Foreign founders can own 100% of a French company, with no local partner required. That openness, plus a single online filing portal, is why business registration in France keeps drawing founders from Singapore and beyond.
In this guide, we explain how to register a company in France as a foreign founder in 2026, covering the structures, documents, six filing steps, costs and the compliance calendar that follows.
Why Do Foreign Founders Choose France for Business Registration?
France combines full foreign ownership, one online registration portal and EU single-market access, a package few large economies match.
France is the European Union's (EU) second-largest economy, with around 68 million consumers. Registering a company there also anchors your business inside the EU single market of roughly 450 million consumers.
If you are still benchmarking destinations, our guides on why set up business in Sri Lanka, why set up business in Bangladesh and setting up a business in Thailand cover three Asian alternatives in depth.
Four advantages foreign founders weigh include:
- Market scale: roughly 450 million consumers across the EU single market.
- Ownership freedom: founders from any country may hold 100% of the shares.
- Research support: France's research tax credit has historically returned around 30% of qualifying spend.
- Simpler formation: the PACTE reforms of 2019 modernised French company law and cut red tape.
Which Legal Structure Suits a Foreign Founder Best?
The SAS is the default for foreign founders because it is flexible and has no minimum capital, while the SARL suits smaller owner-managed teams.
Your legal form fixes your liability, governance and fundraising options. French company law, set out in the Code de commerce, recognises several forms. Foreign founders most often choose one of the five below, which we also summarise in the structures table.
Solo professionals may instead use the micro-entreprise regime, although it is a personal status rather than a company.
1. SAS – Société par Actions Simplifiée
The simplified joint-stock company needs no minimum capital and allows one or more shareholders of any nationality. Its statutes are highly flexible, which is why startups, holding structures and outside investors prefer it. A président leads the company on terms you define.
2. SARL – Société à Responsabilité Limitée
The French equivalent of a private limited company allows between two and 100 associates. Capital is freely set in the statutes, and a gérant manages day-to-day affairs. It suits owner-managed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and family businesses.
3. SA – Société Anonyme
The public company form requires a minimum share capital of €37,000 under current French law. Governance is heavier, with a board and, in larger companies, an independent statutory audit once size thresholds are crossed. Choose it for large ventures or regulated sectors.
4. EURL – the Single-Member SARL
The EURL is a SARL with one associate, giving a solo founder limited liability in corporate form. It works well where one person wants a company without co-founders. Conversion to a multi-owner SARL is straightforward later.
5. Branch or Representative Office
An overseas company can register a branch to trade in France without creating a new legal person. The parent company remains fully liable for the branch. Many groups use it to test the market before incorporating.
French Company Structures for Foreign Founders
| Legal form | Shareholders | Minimum capital | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAS | One or more, any nationality | None | Startups, holdings and outside investors |
| SARL | Two to 100 | None | Owner-managed SMEs and family businesses |
| SA | Two or more | €37,000 | Large ventures and regulated sectors |
| EURL | One | None | Solo founders wanting limited liability |
| Branch office | Extension of the parent company | None | Market testing before incorporation |
| Micro-entreprise | One individual | None | Solo freelancers and consultants |
What Are the Steps to Register a Company in France?
Registration is a six-step online process through INPI's one-stop shop, and a standard SAS or SARL is typically registered within one to four weeks.
Since 1 January 2023, every creation formality runs through the one-stop shop (guichet unique) operated by the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI). The old chamber-based centres have been replaced by a single online account. We file through this portal for non-resident clients regularly, and the sequence below is the one we follow. When you register your business in France, the capital-deposit certificate must be ready before the online filing.
Step 1: Check and fix your company name
INPI's free database search shows conflicting names and registered trade marks. France has no paid name reservation, unlike Singapore's SGD 15 filing that holds a name for 120 days. Confirm availability shortly before you submit.
Step 2: Draft the statuts and appoint your officer
The statuts (articles of association) set the share capital, governance and powers. A SAS appoints a président and a SARL appoints a gérant. No nationality or residency requirement applies to either role.
Step 3: Secure your registered office
Your siège social can be premises you lease or a commercial domiciliation contract. The address determines your tax office and the approved legal journal for your notice.
