Paragraph 1: General provisions

Articles in this section · 11

Article A123-30

French Commercial codeIn force

Updated 4 Nov 2023

The files transmitted to the Institut national de la propriété industrielle under I of Article D. 123-80-1 are compliant with the ISO 19005-1 standard and the data exchange standard for archiving (SEDA).

In addition to the data required by this standard, these files are accompanied by the metadata essential for their indexation, in particular the company name, SIREN number, address, date of registration or filing with the registry, type of deed, closing date and year of the annual accounts, type of event, type of document, the nature of the document, the registry code, the management number, the filing number, the name, type, size and number of pages of the files, the file number provided by the Institut national de la propriété industrielle, the method of transmission, the page indexes of the information relating to the beneficial owners in the case of the declaration provided for in the first paragraph of article L. 561-46 of the Monetary and Financial Code and, for annual accounts that have been the subject of a confidentiality declaration pursuant to the first and second paragraphs of Article R. 123-111-1, the confidentiality indicator corresponding to the company's declaration.

Each document transmitted by the registrar is stamped by him.

The clerk's stamp is evidenced by an electronic signature meeting the conditions set out in Article 1367 of the Civil Code; the transmission is accompanied by a slip certifying the accuracy of the information transmitted.

The electronic slip provided for in the preceding paragraph shall mention:

a) The registry of the place of registration or filing;

b) The date of registration or filing;

c) The management number provided for in article A. 123-29 in the case of registrations or the filing number of deeds and documents, accounting documents being the subject of a series separate from that of other deeds (A company deeds, B accounting documents, R orders made in company matters, P deeds of natural persons);

d) The particulars provided for in 1° and 2° of Article R. 123-237 of the Commercial Code, except for deeds relating to unregistered companies;

e) The words: "DECLARATION OF CONFIDENTIALITY ATTACHED: annual accounts (income statement) not communicable (communicable) to third parties pursuant to Article R. 123-111-1 of the Commercial Code" in the case of the filing of annual accounts accompanied by a declaration of confidentiality pursuant to the first or second paragraph of Article R. 123-111-1;

f) The words: "INFORMATION RELATING TO ACTUAL BENEFICIARIES: confidential information may be disclosed only to persons authorised pursuant to Articles R. 561-57 to R. 561-58 of the Monetary and Financial Code" in the case of the declaration provided for in the first paragraph of Article L. 561-46 of the Monetary and Financial Code.

When a declaration of registration is accompanied by the filing of articles of association or deeds, the registrar shall mention the date of filing on the copy of the declaration of registration intended for the Institut national de la propriété industrielle or on the electronic slip mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Mariela Petrova

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Common Questions

Working with a corporate lawyer in France — Q&A

Any time a strategic decision changes how the company is owned, governed or contractually bound — incorporation, fundraising, M&A, restructuring, shareholder agreements, or major commercial contracts. Earlier engagement always costs less than later remediation.

A notary (notaire) is a public officer who authenticates specific deeds (mainly real-estate transfers and certain family-law acts). A corporate lawyer (avocat) advises on strategy, negotiates and drafts company documents, and represents you in disputes. The two roles complement rather than overlap.

Yes — most of our clients are foreign suppliers, investors or holding entities. We bridge the gap between French law and your home jurisdiction's expectations and deliver everything bilingually.

The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is the default choice for most international structures: flexible governance, single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital, and works cleanly with foreign holding entities. We assess SARL, SA, SCI on the merits when the situation calls for it.

Yes — communications with a French avocat are protected by the secret professionnel (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971). This protection is broader than the common-law attorney-client privilege and applies to written and oral exchanges.

We work on fixed fees for clearly scoped engagements (incorporation, contract drafting, audits) and on monthly retainers for ongoing advisory. Hourly billing is the exception, not the default. You always know the cost before work starts.

Typical timeline is 2–3 weeks from KYC kick-off to RCS registration, assuming standard documentation. Holding-company structures, foreign-shareholder identification or in-kind contributions can extend this — we flag the gating items at the first meeting.

Absolutely. We routinely coordinate with your in-house counsel, expert-comptable or notaire — pragmatic collaboration is the norm, not the exception. We send them everything they need to do their part without duplicating work.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In Corporate Practice

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Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

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