France - Sàrl Company Incorporation

Company Structures in France

Sàrl - Société à Responsabilité Limitée. Private Limited company is used in France and other French speaking countries for small companies
SCI - Société Civile Immobilière is a company with shareholders, but simply to hold property. Commercial activity is not permitted

Company Type	Number of partners/shareholders	Minimum and/or maximum capital
La Societe responsabilite limitee (Sàrl) - Private Limited Company	Minimum 2 partners. Maximum 50 partners	Minimum €1 – at least 20% payable on incorporation, with the remainder to be paid within 5 years
Société Civile Immobilière - Civil Non-Trading Property Company	Minimum 2 Shareholders	There is no minimum share capital

Check name for uniqueness with the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI).

Deposit the initial capital.

Publish a notice of incorporation of the company in a journal approved for legal announcements and obtain evidence of publication.

File a request for a company's registration with the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE).

Buy company books -minute books, inventory books, ledgers. Have company books stamped and initialed by the clerk of the commercial court.

Companies objects - a brief description of the activities of your company.
Proposed company name
Sàrl - one director and two shareholders.
A copy of the passports of the shareholders and officers
Details of the marital status of any shareholders, including names of spouses. This requirement is unique to France
SCI – one director and two shareholders.

Open a French bank account and deposit start-up capital - Bank then issues a certificate.
Publish notice with a legally approved journal - Must state the name, the company administrator (gérant), share capital and registered office.
Register the company statutes at the local tax office - Presented to the tax authorities within one month of signing. They keep the original and stamp copies thereof.
File the company registration with the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises.
Buy company books - minute books, inventory books, ledgers. Have company books stamped and initialled by the clerk of the Commercial Court. The company journal is the main book to be stamped.
Inform the post office of the new enterprise by presenting the receipt given by the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises.

Timescale	Cost
3 weeks	£2860