Step 4: Deposit capital and publish the legal notice
Before filing, deposit the paid-up cash capital with a credit institution or notary and obtain the deposit certificate. Then announce the creation in a journal d'annonces légales (JAL) covering its département. A ministerial order sets the tariff, so the cost is predictable.
Step 5: File online and pay the registry fee
Upload the statuts, identity documents, sworn translations, address proof and the JAL attestation, then pay the registry fee. Non-residents may file personally or appoint a professional representative.
Step 6: Collect your SIREN, SIRET and extrait Kbis
The French statistics institute (INSEE) issues your SIREN and SIRET identification numbers. The commercial registry then issues the extrait Kbis, the certificate banks and clients request. Your company is now live in the French business register.
What Documents Do Non-Resident Founders Need?
Expect signed statuts, passport copies with sworn French translations, address proof, a capital-deposit attestation and beneficial-owner details.
French authorities may request regularisation of missing documents after submission, although a complete pack still avoids delays. One missing sworn translation can add weeks to a filing.
Non-EU founders face no extra approval to own shares or hold office. Relocating to France to run the company is a separate immigration question, and official guidance on Service-Public.fr sets out the current visa routes. We pre-check every pack before submission for exactly this reason.
Your filing pack should include:
- Draft statuts signed by every founding shareholder.
- Valid identity documents for each natural-person officer, plus any shareholder or beneficial-owner documents requested by the portal.
- Proof of the registered office, such as a lease or domiciliation contract.
- Attestation of capital deposit from your bank, where the statutes set capital.
- Officer consents and declarations of non-conviction.
- Beneficial-owner details for the registre des bénéficiaires effectifs (RBE).
- French translations of foreign-language documents where required by the competent authority or the filing rules.
How Much Does Business Registration in France Cost?
Official charges are modest, typically a few hundred euros at most, while address, drafting and translation choices drive the real budget.
The 2026 RCS creation tariff for a commercial company is €22.14, plus €16.11 for the beneficial-owner declaration, regardless of whether it is an SAS, SARL or SA. The JAL notice is capped locally, and the portal adds no separate filing charge.
The real variables are commercial. A domiciliation address, professional drafting of the statuts, sworn translations and bank onboarding all move the budget. Our indicative table shows the ranges founders plan for in 2026. Confirm current tariffs on the INPI portal before you commit.
Indicative Costs of Registering a French Company in 2026
| Cost item | Indicative range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RCS registry fee | Roughly €40–€60 | Set by legal form; confirm the current tariff on the INPI portal |
| Legal notice (JAL) | Roughly €100–€300 | Capped by departmental order; depends on notice length |
| Registered office (domiciliation) | €30–€100+ per month | Free if you use premises you already lease |
| Statutes drafting (optional) | From about €200 | Via a Corporate Services Provider or lawyer |
| Sworn translations | About €30–€80 per document | Required for foreign identity and address papers |
| Portal filing | No separate charge | The one-stop shop routes your file to the registry |
Do You Need a French Visa, Bank Account or Resident Officer?
No visa, residency or local officer is required to incorporate; however, commercial companies must deposit capital before filing and should plan their banking early.
A founder based in Singapore or anywhere else can hold 100% of the shares and serve as an officer. Non-EU founders only need immigration clearance if they move to France and draw a salary there.
Capital must be deposited before filing, but a French operating account is not the only route to the deposit certificate: a credit institution or notary can take the deposit. Once the company is registered, the funds can be released and you can arrange the operating account your business needs; non-residents should expect robust know your customer (KYC) checks. We regularly guide clients through this onboarding step.
French is the working language of every filing. Statutes, notices and accounts must be drafted or translated into French, which is why most foreign founders delegate drafting and correspondence to a Corporate Services Provider.
France vs Singapore: Registration and Compliance Compared
| Item | France (as at 2026) | Singapore (as at 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Government incorporation fee | Registry fee of roughly €40–€60 | Flat SGD 300 payable to ACRA |
| Name reservation | Free INPI search; no reservation system | SGD 15, valid for 120 days |
| Minimum share capital | None for SAS and SARL; €37,000 for an SA | SGD 1 minimum paid-up capital |
| Local presence | No resident officer required | At least one locally resident director |
| Company secretary | No statutory requirement | Resident secretary within six months |
| Corporate income tax | 25% standard, with a 15% reduced tranche | 17% headline, with start-up exemptions |
| Consumption tax | VAT at 20% standard rate | GST at 9%, above S$1 million turnover |
| Typical incorporation time | About one to four weeks | Often one to two days |
What Happens After Your Company Enters the French Business Register?
