Deposit Share Capital for a French Company from Ireland
You can deposit the share capital of a French company from Ireland entirely online, with no French bank account and no trip to France. A French notary (notaire) — a public officer authorised to receive cash contributions — holds your funds on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts and issues your certificate of deposit within 24 hours of the transfer arriving and your file being complete. For Irish founders the flat fee is €500, and because both countries share the euro and the SEPA area, your capital transfer is a clean, same-currency SEPA payment.
Key takeaways
- No French bank account needed — the notary is the authorised depositary.
- €500 flat for non-residents (€230 for France residents), no subscription, 100% online.
- Certificate of deposit within 24h once funds are received and your file is complete.
- Pay by SEPA transfer in euros from your Irish account — no FX, no cross-currency wire; your PPS number is the foreign tax number.
Why the capital deposit stalls Irish founders
French law requires the share capital of an SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL or SCI to be deposited with an authorised depositary before the company can be registered. For a founder based in Dublin, Cork or Galway, this is usually the step that stalls. Although Ireland is in the EU, French banks still hesitate to open accounts for non-resident founders they cannot meet in a branch, and remote onboarding can drag on for weeks. That leaves the usual deadlock:
- No certificate of deposit without the funds being held.
- No funds held without an account.
- No easy account without travelling to France.
A short Dublin-to-Paris flight may be tempting, but it is neither necessary nor efficient.
The solution: a French notary as depositary, 100% online
Under the French Commercial Code (Code de commerce), a notaire (notary) is a public officer legally authorised to receive the deposit of cash contributions, just as a bank is. Depotdecapital.com, operated by Cellard Notaires & Avocats, carries out the entire process online for Ireland-based founders. The notary holds the funds on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts (CDC) — the French state deposit institution — and issues the official certificat de dépôt (certificate of deposit) needed to register your company. You sign the fee agreement electronically, pay online, and the certificate is delivered electronically.
Step-by-step: deposit from Ireland
- Open your file online and state the company form and the capital amount.
- Sign the fee agreement electronically and pay the service fee online.
- Upload your documents through the secure portal.
- Transfer the share capital by SEPA transfer from your Irish account to the notary's CDC account — no French IBAN of your own is needed.
- Receive the certificate of deposit within 24 hours once the funds are received and the file is complete.
- Register the company at the one-stop shop (guichet unique / INPI).
- Release the funds by uploading the KBIS (registration extract) and the company's RIB (bank details) so the notary transfers the capital to the company.
Documents you need (Irish founder)
| Document | What it is | Ireland-specific note |
|---|---|---|
| Passport or national ID | Identity of each shareholder | Valid and legible |
| Proof of the French registered office | Lease or domiciliation contract | Must name the company's siège social |
| Draft articles of association (statuts) | Unsigned and undated | Finalised only after registration |
| Foreign tax number (NIF) | Tax ID from your country | Your PPS number (Personal Public Service number) |
No French bank account and no French tax residence are needed for the deposit.
Cost and timeline
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deposit fee (non-resident) | €500 flat, no subscription |
| Deposit fee (France resident) | €230 |
| Certificate of deposit | Issued within 24h of funds received + complete file |
| Overall registration | Handled by the guichet unique — timescales vary, no promise given |
We do not promise an overall registration timeline, since the one-stop shop registers the company itself — but the deposit step, the usual bottleneck for Irish founders, is fast and predictable.
Ireland-specific angle: a SEPA transfer inside the Eurozone
One genuine advantage for Irish founders:
- Same currency, same area. Both Ireland and France use the euro and sit inside the SEPA area, so your capital transfer is a standard euro SEPA transfer, not a costly cross-currency wire.
- No FX erosion. The exact amount you send is the exact amount credited, which keeps your stated capital clean against the figure in your statuts.
- Fast settlement. SEPA transfers typically settle within a business day.
- Fully remote. The entire file is handled online — no posting documents, no visit to France.
- Tax number. Your PPS number is the reference to provide.
Nothing French needs to exist before you deposit.
Related guides
- French SAS / SASU formation for non-residents
- French capital deposit without a French bank account
- Open a French company as a non-resident
FAQ
Can an Irish resident deposit French share capital without a French bank account? Yes. The notary is the authorised depositary and holds the funds at the Caisse des Dépôts; you transfer directly from your Irish account via SEPA.
What does it cost from Ireland? A flat €500, no subscription. France residents pay €230.
How quickly is the certificate of deposit delivered? Within 24 hours after the funds are received and the file is complete.
Do I need to travel to France? No. The fee agreement is signed electronically, payment is online, and the certificate is electronic.
Which tax number do I provide as an Irish founder? Your PPS number is used as the foreign tax number (NIF).
Is a SEPA transfer accepted for the deposit? Yes. A euro SEPA transfer from your Irish account to the notary's CDC account is exactly how the capital is paid in.
Deposit your capital online → https://depotdecapital.com/en/dossier
Certificate of deposit within 24h, flat fee, no French bank account required.
Start a deposit →Information only — not personalised legal or tax advice.