losing the greffe fees already paid (€53.16 for a commercial company, beneficial ownership included): you have to pay again to refile. The safest course is to answer every request within the deadline.
Documents and preparation 7
Can I use articles of association I have already drafted?Yes. The articles do not have to be generated by a provider: you can supply your own, or those drafted by your lawyer, provided they contain the mandatory information (form, duration, name, registered office, purpose, capital) and match the legal notice, the certificate of deposit of funds and the form.Can I set up my company if my capital is already deposited?Yes. If you have already deposited the capital and obtained the certificate of deposit of funds, simply attach it to the application. The amount, shareholders and company name shown on the certificate must match the articles of association exactly.Do you have to deposit the capital before signing the articles of association?In practice, yes. The bank opens the account of the company in formation on the basis of the draft articles, you pay in the capital, and the bank issues the certificate of deposit of funds; you then sign the final articles, which mention this deposit. Both documents are attached to the registration application.What proof do I need to register my company at my home address?To register your company at home, provide proof that you occupy your main residence in your own name: title deed, lease, or a recent utility bill. Only the legal representative can do this. There are two cases (article L123-11-1 of the Commercial Code): if no statutory provision and no clause in the lease or co-ownership rules prohibits it, the registration is not limited in time; if such a clause exists, it is still possible for a maximum of 5 years from formation, without exceeding the period you occupy the home, after notifying the landlord or building manager in writing beforehand.What if the bank refuses the capital deposit?A bank can refuse to open the capital deposit account. Your options: ask for the refusal in writing, try another credit institution, or deposit the capital with a notaire. The Banque de France right-to-an-account procedure does not solve this case: the application requires a Kbis or RNE extract less than 3 months old, so a company that is already registered. A payment institution alone cannot receive the capital deposit: if an online account offers the deposit, check which institution receives the funds and signs the certificate.Company formation: which documents do you sign, and is an electronic signature enough?To set up a company, you sign the articles of association (all shareholders), a declaration of no criminal record and parentage for each director and, if a third party handles the formalities for you, a mandate. An electronic signature is valid for these documents as long as it relies on a reliable identification process (Civil Code, art. 1367). The formation filing itself is signed on the guichet unique with a simple signature: a ticked box that serves as a sworn statement.Can you deposit share capital without going through a bank?Yes: a commercial company's capital can be deposited with a notaire instead of a bank. It cannot, however, be deposited with a payment institution alone (if an online account offers the deposit, check which institution receives the funds), and the Caisse des dépôts no longer accepts it since 1 June 2021. A SCI has no obligation to deposit its capital.
Your situation 6
Can you set up a company while staying employed?Yes. An employee can set up and run a company alongside their job, on two conditions: respecting their duty of loyalty (no activity competing with the employer's) and not being bound by an applicable exclusivity clause. Check your employment contract and collective agreement before setting up.Setting up a SASU while receiving ARE: what to check before filingA founder receiving benefits from France Travail can, on becoming president of a SASU, either keep receiving ARE on top of their income (an unpaid president earns no income from the activity), or apply for ARCE, a lump-sum payment of 60% of the remaining ARE entitlement, paid in two instalments six months apart. For ARE opened after a job loss on or after 1 April 2025, the monthly top-up is capped at 60% of the entitlement remaining on the date the activity starts.Can you set up a company without paying yourself a salary?Yes. A director can take no pay at all, by decision of the shareholders. The consequences differ: an unpaid president of a SAS or SASU pays no social contributions (and builds up no entitlements), whereas the manager of an EURL or majority manager of a SARL, as a self-employed worker, owes minimum contributions even with no income.How do you move from a micro-entreprise to a company?A micro-entreprise cannot be converted into a company: it is a sole proprietorship. To move to a company, you set up the company, then declare the closure of the micro-entreprise on the guichet unique, or you contribute your business (clients, equipment) to the company, which may require a valuation.Letters and payment demands after formation: which ones are scams?After registration, many founders receive letters that imitate an official body and demand payment to "confirm" the registration, appear in a register or avoid being struck off. These are scams: registration in the Sirene directory is free, no letter is sent during this process, and INPI never asks for payment by letter with a QR code.Can you hide your personal address when setting up your company?Yes, for your personal address as a director: since the decree of 22 August 2025, you can ask for it to be hidden in the RCS (trade and companies register), on the Kbis and in filed documents. The national business register (RNE) already publishes only the town of residence. The registered office address, however, is always public: if the registered office is at your home, your address appears as the registered office. To avoid this, register the company elsewhere.