After business registration France, your company starts a compliance calendar: VAT returns where applicable, annual accounts, corporate tax filings and payroll declarations once you hire.
Your first tasks are releasing deposited capital, arranging the operating account you need, VAT registration where applicable, the beneficial-ownership entry and an initial local business tax (CFE) declaration. The initial CFE declaration is due by 31 December of the year in which the establishment is created, and the creation year itself is exempt.
The recurring calendar then covers VAT, corporate income tax and annual accounts. France's standard corporate income tax rate is 25%, with a 15% reduced tranche for qualifying small companies. Shareholders approve annual accounts within six months of the financial year-end, and books must be kept in French. Most companies appoint a regulated French bookkeeping professional, the expert-comptable, for this.
For founders in Singapore running both jurisdictions, the contrasts matter. Singapore's regulator, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), charges a flat SGD 300 incorporation fee as at 2026. Singapore also requires a locally resident director, a resident company secretary within six months, and a 17% headline corporate tax with start-up exemptions.
Its Goods and Services Tax (GST) runs at 9%, with registration above S$1 million of turnover. Singapore's rules keep evolving too, according to ACRA: changes under the Corporate and Accounting Laws (Amendment) Act 2025 commence on 20 October 2026. Coordinating both calendars is what our overseas setup support guide is designed to help with.
Key Post-Registration Obligations for a French Company
| Obligation | Authority | Frequency or deadline |
|---|---|---|
| VAT returns | DGFiP (French tax authority) | Monthly or quarterly under the real-normal regime; semi-annual instalments and an annual return under the simplified regime in 2026 |
| Corporate income tax return | DGFiP | Annually, about three months after the financial year-end |
| Approval of annual accounts | Shareholders | Within six months of the financial year-end |
| Filing of annual accounts | Commercial registry (greffe) | Following shareholder approval |
| Payroll and social declarations | URSSAF (social contributions) | Monthly, once employees are hired |
| Initial CFE declaration | Local tax office | By 31 December of the year in which the establishment is created |
Conclusion
Registering a company in France as a foreign founder is achievable without a local partner, a visa or a share of your equity. The usual route is a SAS or SARL, filed online through the INPI one-stop shop, at an official cost measured in tens of euros. What deserves your attention is document quality and the compliance calendar that follows.
As part of the 3E Accounting International Network, we help founders in Singapore and worldwide choose the right structure, draft statuts, arrange sworn translations and file through the guichet unique. We then keep French VAT, accounts and tax filings aligned with your obligations at home.
If France is your next market, our team can map the right structure and deadlines before you commit. Talk to us about registering your company in France, and we will take the process from name search to Kbis.
Ready to Register Your Company in France?
Tell us about your venture and we will map the right structure, prepare your French filings and keep the new company compliant from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. French law sets no nationality or residency requirement for shareholders or officers, so one foreign founder can hold all the shares. Visa rules apply only if you relocate to France to run the company.
A SAS or SARL with a nominal share capital keeps official costs lowest. Registry and legal-notice charges typically come to a few hundred euros at most in 2026, while address and professional fees add more.
A complete, well-prepared SAS or SARL filing is usually registered within one to four weeks through the INPI one-stop shop. Missing sworn translations or inconsistent documents are the most common causes of delay.
No. You can own and direct the company from abroad, and filings can be signed through a representative. All registry documents must be in French, so most foreign founders delegate drafting and filing.
It is the official registration certificate issued from the RCS, France's business register. French banks, clients and suppliers routinely ask for it as proof that your company exists.
Abigail Yu
Director
Abigail Yu oversees executive leadership at 3E Accounting Group, leading operations, IT solutions, public relations, and digital marketing to drive business success. She holds an honors degree in Communication and New Media from the National University of Singapore and is highly skilled in crisis management, financial communication, and corporate communications.
