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Is share capital a formation cost?

No: the capital is the company's money, released to its account after registration. It is not added to the fees.
By Razvan Toma · Founder

Last updated 22 October 2026Sources cited in the text

TL;DR

No. Share capital is not an expense: it is the money you contribute to your company. It is blocked 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. Service-public

What changes with the amount

CapitalEffect
€1 to a few hundred eurosFormation is possible, but it sends a weak signal to a bank or supplier
€1,000 to €5,000Common for a consultant or a small shop
HigherReassures partners; protects against the procedure that applies when equity falls below half the share capital

You do not have to pay it all in at formation: at least 50% for a SAS/SASU, 20% for a SARL/EURL, the rest within 5 years.

Written by Razvan Toma, founder of LegalRapide. How we check our figures · LinkedIn

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