Deposit Share Capital for a French Company from the UK

Yes — you can deposit the share capital of a French company from the UK entirely online, with no French bank account and without flying 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 money arriving and your file being complete. For UK founders the service is a flat €500.

Key takeaways

• No French bank account needed — the notary is the authorised depositary, so Brexit-era banking refusals no longer block you.
• €500 flat for non-residents (€230 for France residents), no subscription, fully online.
• Certificate of deposit within 24h once funds are received and your file is complete.
• You transfer from your own UK account by international (SWIFT) transfer; your UTR or NINO serves as the foreign tax number.

Why the capital deposit stalls UK founders post-Brexit

French company formation runs in a fixed order: draft the articles of association, deposit the share capital, obtain the certificate of deposit, register at the one-stop shop, then release the funds. The deposit sits before registration — and for UK residents it is the step that jams.

Since Brexit, UK residents are treated as non-EU non-residents by French institutions. French banks have become reluctant to open accounts for founders they cannot meet in a branch, and many decline capital-deposit requests from foreign shareholders outright or impose weeks of KYC review. That creates a circular trap:

• No certificate of deposit without the funds being held.
• No funds held without an account.
• No account without appearing in person in France.

Travelling to London-to-Paris for a branch appointment is costly and, as it turns out, unnecessary.

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 — exactly like a bank. Depotdecapital.com, operated by Cellard Notaires & Avocats, lets you complete the whole process remotely. The notary:

1. Receives your share capital directly from your UK account.
2. Holds it on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts (CDC) — the French state deposit institution.
3. Issues the official certificat de dépôt (certificate of deposit) your formation agent needs to register the company.

You sign the fee agreement electronically, pay online, and receive an electronic certificate. No French bank account. No travel.

Step-by-step: deposit from the UK

1. Open your file online and state the company form (SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL, SCI, etc.) and the capital amount.
2. Sign the fee agreement electronically and pay the service fee online.
3. Upload your documents through the secure portal.
4. Transfer the share capital by international transfer from your UK account to the notary's CDC account — no French IBAN of your own is required.
5. Receive your certificate of deposit within 24 hours once the funds arrive and your file is complete.
6. Register the company at the one-stop shop (guichet unique / INPI) using the certificate.
7. Release the funds: upload the KBIS (registration extract) and the company's RIB (bank details) so the notary transfers the capital to the company's own account.

Documents you need (UK founder)

You do not need a French bank account or French tax residence to complete the deposit.

Cost and timeline

We cannot promise an overall registration timeline, because the one-stop shop processes the registration itself. But the deposit — historically the slowest part for UK founders — becomes fast and predictable.

UK-specific angle: making the transfer from Britain

A few practical points for UK residents:

• Currency. Your transfer is an international (SWIFT) transfer. If your account is in GBP, factor in your bank's FX spread; sending in euros avoids any ambiguity on the exact amount credited against your stated capital.
• Cut-off times. Check your bank's international cut-off and value-date rules so the funds land promptly.
• Compliance. As non-EU founders post-Brexit, expect standard anti-money-laundering checks; the document list above is built to satisfy them in a single pass.
• Tax number. Your UTR or NINO is used as the foreign tax number — have it ready before you start.

None of these points require you to hold anything French before you deposit.

Related guides

• Open a French company as a non-resident
• French capital deposit without a French bank account
• French SAS / SASU formation for non-residents

FAQ

Do I need a French bank account to deposit the capital from the UK? No. The notary is the authorised depositary and holds the funds on a dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts. You transfer directly from your UK bank.

How much does it cost for a UK resident? A flat €500, with no subscription. France residents pay €230.

How fast will I get the certificate of deposit? Within 24 hours after the funds are received and your file is complete.

Can I do everything from London without travelling to France? Yes. The fee agreement is signed electronically, payment is online, and the certificate is delivered electronically.

What tax number do I give as a UK founder? Your UK tax identification reference — UTR or National Insurance number — is used as the foreign tax number (NIF).

Does the notary give tax advice on my UK–France situation? No. The service covers the regulated capital-deposit step; for personal tax questions, consult a qualified adviser.

Deposit your capital online → https://depotdecapital.com/en/dossier

Certificate of deposit within 24h, flat fee, no French bank account required.