A liberal profession is defined as a self-employed person engaged in an activity providing services or intellectual products to the public.
Although there are some exceptions, these are generally one-person, non-commercial companies.
There are two types of liberal professions: regulated professions (lawyers, doctors, accountants, etc.) and unregulated professions (craftsmen, painters, model makers, etc.).
These professions have specific requirements in terms of domiciliation.
So to clear your mind, here's a little guide to keep handy.
Any business creator intending to run a self-employed business is required to register with URSSAF via the CFE (Centre de Formalités des Entreprises).
Once the status has been created, entrepreneurs will be subject to the tax and social security system for the self-employed. As a reminder, it's important to remember that self-employed professionals must be careful not to exceed their authorized sales ceiling of 70,000 euros.
While most liberal professions are run on a sole proprietorship basis, it is not uncommon for some entrepreneurs to opt for a company structure.
EURL, SASU, SARL, SA - the choice of legal forms is diverse.
As mentioned above, there are two types of liberal professions: regulated and unregulated.
Regulated liberal professions are the most common, and include doctors, paramedics, architects, notaries, etc.
We invite you to consult the precise list of all the activities concerned on theCIEP (Centre International d'Etudes Pédagogiques) website .
The regulated liberal professions are governed by a very specific charter. Indeed, the formalities required to enter the profession via a diploma or training course, as well as compliance with ethical rules, are extremely important to consider carefully. Many controls are enforced by a number of bodies (orders, unions, chambers, etc.) whose aim is to supervise their establishment and the activities of a legal monopoly.
Unregulated liberal professions include consulting engineers, detectives, geographers - in other words, all professions that are not related to a commercial, craft, industrial or agricultural activity.
When setting up a business, the question of domiciliation logically comes into play. While many people opt for domiciliation at home, domiciliation via a domiciliation company is a much more attractive option.
By calling on the services of a domiciliation company, entrepreneurs can set up their headquarters in the city and neighborhood of their choice. In terms of credibility, this is a unique opportunity to establish your company in a prestigious neighborhood without the consequences of an exorbitantly-priced commercial lease.
In addition to the address of your registered office, the domiciliation company offers tailor-made services such as mail management, telephone reception, as well as the provision of office space and meeting rooms.
A domiciliation company is therefore the best option for keeping your address confidential, while benefiting from unbeatable rates and advantageous services.
Although the liberal professions are not regulated, they have a significant advantage when it comes to setting up a business.
In fact, they don't necessarily require any kind of diploma or certification to operate. For example, a consultant, photographer or copywriter will not be required to apply for authorization, but will be free to exercise his or her activity.
Another advantage is that very little investment is required to start up your business, both in terms of money and administrative time.
On the other hand, regulated professions will have to comply with a small number of requirements, which may put a brake on business.
That's why it's important to weigh up the pros and cons before setting up your own business.
The aim is to enable you to do your job with as few constraints as possible.
Written by our expert Maeva Girardot
December 10, 2019
