Schmidt & Schmidt provides up-to-date commercial register extracts from France, including certified translations and apostille legalization services upon request.
When is a Commercial Register Extract required?
An extract from the French Commercial Register is the definitive document for verifying a company’s legal status and the representative powers of its management. It is essential for due diligence and legal verification in any official interaction with government authorities and financial institutions.
Key areas of application:
- Banking Operations: Opening corporate accounts, loan applications, and KYC/compliance checks.
- Contractual Agreements: Verifying the signing authority and legal integrity of business partners.
- Notarial Matters: Real estate transactions or amendments to the articles of association.
- Tenders and Licensing: Proof of registration for participation in public procurement or obtaining permits.
- Legal Proceedings: Filing lawsuits and confirming the legal standing of plaintiffs or defendants.
- Investment Audits: Verifying ownership structures during Due Diligence processes.
The French Commercial Register (RCS)
The French Commercial Register — Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés (RCS) — is the central resource for business information under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice. The register is maintained by the Clerks of the Commercial Courts (Greffe du Tribunal de Commerce) located throughout the country.
The RCS was established in 1919. Data recorded since its inception can be obtained by interested parties in the form of extracts and copies of official documents.
All individuals engaged in commercial activities, as well as legal entities (corporations), are required to register with the RCS. The register is public, ensuring transparency in commercial transactions.
The French register distinguishes clearly between:
- Natural Persons (Commerçants): Sole traders and individual entrepreneurs.
- Legal Entities (Sociétés): Commercial companies (SARL, SAS, SA) and civil societies (SCI).
The register contains information on over 6 million active entities. Data is updated daily. Documents are standardly issued in French but can be professionally translated into English or other languages.
The Kbis extract (Extrait Kbis) is the official document confirming the existence of a French enterprise. For individual entrepreneurs, the equivalent document is known as the Extrait K.
Special Requirements for Physical Documents and Apostilles
For official use abroad, a hard-copy register extract with an original seal must first be requested directly from the Court Registry (Greffe). The document is then submitted to the regional Notary Council for the issuance of an e-Apostille.
The resulting document is a secured file with a QR code, which carries full legal force for international authorities, courts, and banks following a certified translation.
Under current regulations, an original paper document with a physical apostille is generally no longer issued in the traditional format.
The Kbis extract is the primary proof of a company's legal status in France. It includes all vital information at the time of issuance, including registered office, representative powers, share capital, and any insolvency or liquidation proceedings.
A current Kbis extract includes:
- Company name and legal form
- Registration number (SIREN)
- Registered office (Competent court)
- Date of incorporation
- Business purpose (NACE/APE code)
- Share capital
- Details of directors and authorized representatives
- Branch information
- Information on active bankruptcy proceedings
*Some data may be unavailable for certain entity types or may require an additional fee.
Processing time: from 30 minutes (digital).
Cost including Apostille: from 200 €
The change history (Historique des modifications) lists all amendments filed with the register in chronological order, such as changes to the articles of association, address, management, or capital structure.
Processing time: from 30 minutes.
Cost including Apostille: from 200 €
The French Commercial Register maintains copies of the certificate of incorporation, the current articles of association (Statuts), and minutes of general meetings.
Processing time: from 30 minutes.
Cost including Apostille: from 200 €
Annual accounts (Comptes annuels) provide an assessment of a company's financial position. They include the balance sheet (Bilan), profit and loss statement (Compte de résultat), and notes for companies required to publish such data.
A standard financial report includes:
- Balance sheet
- Profit and loss (P&L) statement
- Depreciation data
- Fixed assets overview
- Accountables and receivables
- Managing Director's report
- Allocation of results
- Auditor's reports (if applicable)
Scope varies by company size. Processing time: from 30 minutes.
Cost including Apostille: from 200 €
The following specialized certificates are also available:
- Lien Search Report: Contains details on company debts, pledges, and leasing obligations.
- Insolvency Certificate: Confirms whether the company is subject to receivership, bankruptcy, or liquidation proceedings.
