# Forming a company: which documents do you sign, and is an electronic signature enough?

Updated : 2026-10-24 · Source : https://legalrapide.fr/en/reponses/signature-electronique-creation/

To form a company, you sign the **articles of association** (all shareholders), a **declaration of no criminal record and of parentage** for each director and, if a third party handles the process for you, a **power of attorney**. 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 (one-stop business portal) with a **simple signature**: a ticked box that serves as a sworn statement.

## Who signs what
| Document | Signatories |
|---|---|
| Articles of association | Each shareholder (or the sole shareholder); for a corporate shareholder, its legal representative |
| List of subscribers (joint-stock companies) | The president |
| Declaration of no criminal record and of parentage | Each director |
| Power of attorney to carry out the formalities | The director |
| Formation filing on the guichet unique | The filer, with a simple signature |

## Formation, amendment, closure: three levels
- **Formation**: simple signature on the guichet unique.
- **Amendment or closure, filing of annual accounts**: advanced electronic signature based on a qualified certificate, or login via FranceConnect+.
- The articles and other attached documents are not subject to a qualified signature.

## Good to know
- Documents are filed as PDFs (10 MB maximum per file).
- At LegalRapide, the documents to sign are generated in your client area from your answers.

## Sources
- [INPI: signing your filing on the guichet unique](https://www.inpi.fr/ressources/formalites-dentreprises/signer-sa-formalite-sur-guichet-unique)
- [Guichet unique: signing](https://formalites.entreprises.gouv.fr/signer.php)
- [Légifrance: Civil Code, art. 1367 (electronic signature)](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000032042456)
- [Service-public: drafting and registering the articles of association](https://entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr/vosdroits/F32232)