How do I obtain authorization to domicile a head office?

What is a registered office?

Domiciliation is the assignment of a postal address to a company's company's head office. Without a domiciliation address, a company cannot be registered when it is set up. The choice of domiciliation address should be based on relevant factors such as the nature of the business, operational requirements, administrative resources, etc.

A business address is a showcase for customers. The head office address provides a frame of reference for the public. A company's image is closely linked to its registered address. Domiciling a company is an important act, and can be done in a business center, in commercial premises, or even in the personal home of the director or manager. The latter is common for self-employed entrepreneurs and SCI managers. The company's place of business need not coincide with the address of its registered office.

To declare the registered office of a company, contact the Centre de formalités des entreprises (CFE). The service is available online on the URSSAF-CFE website .

Who should consider domiciliation?

Companies are required to have a commercial address, regardless of their legal status:

• Single-member commercial companies: SASU, EURL
• Commercial companies with several partners: SARL, SAS, SA, SNC
• Non-trading property companies: SCI
• EI companies (sole proprietorships)
• Self-employed contractors

A domiciliation company is an excellent solution for hosting the official domiciliation of these companies.

Why opt for a domiciliation service?

Commercial domiciliation is a service open to all companies. It enables an individual entrepreneur to have a business address outside his or her own home.

For companies, domiciliation is a real advantage in terms of image. Having a business address in a prestigious area of Paris or another major metropolitan city is worth the investment. However, this investment is less significant than acquiring premises to house the company's head office.

Using the services of a domiciliation company has a number of strategic advantages:

• Savings on the acquisition of dedicated premises ;
• Guaranteed mail reception ;
• Switchboard provided by the service provider ;
• Physical presence.

Monthly rates vary according to the company's needs and the geolocation of the service. The domiciliation service can influence the amount of the Contribution foncière des entreprises (CFE), a local tax calculated on the basis of the land used by the company for its activities.

What is a registered office authorization?

Theauthorization to domicile a company is a certificate issued by the owner of a premises or dwelling. An individual or professional tenant cannot take it upon himself to authorize the domiciliation of his company within the property he rents. The landlord must provide the tenant with a certificate of domiciliation. This is required for registration with URSSAF and the CFE. Obtaining an attestation de domiciliation is easy. The document must be drawn up by the owner, and cannot be remunerated. It is issued free of charge.

How do you draw up a registered office authorization?

The drafting of a registered office authorization requires the specification of certain information:

• The identity of the declarant ;
• Company name and legal form;
• Address of company headquarters ;
• Application date ;
• The signature of the company director.

Depending on the case, other requirements must be met when drawing up this authorization to domicile a company's registered office:

• If the manager wishes to domicile the company, he or she must provide proof of address less than three months old.
• If the manager is a tenant, he or she must obtain the landlord's agreement for the company to be domiciled.
• When a manager wishes to domicile his company with a close friend or relative, a domicile certificate or accommodation certificate is required.

Sample letter of authorization to domicile a company

To help you draw up the certificate of domiciliation, we have provided a sample letter:

I, the undersigned Mrs/Mr/Company X, owner of the property located at the following address : X , hereby authorize Mrs/Mr/Company to domicile its registered office for the following activities X :
This certificate is issued as of DD/MM/YYYY and will expire on DD/MM/YYYY.

What should I do once I've obtained a direct debit authorization?

Once you've obtained your domiciliation authorization for a business premises or a company via a domiciliation contract, you can continue with the administrative formalities.

Draft the company's articles of association

The director(s) can begin drafting the company's articles of association. These bring together the essential information on the company's operation. The registered office must appear on this document, so that the authorities can remain in contact with the company.

Publish a legal notice of incorporation

Once the articles of association have been drawn up, a company director must publish a legal notice of incorporation. Micro-entrepreneurs and sole traders are exempt from this formality. To establish this announcement in an official newspaper, you need to specify the address of the registered office.

File the application with the commercial court clerk's office

The next step is to file the company's incorporation documents with the Commercial Court or the Centre de formalités des entreprises. The domiciliation address is particularly important at this stage, as the director must provide a signed copy of the articles of association. The file must also include proof of occupancy of the premises, i.e. a certificate of domiciliation.

Certificate of domiciliation for head office transfers

There are many reasons why a company may need to transfer its registered office . For commercial companies with several shareholders, the decision is taken at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). This entails amending the articles of association, publishing a notice in a legal gazette and filing the file with the commercial court clerk's office. A certificate of domiciliation is essential for these procedures. It is obtained using the procedures described above. Once this document has been obtained, the company can register at the address indicated.