What you need to know first
- Micro-entrepreneur registration is free, online, and usually approved within days.
- Social charges are a flat percentage of revenue — with zero revenue you owe nothing.
- All registration now runs through one official portal: procedures.inpi.fr.
- Non-EU citizens need a residence status that allows self-employment before registering.
The setup, step by step
- 1
Check your right to work self-employed
EU/EEA citizens can start immediately. Non-EU citizens need a residence status that permits self-employment — the entrepreneur/profession libérale permit, a talent passport, or a status like vie privée et familiale that allows any work.
- 2
Choose your structure
Most solo founders start as micro-entrepreneur (auto-entrepreneur): minimal accounting, social charges as a flat percentage of revenue, but revenue caps — roughly €77,700/year for services and €188,700 for sales (thresholds are indexed; verify current figures). Growing past that, or needing liability separation and investors, points to a SASU or EURL company.
- 3
Register via the guichet unique (INPI)
Since 2023 all business creation runs through the single online portal at procedures.inpi.fr — it dispatches your file to URSSAF, the tax office and the registries. Micro-entrepreneur registration is free and usually approved within days.
- 4
Set up URSSAF and taxes
As micro-entrepreneur you declare revenue monthly or quarterly to URSSAF and pay social charges as a percentage of it (roughly 12–23% depending on the activity type), with an optional flat income-tax payment (versement libératoire) if you qualify. Companies pay their dirigeant differently — this is where an accountant earns their fee.
- 5
Insurance and the practical layer
Professional liability insurance is mandatory for regulated trades (and wise for everyone), a separate bank account is required for micro-entrepreneurs above €10,000 revenue two years running, and invoices must carry your SIRET number.
Going the company route (SASU / EURL)?
Structure choice decides your taxes, social coverage and what investors see. An English-speaking expert-comptable sets it up right — tell us your plans and we'll match you.
Registration & accounting services
The official portals and services French founders actually use.
INPI Guichet Unique
Official portal — all registrations start here
Legalstart
Online company formation and legal docs
URSSAF Auto-entrepreneur
Official micro-entrepreneur portal
Expert-Comptable.com
Find a chartered accountant
Some links may be partner links — using them never costs you more and helps keep our guides free.
Micro-entrepreneurs need a dedicated account too
Above €10,000 revenue two years running, a separate account is mandatory — see which French banks work for newcomers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I freelance in France on a student or salarié permit?
A student permit limits work hours and generally does not allow full self-employment; a salarié permit ties you to employment. You need a status that permits independent activity — get immigration advice before registering, because URSSAF registration with the wrong status creates real problems.
What does a micro-entrepreneur actually pay?
Social charges are a flat percentage of revenue (not profit) — roughly 12% for sales activities and around 21–23% for services and professions libérales — plus small training levies. If your household income qualifies, the versement libératoire adds a flat 1–2.2% income tax and settles it. No revenue, nothing to pay.
Micro-entrepreneur or SASU?
Micro wins on simplicity while revenue is modest and expenses are low (you cannot deduct costs — the regime abates a fixed percentage instead). A SASU costs real money to run (accounting, filings) but deducts expenses, separates liability, pays you as assimilated employee with full social coverage, and takes investment.
Do I need an accountant?
Micro-entrepreneurs usually manage alone — the regime was designed for it. For a SASU/EURL an expert-comptable is effectively unavoidable; budget one to two thousand euros a year.
Note: This page is general information, not tax or legal advice. Thresholds and contribution rates are indexed and change — confirm current figures on the official URSSAF/INPI portals or with an accountant.