Open a company in France: SAS or SASU
Opening a SAS in France uses the same steps as any local company: articles, legal notice and RCS registration, with freely set capital from €1 and 25% corporate tax (15% on the reduced band). We compare SAS and SASU against your figures.
The largest consumer market in the EU.
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Companies already operating in Europe with Filnet
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Our advisors analyse the market in France and the tax strategy that best fits your case: legal form, taxes and annual obligations. Free and no commitment.
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- Your landing in FranceWe analyse the market, the legal form and the real costs of operating from France, based on your activity and goals.
- A tax strategy tailored to youTaxes, holding structures and double taxation between Spain and France, explained for your case.
- A local expert advisorIn your language, with paperwork handled and fixed prices.
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Key figures for France
Corporation tax
CIT 25%
in Spain: 25%
Indirect tax
VAT 20%
in Spain: 21%
Time to incorporate
3-6 weeks
100% online, no travel
Market
68M consumers
The EU's largest consumer market
The legal structure you will operate with
We analyse your case and choose the structure that fits best; this is the usual one for most businesses.
Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS)
SAS / SASU
Benefits
- A market of 68 millionThe EU's second-largest economy, with strong demand in industry, services and retail, a step away from Spain.
- SAS with no minimum capitalCapital is set freely in the articles, from €1, with no large mandatory payment.
- Reduced corporate tax for SMEs15% on the first €42,500 of profit if turnover stays below €10m and at least 75% of the capital is held by individuals.
- Credibility with French clientsA local subsidiary keeps you out of the discard pile in tenders and speeds up contracts with large accounts.
- Treaty with SpainThe Spain-France treaty splits taxing rights and caps withholding on dividends and interest.
Key considerations
- Minimum capital
- Free (from €1)
- Timeline
- 3-6 weeks
- Corporation tax
- CIT 25%
No endless background checks to open your company bank account
Thanks to our agreements with Revolut and other partner banks, your company account in another country does not sit for months in reviews: the account opening runs in parallel with the rest of the project, so you can operate sooner.
- No files stuck for monthsWe work with partner banks that know the process and will not ask for the same documents five times.
- Open in daysAn operating account to invoice and get paid, without waiting for months.
- Setup and bank account in parallelWe coordinate both tracks so you lose no time on either.
How a company is opened in France
You decide and you sign. We prepare, review and accompany you step by step.
We analyse your case and compare legal forms
SAS, SASU or branch, with annual cost, tax and duties compared against your own activity.
We prepare the articles and legal notice for your signature
We draft the documents and size the capital; you sign and decide which clauses go in.
We coordinate registration with the local professional
From the CFE filing to the RCS: we fix the order, what is missing and who files what.
We set up accounting, VAT and corporate tax
French chart of accounts, VAT and corporate tax calendar, and the year-end close under the Plan Comptable Général.
Payroll and social contributions
Registrations, French contracts, payslips and contributions from the first employee, at €45/month each.
Year-on-year follow-up
Annual accounts, the tax package and reminders before each deadline so you avoid penalties.
Why France
Opening a company in France usually means a SAS or SASU: articles, registered office, legal notice and registration with the RCS. Corporate tax is 25%, with 15% on the first €42,500 of profit, and VAT is 20%. We analyse which structure suits you before you sign anything.
The largest consumer market in the EU.
Explore expansion optionsA market of 68 million
The EU's second-largest economy, with strong demand in industry, services and retail, a step away from Spain.
SAS with no minimum capital
Capital is set freely in the articles, from €1, with no large mandatory payment.
Reduced corporate tax for SMEs
15% on the first €42,500 of profit if turnover stays below €10m and at least 75% of the capital is held by individuals.
Credibility with French clients
A local subsidiary keeps you out of the discard pile in tenders and speeds up contracts with large accounts.
Treaty with Spain
The Spain-France treaty splits taxing rights and caps withholding on dividends and interest.
Explore more about France
Case studies
V2C
We supported V2C in its expansion to Portugal, France, Germany and Italy until it became the leader in electric chargers in Europe (+€30M).
Portugal · Francia · Alemania · Italia
View case
Hagen Group
We helped Hagen Group, the world’s largest pet supplies company, establish itself in Portugal, Andorra and Italy (×7 sales in Spain).
Portugal · Andorra · Italia
View caseFrequently asked questions
Drafting the articles and formalities run between €300 and €800, the legal notice between €150 and €250 and the RCS registration about €40. The bank account adds up to €200. Those are third-party costs; our fees are quoted after the analysis.
Accounting and tax start at €550/month and payroll at €45/month per employee. On top come the CFE, an annual local tax, and the annual accounts with their tax package. We give you the annual total in writing before you start.
The SASU is the single-shareholder SAS: the same flexible articles and the same tax treatment, with no second shareholder. If you plan to bring in partners or investors, the SAS lets you allocate shares and set agreements from day one. We compare both with your figures.
Yes: there is no residence requirement for the president or the shareholders. You do need a registered office in France, which can be a commercial domiciliation. If you run the company from Spain, check the permanent-establishment risk first.
Other countries to open a company
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