Becoming an architect: everything you need to know to open your own practice

Did you know that, in ancient times, architects were priests or rulers? As designer, engineer and project manager, architects have a great deal of responsibility for all your construction and renovation projects.

In the 21st century, an architect is a person who draws up the plans for a building, directs its construction and oversees the proper execution of all tasks. In particular, he or she is responsible for calculating loads, the correct distribution of forces, the thickness of load-bearing elements, the solidity of foundations, and so on. His role is therefore crucial to the execution of all construction and renovation work.

This regulated profession is strictly supervised and only accessible if you hold a state diploma. Many graduates decide to set up their own independent practice.

What qualifications do I need to become an architect?

To work as an architect, you need to have a Diplôme d'État d'architecte (DEA), after 6 years' training (including 1 year to obtain the HMONP, required to work as a self-employed project manager).

22 state-approved French schools help achieve this goal:

• ENSA: Ecoles Nationales Supérieures d'Architecture. 6 are located in the Paris region
• INSA Strasbourg: Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, a public institution under the authority of the Ministry of Higher Education
• ESA in Paris: the École Spéciale d'Architecture, a private school

Once you have obtained the title of architect, you can register with the Ordre des Architectes.

What legal status should you choose to become a self-employed architect?

Despite strict training requirements, there is no specific legal status for self-employed architects. There are several legal forms available to you:

• The micro-entrepreneur status status is particularly easy to set up, manage and wind up. Your social security contributions are calculated on the basis of your gross monthly or quarterly sales. This is generally the most popular status for self-employed plumbers.
• TheEIRL (individual limited liability company). As the name suggests, the entrepreneur is only liable for the amount of capital he or she has contributed to the business.
• EURL (Entreprise universelle à responsabilité limitée). It offers the same advantages as the EIRL, but its manager is considered a self-employed worker.
• The SASU (Société par actions simplifiée unipersonnelle) is particularly flexible. Its day-to-day operation is set out in the articles of association. The Chairman of the SASU is covered by the general social security system.
• The SARL (Société à responsabilité limitée) or the SAS (Société par Actions simplifiée ) are suitable if you choose to set up a joint venture.

It's particularly important to choose the tax and social security status that best suits your personal situation.

How do you register your company?

Set-up formalities depend on the legal status you choose. However, if you decide to work within a company, the shares paid in are registered.

In addition, more than half of the company's capital and voting rights must be held by architects, whether natural or legal persons. It is mandatory to have at least 1 partner who is an individual architect.

As an architect, you are obliged to take out professional insurance, the amount of which is indexed to the amount of your sales or the volume of work carried out each year.

What are the advantages of domiciliation for your company?

French law allows companies to separate their registered office from their actual place of business. Domiciliation companies offer a wide range of prestigious addresses, often located in the most sought-after areas of the capital or major French cities. You're free to domicile your company wherever you like, and give your business card a real shine!

Using a domiciliation company can also considerably lighten your day-to-day workload, thanks to a wide range of services: telephone secretarial services, day-to-day mail management, administrative, tax and legal assistance, meeting room rental, and so on. This frees you up to concentrate on your high value-added tasks.

Opening your own architectural practice is therefore possible, provided you scrupulously respect the procedure in force. With SeDomicilier, you can obtain your certificate of domiciliation in less than 5 minutes, in a 100% online process. What's more, all your services are then available in a personalized and secure virtual office!