Starting a business
Starting a business in France: the formalities step by step
Since 1 January 2023, all business formalities go through a single online portal run by the INPI. Here are the steps, in order, and what they cost.
Updated on 2 October 2026
The single portal
The PACTE Act of 22 May 2019 provided that, from 1 January 2023, all business formalities (formation, changes, closure) must be filed online with a single body run by the INPI: the website formalites.entreprises.gouv.fr. It replaces the former business formality centres (CCI, chambers of trades, court registries, Urssaf…). Using the website is free; some formalities still carry a fee.
Steps to set up a company
- Choose the legal form (SAS, SARL, SASU, EURL…).
- Choose the name: a company name is mandatory. Check its availability before going any further.
- Register the company's address: set its registered office.
- Deposit the share capital in a bank account; it can be withdrawn after registration.
- Appoint the director.
- Draw up the articles of association. For contributions in kind, a contributions auditor is required.
- Publish a formation notice in a newspaper or online press service authorised to carry legal notices in the département of the registered office.
- Apply for registration on the single portal: the company is entered in the National Business Register (RNE) and the Trade and Companies Register (RCS).
After filing, the company receives a « pending registration » receipt, valid for one month at most. If the application is incomplete, the missing documents must be provided within 15 working days.
What it costs
Legal notice (flat rates excluding VAT, mainland France)
| Form | Rate |
|---|---|
| EURL | 124 € |
| SASU | 142 € |
| SARL | 148 € |
| SAS | 199 € |
| SNC | 220 € |
| SA | 399 € |
Rates are higher in La Réunion and Mayotte. No legal notice is required for a micro-entrepreneur or sole trader.
Registration
| Case | Cost |
|---|---|
| Commercial company | 33,83 € + 19,33 € (beneficial owners) = 53,16 € |
| Non-trading company (SCI, SCP, SCM) | 60,38 € + 19,33 € |
| Commercial sole proprietorship | 21,74 € |
| Craft sole proprietorship | 45 € |
| Liberal profession or agricultural sole proprietorship | Free |
| Micro-enterprise | Free in most cases |
Sole proprietorships and micro-enterprises
The declaration is also made on the single portal, no earlier than one month before the activity starts and no later than fifteen days after. No articles of association, no share capital, no legal notice.
After registration
- SIREN and SIRET numbers are assigned automatically by INSEE as soon as the application is accepted.
- The company's public data can be consulted free of charge (RNE on DATA INPI, Sirene directory, business directory).
- Remember to protect your Name: registration is not a Trademark filing, nor does it reserve a domain name.
Key point: knowingly declaring false information is punishable by a 4 500 € fine and 6 months' imprisonment; operating without RNE registration, by a 7 500 € fine.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a commercial company?
33,83 € in registration fees, plus 19,33 € for the beneficial ownership declaration, i.e. 53,16 €, plus the legal notice (for example 148 € excl. VAT for a SARL or 199 € excl. VAT for an SAS in mainland France).
Does it cost anything to set up a micro-enterprise?
In most cases, no: registering a micro-enterprise is free, and no legal notice is required. A commercial agent activity is still subject to a 23,21 € fee.
When do you receive your SIREN number?
The SIREN (9 digits) and SIRET (14 digits) numbers are assigned automatically by INSEE as soon as the registration application is accepted, with no further steps. INSEE has no longer issued registration certificates since 1 January 2023.
Can you start trading before registration?
Yes, for a company, with the words « Société en cours de formation » (company in formation) on documents. However, operating on a lasting basis without registration in the National Business Register is an offence punishable by a 7 500 € fine.
Official sources
- Single portal — Legal framework
- Service-public.fr — Single electronic portal for business formalities
- Service-public.fr — Setting up a company
- Service-public.fr — Legal notice of formation
- Service-public.fr — Cost of registering a company
- Service-public.fr — Setting up a micro-enterprise
- Service-public.fr — Siren and Siret numbers
- INPI — National Business Register
General information up to date as of 2 October 2026, checked against the official websites cited. Fees and procedures may change: refer to the sources. This guide does not constitute legal advice.