Get a Certificate of Deposit of Share Capital in France Remotely

You can get a certificate of deposit of share capital in France remotely — issued by a notary, electronically, within 24 hours of your funds arriving and your file being complete, with no French bank account and no trip to France. The notary (notaire) is a public officer authorised under the French Commercial Code to receive cash contributions; once your capital reaches their dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts, they issue the official certificat de dépôt you need to register your company. For non-residents the service is a flat €500.

Key takeaways

• The certificate of deposit is the document the one-stop shop requires to register your company.
• A notary issues it electronically, remotely, within 24h of funds received + complete file.
• No French bank account, no travel — the notary is the authorised depositary.
• €500 flat for non-residents (€230 for France residents), no subscription.

The problem for non-residents

The certificat de dépôt (certificate of deposit), sometimes called the attestation de dépôt, is the document the one-stop shop (guichet unique / INPI) requires to register your SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL or SCI. It confirms that your capital has actually been deposited with an authorised depositary.

For non-residents the obstacle is how to get it. If the depositary is a bank, you must first open a bank account — and non-resident, non-EU founders are frequently refused remote openings or trapped in lengthy onboarding. The chain breaks at the first link:

• No account means no deposit.
• No deposit means no certificate.
• No certificate means no company.

The entire registration hangs on a document you cannot obtain through the usual channel.

The solution: a notary issues your certificate online

A French notaire (notary) is an authorised depositary and can issue the certificate of deposit directly. Depotdecapital.com, operated by Cellard Notaires & Avocats, delivers the whole process remotely. You transfer your capital to the notary's dedicated account at the Caisse des Dépôts (CDC), and the notary issues the official certificate electronically. No French bank account. No travel. The fee agreement is signed electronically, payment is online, and the certificate itself is electronic.

Step-by-step: getting the certificate remotely

1. Open your file online and state the company form 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 from your foreign account to the notary's CDC account.
5. Completeness check: the notary confirms the funds have arrived and the file is complete.
6. Certificate of deposit issued electronically within 24 hours.
7. Use the certificate to register the company at the guichet unique / INPI, then upload the KBIS (registration extract) and the company's RIB (bank details) to release the funds.

Documents you need (non-resident)

• A valid passport or national ID.
• Proof of the registered office address in France (lease or domiciliation contract).
• A draft of the articles of association (statuts), unsigned and undated.
• Your foreign tax number (NIF) from your country of residence.

No French bank account and no French tax residence are needed.

Cost and timeline

This is the headline benefit of the remote notary route: the document that gates your entire registration is delivered quickly, electronically, and predictably.

What the certificate contains and what to do with it

The certificate of deposit identifies the company being formed, names the depositor(s), and states the amount of capital deposited and where it is held — the notary's account at the Caisse des Dépôts. You then use it as follows:

1. Attach it to your registration application at the guichet unique / INPI.
2. Receive the KBIS once the company is registered — the official proof of registration.
3. Upload the KBIS and the company's RIB so the notary releases the capital from the CDC to the company's own account.

The certificate is thus both the key that unlocks registration and the first link in the chain that ultimately puts the capital at your company's disposal. Because the document is electronic and notarised, it is immediately usable — there is no waiting for a posted original to reach you abroad.

Related guides

• Open a French company as a non-resident
• Documents required for the capital deposit
• French capital deposit without a French bank account

FAQ

Can I get a French certificate of deposit without visiting France? Yes. A notary issues it electronically once your funds are received and your file is complete — no travel required.

Do I need a French bank account to obtain the certificate? No. The notary is the depositary and holds the funds at the Caisse des Dépôts; no bank account is involved.

How long does it take? The certificate is issued within 24 hours after the funds are received and the file is complete.

What does it cost? A flat €500 for non-residents, no subscription. France residents pay €230.

Is an electronic certificate accepted for registration? Yes. The notarised electronic certificate is used to register the company at the guichet unique / INPI.

What is the difference between a certificat and an attestation de dépôt? They refer to the same document — the depositary's attestation confirming the capital has been deposited.

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

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