Tax compliance in France

Almost every firm Accountanty lists in France handles tax compliance: 115 of the 116. For a company owned from abroad that means the corporate income tax return (impôt sur les sociétés), the local business tax, VAT and, once there are staff, the taxes and contributions tied to salaries. The standard corporate tax rate is 25 percent, and the return is due within three months of the year end, or by the second working day after 1 May when the year closes on 31 December. Most foreign owners leave the filings and the letters to their accountant. Where owner, company and income sit in different countries, more questions arise: dividends paid abroad, fees charged by a parent company, a director who lives in another state. The answers depend on the tax treaty between France and your country, so raise them before the first financial year closes rather than after.

Firms offering tax compliance in France

CERALP

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Lyon

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +3 more

Languages: French · English · German

View profile of CERALP

ADEKI

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Lyon

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +3 more

Languages: French · English

View profile of ADEKI

Astria

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Paris

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +4 more

Languages: French · English · German

View profile of Astria

COGEP

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Lyon

  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • VAT
  • +2 more

Languages: French · English

View profile of COGEP

Easton

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Lyon

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +3 more

Languages: French · English

View profile of Easton

Eurex

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Paris

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +5 more

Languages: French · English

View profile of Eurex

In Extenso

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Lyon

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +5 more

Languages: French · English · Spanish · Italian

View profile of In Extenso

INELYS

Accounting firm · Medium-sized firm

Lyon

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +4 more

Languages: French · English

View profile of INELYS

Roche & Cie

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Lyon

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +2 more

Languages: French · English · Italian · Russian

View profile of Roche & Cie

91 more firms offering tax compliance in France

Points to settle with a French tax adviser

Ask which returns the firm will file for you each year and which it leaves to you. Ask whether it also prepares the French returns of a shareholder or director with French income. If your group charges the French company for services or interest, ask how the firm documents those charges. Check who answers letters from the tax office and whether a tax inspection is inside the fee or billed separately.

Tax firms on Accountanty

The 115 are 91 accounting firms, 20 law firms and four corporate service providers; 73 are small, 29 medium-sized and 13 part of large networks. French is offered by 89 and English by 76, followed by Italian (17) and by Spanish and Russian (nine each). Eighty say they work with foreign clients, and 13 name non-residents among their clients. They sit in Paris (67), Lyon (26) and Nice (19), with three in smaller towns. VAT has its own page: VAT in France.

Frequently asked questions

Does a French company owned from abroad file its returns in France?

Yes. A company registered in France files its corporate and VAT returns with the French tax administration wherever its owners live. The owners' own country may also tax the dividends or profits they receive, so ask a firm to look at both sides.

Can a French tax adviser also prepare my personal return?

Some can. Ask whether the firm prepares French returns for individuals, such as a shareholder who receives French dividends or owns property in France. Real estate is the sector named most often by the 115 firms that handle tax compliance.

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General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.