Open a French Company as a Non-Resident

You can open a French company as a non-resident without living in France, without a French bank account, and without travelling — the one step that usually blocks founders abroad, the share capital deposit, can be completed online with a French notary. A notary (notaire) is a public officer authorised under the French Commercial Code to receive cash contributions; they hold your funds at the Caisse des Dépôts and issue your certificate of deposit within 24 hours of the money arriving and your file being complete. For non-residents the service is a flat €500.

Key takeaways

• Non-residents can own and run French companies — SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL, SCI and more.
• The capital deposit is the step that stalls foreign founders; a notary clears it 100% online, no French bank account.
• €500 flat for non-residents (€230 for France residents), no subscription.
• Certificate of deposit within 24h, then registration at the one-stop shop, then KBIS + RIB to release the funds.

The problem for non-residents

French company formation follows a logical sequence: 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 in the middle, and for non-residents it is the hardest link.

The reason is banking. Before registration, the share capital of an SAS, SASU, SARL, EURL or SCI must be deposited with an authorised depositary. For decades that meant a bank — but French banks now routinely decline remote account openings for non-resident, non-EU founders, or impose onboarding so slow it derails the project. The result is a deadlock:

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

Everything downstream — registration, your KBIS, your activity — waits on this one step.

The solution: deposit capital with a French notary, 100% online

French law offers a second authorised depositary besides banks: the notaire (notary), a public officer. Depotdecapital.com, operated by Cellard Notaires & Avocats, lets non-residents complete the capital deposit entirely online. The notary receives your funds, holds them 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) you need to register.

No French bank account is required. No travel. You sign the fee agreement electronically, pay online, and receive an electronic certificate. This single change — notary instead of bank — removes the bottleneck of the whole formation process.

Step-by-step: the remote deposit

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 from your foreign bank account to the notary's CDC account — no French IBAN of your own is needed.
5. Receive the certificate of deposit within 24 hours once the funds are received 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 (non-resident)

You do not need a French bank account or French tax residence to complete the deposit. These documents are designed to satisfy standard anti-money-laundering checks in a single pass.

Cost and timeline

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

Where the deposit fits in your formation journey

Think of the deposit as the keystone. Everything before it — choosing your structure, drafting the statuts, securing a registered office — is preparation. Everything after it — registration, KBIS, opening the company's own operating account, releasing the capital — depends on the certificate. By handling the deposit through a notary online, you decouple your project from the uncertainty of foreign-founder bank onboarding and keep the whole formation moving.

The capital stays safe throughout: it is held on the notary's account at the Caisse des Dépôts, a state institution, and is released only once your company legally exists and you provide its KBIS and RIB. A notary is a public officer bound by strict professional and ethical rules — this is a fully regulated channel, not a workaround.

Related guides

• Deposit share capital from the UK
• Deposit share capital from the USA
• French SAS / SASU formation for non-residents

FAQ

Can a non-resident really open a French company without living in France? Yes. Non-residents can own and run French companies. The capital deposit can be completed online through a notary, with no French bank account and no travel.

Why use a notary instead of a bank? A notary is an authorised depositary under French law and can hold your funds remotely, avoiding the account-opening obstacles non-residents face with banks.

How much does the deposit cost? A flat €500 for non-residents, 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.

When do I get my capital back into the company? After registration, once you upload the KBIS and the company's RIB; the notary then transfers the funds from the CDC to the company.

Does the notary provide tax advice? No. The service covers the regulated capital-deposit step; for personal tax planning, 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.