Sub-paragraph 1: Submission of returns

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Article A123-46

French Commercial codeIn force

Updated 4 Nov 2023

In the case of an application for registration resulting from the transfer of the registered office of an establishment or the change of address of the business fixed at the dwelling premises within the jurisdiction of another court, the applicant is exempted from producing supporting documents concerning the unchanged particulars of the new registration which appear on the extract of the previous registration provided.

In the case provided for in the preceding paragraph, if the previous address or registered office and the new address or registered office are both within the jurisdiction of a court whose registry is managed in accordance with the procedures laid down in articles L. 741-1 et seq, the applicant is also exempted from producing the registration extract for the previous registered office or address, which the registrar of the new register is responsible for obtaining. Transmission of the extract between the registries is made electronically and at no cost to the applicant.

In the event of amending events concomitant with the decision to transfer the registered office or place of business relating thereto, the declaration is made at the place of the new registration.

On receipt of the notification referred to in the last paragraphs of articles R. 123-49 and R. 123-110, the registrar of the old registered office or establishment shall automatically mention on the extract from the register of the registered person the date, nature and purpose of the documents filed with the registry of the new registered office or establishment.

Mariela Petrova

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Common Questions

Working with a corporate lawyer in France — Q&A

Any time a strategic decision changes how the company is owned, governed or contractually bound — incorporation, fundraising, M&A, restructuring, shareholder agreements, or major commercial contracts. Earlier engagement always costs less than later remediation.

A notary (notaire) is a public officer who authenticates specific deeds (mainly real-estate transfers and certain family-law acts). A corporate lawyer (avocat) advises on strategy, negotiates and drafts company documents, and represents you in disputes. The two roles complement rather than overlap.

Yes — most of our clients are foreign suppliers, investors or holding entities. We bridge the gap between French law and your home jurisdiction's expectations and deliver everything bilingually.

The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is the default choice for most international structures: flexible governance, single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital, and works cleanly with foreign holding entities. We assess SARL, SA, SCI on the merits when the situation calls for it.

Yes — communications with a French avocat are protected by the secret professionnel (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971). This protection is broader than the common-law attorney-client privilege and applies to written and oral exchanges.

We work on fixed fees for clearly scoped engagements (incorporation, contract drafting, audits) and on monthly retainers for ongoing advisory. Hourly billing is the exception, not the default. You always know the cost before work starts.

Typical timeline is 2–3 weeks from KYC kick-off to RCS registration, assuming standard documentation. Holding-company structures, foreign-shareholder identification or in-kind contributions can extend this — we flag the gating items at the first meeting.

Absolutely. We routinely coordinate with your in-house counsel, expert-comptable or notaire — pragmatic collaboration is the norm, not the exception. We send them everything they need to do their part without duplicating work.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In Corporate Practice

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Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

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