# Which closing date should you choose for the first financial year?

Updated : 2026-10-24 · Source : https://legalrapide.fr/en/reponses/date-cloture-premier-exercice/

A company chooses its closing date **freely**, and it is stated in the articles of association. The **first financial year** can last less or more than 12 months, **up to a maximum of 24 months**. 31 December is the most common choice; the end of a quarter (31 March, 30 June, 30 September) is common too.

## Example
Company registered in October 2026:
| Closing date chosen | Length of the first financial year |
|---|---|
| 31 December 2026 | About 3 months |
| 31 December 2027 | About 15 months |
| 30 June 2027 | About 9 months |

## What the date triggers
- The stocktake and the annual accounts.
- **Approval of the accounts within six months** of the closing date, then filing them with the greffe.
- The tax return package (liasse fiscale).

The full calendar is in the [first-year obligations](/en/guides/obligations-premiere-annee/).

## What you cannot do
- Choose a variable date ("the first Monday in March").
- Go beyond 24 months for the first financial year.

Micro-entrepreneurs and liberal professions taxed under BNC must close on 31 December; for a company, the date remains free.

## With LegalRapide
The closing date of the first financial year is entered in your client area and then appears in the articles of association. Your accountant can advise you based on your seasonality.

## Sources
- [Service-public: choosing the closing date of a financial year](https://entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr/vosdroits/F32069)