How to start a business in France as a foreigner (2026)

Legal framework

Company formation is governed by the French Commercial Code (Code de commerce, notably Art. L. 223-1 et seq. for SARL and L. 227-1 et seq. for SAS); since 1 January 2023 all formalities are filed exclusively through the INPI 'guichet unique' (single online window) under Ordonnance 2020-115 and Décret 2021-300. Foreign-investment screening (IEF) is set out in Art. L. 151-3 of the Monetary and Financial Code; entry/stay for non-EU business creators is governed by the CESEDA 'Talent – porteur de projet' (former 'Passeport talent – création d'entreprise') regime.

Key points: starting a business in France

1. 01Foreign ownership

   There is no general nationality or residency requirement to own or manage a French company: 100% foreign shareholding is permitted, no local partner is required, and a non-resident can be a shareholder without a visa. Foreign investments in strategic sectors (defence, dual-use, critical technologies, energy, health, food, AI, quantum, semiconductors, critical raw materials) require prior authorisation from the Minister of the Economy under Art. L. 151-3 CMF (IEF regime).

   entreprendre.service-public.fr investmentpolicy.unctad.org

2. 02Single-window online registration

   Since 1 January 2023, all business creation, modification and cessation formalities must be filed via the INPI 'guichet unique' at procedures.inpi.fr, which then dispatches the file to Urssaf, DGFiP, the Greffe (commercial court registry) and INSEE. A SIREN number is generally allocated within 24–48 hours and the Kbis extract issued within 3–7 business days.

   procedures.inpi.fr inpi.fr entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr

3. 03Minimum capital and legal form

   The most common vehicles for foreigners are the SAS/SASU (flexible governance) and SARL/EURL (classic LLC); both have a statutory minimum share capital of €1 (Art. L. 223-2 and L. 227-1 of the Commercial Code). At least 20% (SARL) or 50% (SAS) of cash contributions must be paid up at incorporation, with the balance within five years.

   entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr inpi.fr

4. 04Setup steps

   The typical sequence is: (1) draft articles of association and choose the legal form; (2) secure a registered office in France (lease, domiciliation contract or director's home); (3) deposit share capital at a French bank, notary or Caisse des Dépôts and obtain the deposit certificate; (4) publish a notice of incorporation in an authorised legal journal (JAL); (5) file the incorporation dossier on the INPI guichet unique with beneficial-owner declaration; (6) receive SIREN/SIRET, RCS registration and Kbis.

   inpi.fr entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr

5. 05Visa for non-EU active managers

   Non-EU/EEA nationals who wish to reside in France to actively run the business generally apply for the 'Talent – porteur de projet' (ex-'Passeport talent – création d'entreprise') multi-year residence permit (up to 4 years, renewable). Requirements: a Master's-equivalent diploma or ≥5 years of comparable professional experience, a real and serious project, and evidence of investing at least €30,000 in the venture. A prior 'real and serious' attestation must be obtained via démarches-simplifiées before the visa/permit application.

   entreprises.gouv.fr demarche.numerique.gouv.fr welcome.businessfrance.fr

6. 06Typical timeline and pain points

   End-to-end formation is realistic in about 1–4 weeks: drafting and signing statutes (a few days), capital deposit (often the slowest step for non-residents – some banks decline non-resident directors, so many use Qonto/Shine/notary escrow), JAL publication (1 day) and INPI processing (3–7 business days for the Kbis). Documents from abroad (passport copies, criminal-record extracts, proof of address) typically require certified sworn translation into French.

   inpi.fr entreprendre.service-public.fr

Timeline of decisions

1. 1 Jan 2024Incident
   Guichet unique kept on backup ('procédure de secours') after rollout failures

   Persistent technical breakdowns of the INPI single-window forced the government to extend the Infogreffe fallback procedure into 2024; the Cour des comptes had judged the launch timetable unrealistic. It exposed how fragile the digitised company-formation pipeline still was in practice.

