A French company needs a registered office
The registered office, or siège social, is the company’s legal and administrative address. It appears in the corporate documents and registration records and is used for official correspondence. The address needs to be established before the company registration file can be completed.
The registered office does not have to be the operating site
The legal address and the place where the business actually carries out day-to-day activity can be different. Depending on the company and circumstances, the registered office can be at eligible premises, the legal representative’s home under the applicable conditions, or through a commercial domiciliation provider.
Commercial domiciliation uses a formal agreement
A domiciliation company provides an address under a domiciliation contract and can offer associated mail services. The provider must meet the regulatory conditions that apply to the domiciliation activity. The client company will also need to satisfy identification and compliance checks before the address is activated.
Mail handling is separate from the legal address itself
Receiving an official letter, scanning incoming mail, forwarding documents and handling parcels are operational services that can vary by package. Confirm how correspondence will be processed before using the address in the company file.
Use the address consistently in formation and corporate records
For a new company, the registered-office evidence must align with the address stated in the corporate documents and registration filing. For an existing company changing address, a registered-office transfer can involve corporate and registry formalities rather than only updating a postal address.
If you need an address for a new or existing company, see our business domiciliation service in France. If the address is part of a new incorporation, it can be coordinated with company formation.