Regardless of its legal form, every company must have a registered office. This address should not be overlooked, as it reflects the company's image.
Indeed, the company's registered address will appear on all its administrative documents, and will also be decisive when it comes to legal formalities in the event of changes to the articles of association. The company's nationality will also be defined by this address, and the law applicable to it will derive from it.
That's why it's essential to take this issue seriously, and think about the different solutions available to your company.
So how do you make the best choice for your head office?
Companies can choose between three types of domiciliation to establish their head office:
- At the legal representative's personal address
- On premises via a rental lease
- With a domiciliation company
In theory, there's nothing to prevent a company's legal representative from choosing to have his or her registered office in his or her own home. There is one exception: if a contractual prohibition stipulates this in the lease. If the person concerned nevertheless wishes to domicile his or her company there, a registered letter must be sent to the lessor to inform the landlord of this intention.
As for the other two solutions, it's worth comparing them to get a concrete idea of what they have to offer. By opting for domiciliation in commercial premises, the legal representative has a choice of geographical area and premises.
This total independence is an interesting asset, but it doesn't come at a low cost. In fact, renting or even buying premises entails considerable costs, especially if you want to set up your business in a well-known area. This part of the budget can have an impact, especially at the start of the business.
Commercial domiciliation can be an interesting alternative to a commercial lease.
The principle? Get a head office address in a prestigious neighborhood without the price tag.
In return for a monthly or annual subscription, the legal representative can benefit from an administrative address accompanied by customized services, such as a switchboard, personalized mail management, access to meeting rooms and accounting assistance.
It's a great way to save money while enjoying visibility and daily management of time-consuming tasks.
Like companies, auto-entrepreneurs can choose how to set up their registered office. For reasons of cost and simplicity, it is often common for these entrepreneurs to opt for their personal domicile.
However, this so-called common sense can lead to concerns about confidentiality. Indeed, throughout the course of their business, auto-entrepreneurs are faced with the problem of not separating their private and professional lives, which can be problematic in the event of a dispute with a customer.
This is why other alternatives have been devised for this type of legal form: commercial domiciliation and coworking space. As mentioned above, commercial domiciliation can, in just a few clicks, provide a registered office address for an auto-entrepreneur.
Very attractive rates, with monthly subscriptions starting from €6.49 per month, and equally attractive savings on CFE (Cotisation Foncière des Entreprises) tax.
This tax, which is payable by companies, is calculated according to the location of the structure.
And it turns out that in Paris, the CFE is one of the cheapest in France! By adopting a prestigious address via a business domiciliation, the entrepreneur has everything to gain.
But where can you run your business without having your own premises? Coworking spaces exist in all major cities, enabling self-employed entrepreneurs to work in collaborative open spaces.
All you have to do is choose the amount of time you would like to spend at the office, and pay the subscription fee for the service you require. This is a good compromise, since the entrepreneur can carry out his activity in an efficient working environment, with adapted services such as printers, office space and a high-performance Internet connection.
Long gone are the days when auto-entrepreneurs were forced to work alone at home!
The choice of a registered office is a question that every entrepreneur must ask himself with the utmost seriousness. This address will reflect your company's image, and will carry real weight with your bankers, partners or future prospects.
Several solutions are now available to help you run your business with peace of mind, and without spending too much of your budget.
This is an important strategic choice, so don't take it lightly!
Written by our expert Maeva Girardot
February 9, 2018