   Revue Fiduciaire

2. 1 Jan 2023Law · official
   Single-window portal (Guichet unique) and National Business Register (RNE) go live

   All business creation, modification and cessation formalities must now be filed online via formalites.entreprises.gouv.fr, run by INPI, replacing the seven CFE networks; the RNE merged the commercial, trades and agricultural registers into one. It is the central one-stop entry point for starting a business today.

   INPI

3. 14 Feb 2022Law · official
   Single status for individual entrepreneurs; EIRL phased out

   Law n°2022-172 created a unified 'entrepreneur individuel' status that automatically shields personal assets from business creditors (no declaration needed) and ended creation of the EIRL. Effective 15 May 2022, it made limited-liability sole trading the default, sharply lowering the risk of starting solo.

   Légifrance

4. 22 May 2019Law · official
   Loi PACTE simplifies and digitises company creation

   Law n°2019-486 mandated a single online platform and a dematerialised general business register, allowed online legal-notice publication, and raised audit-requirement thresholds for SARL/SAS/SA. It set the legal basis for the 2023 Guichet unique and reduced startup formalities and costs.

   Légifrance

5. 1 Jan 2016Law · official
   Auto-entrepreneur regime renamed 'micro-entrepreneur'

   The simplified solo-business scheme created in 2008 was rebranded and progressively harmonised with the broader micro-enterprise rules. The regime remains the most popular and lowest-friction route to launching an activity in France.

   Direction générale des Entreprises

6. 4 Aug 2008Law · official
   Loi de modernisation de l'économie (LME) creates the auto-entrepreneur regime

   Law n°2008-776 introduced (from 1 Jan 2009) a hugely simplified scheme letting anyone start a commercial, craft or independent activity with streamlined, turnover-based social and tax payments. It dramatically lowered the barrier to becoming an entrepreneur.

   Légifrance

7. 1 Aug 2003Law · official
   Loi Dutreil abolishes minimum capital for the SARL

   Law n°2003-721 'pour l'initiative économique' let founders freely set SARL capital from €1 (previously €7,500) and let entrepreneurs declare their main residence unseizable. It removed a key financial obstacle to incorporating a small company.

   Légifrance

8. 12 Jul 1999Law · official
   SAS opened to all founders, including a single shareholder

   The 1999 reform removed the original capital floor and joint-venture restriction, letting any natural or legal person (and a sole shareholder, via the SASU) create a Société par actions simplifiée. This made the SAS the flexible, now-dominant vehicle for new companies and startups.

   Légifrance

9. 3 Jan 1994Law · official
   Creation of the Société par actions simplifiée (SAS)

   Law n°94-1 established the SAS, a corporate form whose internal organisation is largely set by the founders' bylaws rather than rigid statutory rules. Initially limited to capitalised joint ventures, it became the basis for France's most flexible modern company type.

   Légifrance

10. 11 Jul 1985Law · official
    Creation of the EURL (single-member limited company)

    Law n°85-697 introduced the entreprise unipersonnelle à responsabilité limitée, letting one person form a limited-liability company and separate business from personal patrimony. It established the foundational option for solo founders to incorporate with limited liability.

    Légifrance

Sources

1. 1.procedures.inpi.fr/
2. 2.inpi.fr/realiser-demarches/formalites-dentreprises/etapes-cles-pour-creer-son
3. 3.entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr/
4. 4.entreprendre.service-public.fr/vosdroits/F36620/1_0_0
5. 5.entreprises.gouv.fr/espace-entreprises/faq/mon-entreprise-au-quotidien/comment-obtenir-un
6. 6.demarche.numerique.gouv.fr/commencer/passeport-talent-mention-creation-entreprise
7. 7.welcome.businessfrance.fr/en/setting-up-a-business/recruiting-international-talent/visas-and-re
8. 8.bpifrance-creation.fr/entrepreneur/actualites/reforme-du-passeport-talent-creation
9. 9.investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-policy-monitor/measures/3386/france-strengthens-its-fdi-sc