Choosing a service 4
INPI or a formation platform: who does what?INPI runs the guichet unique, the mandatory website since 2023 where every business formation is filed. A platform such as LegalRapide prepares the documents from your answers and files the application for you, under a mandate. The greffe then checks the application and registers the company; Insee assigns the SIREN.Do I need a lawyer to set up my company?No, no law requires a lawyer to set up a company. For a simple SASU or EURL, a platform is enough. A lawyer is recommended as soon as the articles bind several people: multiple shareholders, investors, a shareholders' agreement, exit clauses, contributions in kind or a holding structure.Can I keep my current accountant?Yes. LegalRapide's Essentiel and Rapide plans require no accounting subscription: you keep the accountant of your choice. We give you the articles of association, the Kbis and the tax information declared at formation, to pass on to your firm.What does an anti-rejection guarantee cover?The anti-rejection guarantee of the Rapide plan covers the correction and refiling with no service fee if the greffe asks for a correction or rejects the application because of an error attributable to LegalRapide. It does not cover inaccurate information or documents you supplied, nor any legal fees that may be charged again.
Foreign founders 13
Can you set up a French company without living in France?Yes. According to service-public.gouv.fr, a foreign national can set up a business in France without living there. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals follow the same steps as a French citizen. For a national of any other country, settling in France or actually carrying out the activity there requires a residence permit that allows it.Do you have to come to France to set up your company?Not necessarily. The articles of association can be signed electronically, the capital can be deposited remotely with an online bank that accepts it, and the application is filed online on the guichet unique, by you or by a representative such as LegalRapide. The condition that most often gets in the way is the bank's identity check.Which foreign documents must be translated?For the director's identity, a valid passport is generally enough. Other documents written in a foreign language, for example the registration extract of a foreign corporate shareholder or a civil status certificate, may need to be accompanied by a French translation by a certified translator, if the greffe asks for it. The guichet unique accepts PDFs only.Does setting up a company give you the right to live or work in France?No. Setting up or running a French company does not, on its own, give any right to reside or work in France. A national of a country outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland who wants to settle in France and run their business from there must obtain a long-stay visa or a suitable residence permit, for example the "passeport talent" card, under the conditions set by the authorities.Can a foreign company be a shareholder of a French company?Yes. A company registered abroad can be a shareholder of a French SAS, SARL or SCI, or the sole shareholder of a SASU or EURL. The application also requires the foreign company's registration extract, translated into French, the signature of the articles by its legal representative, and the declaration of the individuals who own or control it (beneficial owners, above 25% of the capital or voting rights, directly or indirectly).I am Spanish: can I set up a SAS or SASU in France?Yes. Like any European Union citizen, a Spanish national needs no residence permit to set up and run a company in France, whether they live in France or in Spain. The steps, documents and fees are the same as for a French citizen: €223.56 incl. VAT in legal fees for a SASU in mainland France, at current rates.I am German: can I set up a SAS in France, and how does it differ from a GmbH?Yes. A German citizen can set up and run a company in France without a residence permit, whether they live in France or in Germany. The form closest to a GmbH is the SAS (or SASU with a single shareholder): liability limited to contributions, but capital freely set from €1, compared with €25,000 for a GmbH (§ 5 GmbHG), and articles signed privately, without a notary.I am British: can I set up a company in France since Brexit?Yes. Since 1 January 2021, British citizens have been third-country nationals. If they do not live in France, they can set up a company and be its director without a visa or residence permit. However, actually and regularly performing that role in France, or settling there, requires a residence permit that allows it.I am American: can I set up a SAS or SASU in France?Yes. A US national who does not live in France can set up a SAS or SASU and be its president without a visa or residence permit. Settling in France, or actually and regularly performing that role there, requires a suitable residence permit (the "entrepreneur / profession libérale" or "passeport talent" card). On the US side, owning or running a foreign company may require filings with the IRS, such as Form 5471.I am Swiss: can I set up a company in France?Yes. Swiss nationals enjoy freedom of movement, like EU and EEA citizens: they can set up and run a company in France without a residence permit, whether they live in Switzerland or in France. The steps and fees are the same as for a French citizen: €223.56 incl. VAT in legal fees for a SASU in mainland France.I live in another EU country with a non-EU residence permit: can I be president of a French SASU?Yes. If you do not live in France, you can set up a company and be its president without a French residence permit, even if you are not an EU citizen: your Italian, Spanish or German residence permit is not required for this. What does require a French permit is settling in France or actually and regularly performing that role there.I hold an employee or student residence permit in France: can I set up a company?Not directly. The residence permits that service-public lists for setting up a business while living in France are the "entrepreneur / profession libérale" card, the "recherche d'emploi ou création d'entreprise" card (after a master's degree in France), the "passeport talent" and the EU long-term resident card. With an "employee" or "student" permit, you must in principle apply to the préfecture for a change of status before running your company.I am Algerian: which residence permit do I need to set up a company in France?Algerian nationals fall under the Franco-Algerian agreement. From Algeria, you can set up a company in France and run it without a French residence permit. To live in France and carry out a commercial, craft or industrial activity there, you need a one-year residence certificate marked "profession non salariée", or a 10-year residence certificate, which allows any professional activity.