Open a company in France — Complete Guide 2026

Everything you need to know about company formation in France. Fees, timeline, VAT rates, required documents, and invoicing compliance.

Key Facts

Capital city: Paris
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Standard VAT: 20%
Reduced VAT: 10%
Min. share capital: €1 (SARL)
Formation time: 7–14 days
Formation fee: €100–500

Available Company Types

SARL
EURL
SAS
SASU

E-Invoicing Format

Factur-X / PEPPOL (mandatory from 2026)

Required Invoice Fields in France

These fields are mandatory on every compliant invoice.

SIRET number

Buyer VAT ID

Seller VAT ID

Invoice date

Line items

VAT breakdown

Source: France tax authority

VAT Reverse-Charge for France

When selling B2B cross-border from or to France, the reverse-charge mechanism applies. Atlas-EU detects this automatically.

Threshold: B2B cross-border within EU.

Generate a Compliant Invoice

Need compliant invoices for your France company?

Atlas-EU handles all 20% VAT scenarios, reverse-charge, and PEPPOL export. Start free.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum share capital for a company in France?

The minimum share capital in France is €1 (SARL).

How long does it take to register a company in France?

Company formation in France typically takes 7–14 days.

What is the VAT rate in France?

The standard VAT rate in France is 20%. The reduced rate is 10%.

Not covered in this guide: Actual company registration filing (we provide guidance, not filing services); bank account/EMI integration; tax return filing; payroll/HR.