Choosing the best option for your company's registered address

Business domiciliation (registering a company address) is mandatory for every company, regardless of its legal form. It consists of assigning a physical geographic address to a business, which then becomes its registered office as well as its official administrative and legal address. This is also referred to as company registration address. In every case, you need this address in order to file your business registration application. There are several options for domiciliation, which we review in this article.

What is business domiciliation or a company’s registered address?

Business domiciliation consists of assigning a company an address that constitutes its registered office and is listed in its bylaws. This physical address allows external parties — suppliers, customers, service providers and government agencies — to communicate with the company by mail.

The registered address appears on all documents and materials related to your company: bylaws, letters, contracts, quotes, invoices, purchase orders, delivery notes, your website, terms and conditions of sale, etc.

Business domiciliation does not necessarily correspond to the address where you actually carry out your activity. The registered office and your offices or manufacturing workshops can be located in different towns, with no distance restriction.

The obligation to domicile your company

Every company formation requires a registered address. This obligation is set out in Article L123-11 of the French Commercial Code. The tax authorities are the first to require these details, which they record as your tax address and use to send you any administrative documents that are not yet digitized.

In addition, your business domiciliation determines where you must carry out legal publicity formalities. Indeed, whenever a change occurs within your company, you must publish a notice in an official legal gazette (JAL). This is how your business partners — suppliers, subcontractors and customers in particular — learn about changes to your company: formation, change of legal form, amendment to the bylaws, increase or decrease in share capital, change of registered address, etc.

Why choose a registered address that differs from where you actually operate?

There are several reasons to choose a registered business address that is different from your place of business:

• since it establishes your company’s registered office, it determines which courts have jurisdiction in the event of a dispute as well as which local authorities have territorial jurisdiction: you can therefore operate in one region while falling under the courts of another;
• as the address that appears on all your business documents, the registered address shapes how your company is perceived: for example, you might choose a prestigious address — typically in a high-end business district of Paris, such as the 8th arrondissement — to project a positive image for your company;
• if you would rather not be disturbed at your workplace by customers or suppliers, business domiciliation lets you keep that address private.

Changing your company’s registered address

Your choice of registered address is not permanent — you can change it. To do so, you must amend your company’s bylaws and then file an application with the INPI single window (French National Institute of Industrial Property).

Indeed, since January 1, 2023, a single online platform has been set up to simplify administrative procedures for businesses.

Where and how can you domicile your company?

There are several options for domiciling your company.

At your home

Unless a legal or contractual provision prevents it, you can domicile a sole proprietorship at your personal home, whether you own or rent it. This is often the case for entrepreneurs who don’t need offices or workshops to operate, either because they are service providers who work exclusively at their clients’ premises, or because they work from home.

The advantage of domiciling a business at home is that it’s cost-effective. Each year you will need to pay the CFE (business property tax), and no additional rent can be charged to you.

To domicile your company at home, you must provide proof of occupancy, such as a lease or an electricity bill. You must be the company’s legal representative: micro-entrepreneur, SARL, EURL, SAS, SASU, etc.

If you are a tenant, you must notify your landlord in writing of your intention to set up your company at their address and check whether the property’s regulations allow it.

In commercial premises

Retailers and craftspeople generally set their business domiciliation at the address of their commercial premises. To do this, you simply need to purchase premises or sign a commercial lease and provide the authorities with a copy of your title deed or lease agreement.

Using a domiciliation company

There are many companies that specialize in business domiciliation. They offer their services to entrepreneurs who do not wish to domicile their company at home or at the address where they carry out their activity.

The domiciliation company provides you with an address that becomes your registered office. It must itself be registered with the trade and companies register and hold a prefectural authorization to legally carry out this activity.

Providing a registered address is naturally a paid service. In addition, your provider may offer supplementary services:

• mail management, essential if you are not near this address;
• a phone answering service, with a dedicated phone number or call forwarding from your own number;
• access to office equipment: printer, photocopier, phone, etc.;
• the provision of workspaces or meeting rooms where you can hold meetings with your partners, suppliers or clients;
• remote legal assistance, by email and phone, etc.

The process of using a domiciliation company is simple and can be completed remotely, by email.

• The provider gives you a choice of addresses from which you select yours, and you decide on any optional services you wish to subscribe to.
• The domiciliation company sends you a contract that you must return along with the requested supporting documents.
• Once the contract is signed by both parties, you receive your domiciliation certificate, which you use to register your company or to change its registered office address.

Business incubators or coworking spaces

Business incubators or coworking spaces are popular with young companies and startups. By sharing professional premises with other businesses, you save on fixed costs (rent, electricity, premises upkeep, etc.) as well as on certain shared tools: printers, IT equipment, projection equipment for meetings, etc. You can also pool secretarial and phone answering services.

If you choose a business incubator to set up your offices, the process is the same as with commercial premises you rent. All you need is your lease agreement to domicile your company.

The rental period in this type of space can be time-limited, for example to 3 or 4 years. Be sure to check all the conditions carefully. If you are required to move, you will have to amend your company’s bylaws in order to officially notify its new registered office. This change must be published in an official legal gazette (JAL).

Business domiciliation is a mandatory step in forming a company. It determines the registered office address and allows your business partners to communicate with you. This registered address can be changed at any time. If you do change it, don’t forget to amend your company’s bylaws and publish your new address in an official legal gazette.