Do you want to start your own company?
To guide you, the Corporate division of the law firm Arst Avocats has created an infographic outlining the 6 key steps to creating your company
Step 1: Choose the main characteristics of your company
- Denomination
- Trade name / Brand
- Shape
- Head office
- Main activity
- Share capital
- Capital distribution
- Governance options (President, CEO, etc.)
- Tax options
- Auditor
Step 2: Prepare the legal documentation
- Articles of Incorporation
- Domiciliation agreement / Domiciliation authorization if applicable / Signing of a lease
- List of subscribers (if it is a corporation)
- Declaration of no criminal record and proof of parentage (if the manager is an individual)
- Any other useful document depending on the situation
Step 3: Deposit the share capital
- At a bank of his choice
- With the independent fund for lawyers' financial settlements (CARPA)
- At a notary's office
- At the Caisse des dépôts et consignations (CDC)
Step 4: Sign the company's articles of incorporation
- If the registration application is submitted by mail / filed with the registry: handwritten signature
- If the registration application is submitted electronically via the Infogreffe.fr website: handwritten or electronic signature
Step 5: Complete the required formalities
- Publish a notice of incorporation in a legal gazette
- Apply for administrative approval / obtain a diploma / provide proof of professional experience, if applicable, in the case of regulated activities
- Form M0
- Declaration of beneficial owners
Step 6: Submit the registration file to the Trade and Companies Register (RCS)
- Incorporation documents (articles of association, lease, etc.)
- Formalities documents (notice of incorporation, forms, etc.)
- Registration and filing fees for beneficial owners
- Obtain the required accreditations/internships/diplomas for regulated activities
- Foreign nationality executive: see our next article

Morgan Jamet
author
associate lawyer
Should a lawyer draft a formal notice?
A formal notice can trigger the accrual of interest, pave the way for the termination of a contract, or constitute a decisive piece of evidence in court. When should it be entrusted to a lawyer?
Family SCI or joint ownership: which structure to choose for a family property purchase?
By Olivier Paquerau, of counsel at ARST Avocats. Buying a home, a rental property, or a family residence with several people quickly leads to a fundamental question: should you buy jointly or form a real estate company?...
Psychosocial risks in the workplace: what are the employer's obligations?
By Chaouki Gaddada, partner lawyer in charge of employment law at ARST Avocats. Chronic stress, work overload, isolation, internal conflicts, loss of meaning, or reports of harassment: psychosocial risks can weaken employees...
Should a lawyer draft a formal notice?
A formal notice can trigger the accrual of interest, pave the way for the termination of a contract, or constitute a decisive piece of evidence in court. When should it be entrusted to a lawyer?
Family SCI or joint ownership: which structure to choose for a family property purchase?
By Olivier Paquerau, of counsel at ARST Avocats. Buying a home, a rental property, or a family residence with several people quickly leads to a fundamental question: should you buy jointly or form a real estate company?...
Acquiring 10% of a French company listed in London can now trigger an audit by the French Ministry of Economy and Finance (Bercy)
Since August 17, 2026, crossing the 10% threshold of voting rights of a French company listed on certain foreign markets may fall under the control of foreign investments in France.