Cost including Apostille: from 200 €
Search Criteria for Inquiries:
- Full legal company name
- Partial name combined with the registered address
- Company's ID number (SIREN/SIRET)
Note: Multiple companies in France may share identical names if they have different registered offices and ID numbers.
Documents for Dissolved Companies
Information regarding companies removed from the register remains archived. In such cases, a Kbis extract is issued with the status "Radiée" (struck off) including the date of cessation. These documents are vital for litigation to prove the non-existence of a legal entity or to pursue liability against former directors.
Beneficial Ownership Register in France (RBE)
Information on Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) is recorded in the Registre des bénéficiaires effectifs (RBE). Beneficial owners are defined as individuals who directly or indirectly hold more than 25% of the capital or voting rights, or exercise control by other means.
Following the CJEU ruling of November 22, 2022, France has restricted public access to the RBE. Applicants must now demonstrate a "legitimate interest." Unrestricted access remains available only to competent authorities, notaries, lawyers, and banks for compliance purposes.
Common Legal Forms in France
Entities with Legal Personality:
Société anonyme (SA) – Public limited company
Société par actions simplifiée (SAS) – Simplified joint-stock company
Société à responsabilité limitée (SARL) – Limited liability company
Entreprise unipersonnelle à responsabilité limitée (EURL) – Single-member LLC
Société en Commandite par Actions (S.C.A.) - Partnership limited by shares
Entities without separate Legal Personality:
Microentreprise – Sole proprietorship
Société civile (SC) – Civil society
Société civile immobilière (SCI) – Real estate civil society
Société en nom collectif (SNC) – General partnership
Société en commandite (SCS) – Limited partnership
Other Relevant Registers in France
The French business registration system is segmented. If an entity is not a classic commercial company, it may be listed in specialized databases:
- RNA (Répertoire National des Associations): National register for non-profit organizations and foundations.
- Registre des Métiers (RM): For artisanal businesses and craftsmen with fewer than 10 employees.
- RSAC (Registre Spécial des Agents Commerciaux): Special register for commercial agents.
- Professional Orders: Registers for regulated professions such as lawyers, architects, and doctors.
Apostille Legalization for Extracts
France is a member of the 1961 Hague Convention. Documents are legalized via the simplified Apostille process. Following a reform in 2025, the process was fully digitalized and transferred from the courts to the notary system.
Key procedural changes:
- Authority: As of May 1, 2025, regional Notary Councils (Conseils régionaux des notaires) are responsible for issuing apostilles.
- Electronic Apostille (e-APP): France now primarily issues digital apostilles. The document is a secured PDF with a qualified electronic signature and a QR code for immediate international verification.
- Digital-First: Kbis extracts created digitally can be legalized directly via the e-Apostille system.
- Physical Form: For authorities requiring a physical copy, we provide an original paper document with an official court seal followed by notarial certification.
The processing time for an apostille varies from a few business days to two weeks depending on the complexity.
Comparison: Digital vs. Apostilled Extracts
| Feature | Digital Extract | Apostilled Extract |
|---|---|---|
| Format | PDF file | PDF file with e-Apostille |
| Delivery Time | From 30 minutes | 2–3 weeks (including legalization path) |
| Legal Weight | Informational status | Official document for government/courts |
| Legalization | None | Yes (Apostille) |
| Common Use | Counterparty check, drafting contracts | Court proceedings, account opening, notarization |
| Cost | from 20 € | from 200 € |
Validity Period
In France, Kbis extracts are generally considered "current" for a period of 3 months.
- Digital Extracts: It is recommended to use documents no older than one week.
- Apostilled Extracts: For international use, acceptance depends on the recipient authority, though most institutions accept documents up to 3–6 months old.
Certified Translations
Schmidt & Schmidt provides professional translations through sworn and certified translators. We can arrange translations by French-based sworn translators (Traducteur Assermenté) or by court-certified translators in other jurisdictions as required.
International Shipping and Logistics
We organize the worldwide courier delivery of original hard-copy documents from France. We utilize reliable logistics partners with tracking systems to ensure safe and timely delivery.
All inquiries are processed in strict compliance with French law and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Requests are processed within one business day. Courier fees are calculated separately based on the delivery destination.
