Entity Formation in France

Ready for a permanent French presence? We help you incorporate the right entity (a SAS or SARL) the right way, and stay alongside you for the accounting, payroll, and compliance that follow. Independent advice, including telling you when it is too early.

  • Independent advice
  • Vetted partners
  • Honest Timing

What forming a French entity means

A SAS (simplified joint-stock company) or SARL (limited liability company) is the standard vehicle for a permanent French business presence. When you form one, you become the legal employer and operator in France, with full control and no per-employee EOR fees, in exchange for the setup time and the ongoing obligations.

01

Your Own Company

Your own entity makes you the legal employer and operator in France, with full control of employment terms and a local brand presence.

02

Lower Cost at Scale

No per-employee EOR fees. For permanent, proven headcount, owning the entity is more cost-effective than ongoing EOR arrangements.

03

Setup Takes Weeks

Incorporation involves drafting statutes, depositing capital, and registering with the greffe and URSSAF, and you cannot employ anyone until it completes. Timing the move matters, which is why many companies bridge with an EOR first.

How forming a French entity works, step by step

From structuring the company to operating it compliantly.

01 — Structure & prepare

We confirm a SAS or SARL is right for you, then prepare the statutes, reserve the company name, and arrange your registered French address.

02 — Capital & notarisation

Share capital (from EUR 1, though a realistic amount is advisable) is deposited in a blocked account, and the company is registered with the greffe du tribunal de commerce.

03 — Register the company

Corporate tax and VAT accounts are set up with the tax authority and URSSAF, so you can operate and employ compliantly.

04 — Operate & stay compliant

Business bank account, then ongoing accounting, payroll, filings, and annual reporting, all of which we can run for you.

What forming a French entity costs

Two kinds of cost: the one-off formation, and the ongoing operating obligations. France’s social and reporting obligations are substantial. We give you a clear figure before you commit.

Capital & formation

A SAS or SARL can be formed with share capital from EUR 1, though a realistic amount is advisable. This is equity you own, not a fee. Plus statutes, registration and publication costs.

Corporate tax

Standard corporate tax (impôt sur les sociétés) is 25%, with a reduced 15% rate on the first EUR 42,500 of profit for qualifying small companies.

VAT

Standard VAT (TVA) is 20%, with registration on incorporation for most trading companies and periodic returns once trading.

Ongoing Obligations

Accounting, monthly payroll (income tax and social charges), VAT and corporate tax filings, and annual reporting, all of which we can manage for you.

Why form your French entity through Bradford Jacobs

Why companies incorporate in France through us rather than a one-off formation agent.

We advise you on the best time to incorporate

We are independent: we assess what you actually need, place you with the right vetted partner, secure pricing you will not get going direct, and stay on your side to escalate or renegotiate. You get advice, not a product pitch.

  • Independent advice
  • Vetted partners only
  • On your side at renewal

End-to-end, not just the paperwork

We do not disappear after registration. We stay on for the accounting, payroll, and compliance, so your entity runs, not just exists.

  • 15-25% below direct
  • Network benchmarking
  • Renegotiated for you

The right specialists, in place

Legal, tax, and accounting partners we have vetted and worked with, coordinated for you, so the process moves and nothing gets missed.

  • Direct escalation
  • No support queues
  • Named account contact

Two decades of formations

Two decades forming and running entities across Europe. Once the greffe issues the KBIS extract, that document becomes the company’s proof of existence for everything that follows: opening the real operating bank account, signing a lease, registering for VAT. Without it, nothing else moves, and we sequence formation so it lands as early as the process allows.

  • Entity formations
  • Notary & tax partners
  • Traps avoided

We run it after you form it

Incorporation is the start, not the finish. We stay on for accounting, payroll, tax filings, and annual accounts, so your entity operates from day one without you building a local finance function.

  • Full back office
  • Accounting & payroll
  • Annual accounts

The French entity trap nobody mentions

A growing business hits a good quarter and someone says, let us just set up a proper French company. It sounds responsible. It usually is not, yet. Here is what people expect against what happens in practice.

Employment & payroll obligations

Expectation: it takes a few weeks and is just admin. Reality: incorporation needs drafted statutes, deposited capital, a registered French address, URSSAF registration and director obligations, and you cannot legally employ anyone in the gap.

Tax, filing & reporting obligations

Expectation: we can always reverse it. Reality: dissolving a French company needs a shareholder resolution, creditor notification, and a liquidation period. And once it exists, the obligations do not stop: annual accounts, monthly URSSAF filings, corporate tax and VAT returns, and director liability. None of this is a reason not to form an entity. It is a reason to form it at the right time, with the right partners already in place.

What we handle for your French entity

Beyond incorporation, we can run the full back office for your French entity.

Compliant payroll

Compliant French payroll and employment administration, issued and maintained for you.

Payroll & filings

Monthly payroll run, with income tax and social charges calculated, withheld, and filed each month.

Statutory benefits

All statutory benefits administered: five weeks’ leave, the mutuelle, AGIRC-ARRCO pension, sick and parental leave.

Compliance & support

Ongoing HR compliance and a single point of contact, for the life of the engagement.

Forming a French entity: your questions answered

Straight answers on forming and running a French entity.

How long does it take to form a French entity?

Usually a couple of weeks once statutes, deposited capital, and the registered address are in place, longer with any complication. You cannot legally employ anyone until registration and URSSAF setup complete, which is why timing matters and why many companies bridge with an EOR first.

A SAS or SARL can be formed with capital from EUR 1, though a realistic figure is advisable for credibility and banking. This is equity you own, not a fee. The other real cost is the ongoing accounting and compliance, which we can run for you.

Yes. A SAS or SARL can be fully owned by non-residents. You will need a registered French address and to complete the greffe registration, both of which we arrange.

Form an entity when you have permanent, proven headcount and want full control, and the per-head savings justify the ongoing costs. Use EOR while you are still validating the market or need people working quickly. Most companies start with EOR and incorporate later. We advise on the crossover.

Accounting, monthly payroll and URSSAF filings, corporate tax and VAT returns, and annual accounts filed with the greffe. We can run all of it so the entity stays compliant without you building a local finance function.

Yes, and it is how most companies use us. Beyond incorporation we provide ongoing accounting, payroll, and compliance, so your French entity operates smoothly from day one without hiring locally for back office.

Ready to form your company in France?

Tell us your plans for France and we will tell you honestly whether now is the time to incorporate, then handle it end to end if it is, usually scoped within a day. No formation-mill upsell, just the right call.

Tax, company, and labour data verified June 2026 (URSSAF, greffe, PwC). Figures change; we confirm the current position when we scope your formation.