How much does it cost to draw up company articles of association?

The drafting of a company's Articles of Association is the most important stage in its creation.

In fact, they govern the rules governing relations between associates and with third parties. It is therefore essential not to neglect any aspect of them, and to take into account ancillary costs such as registration formalities. They can be drawn up by the entrepreneur, or entrusted to a professional (notary, lawyer, chartered accountant or formalist, for example).

Also, the complexity of the company to be created and the multiplication of clauses to be included can make the task much more complex. Depending on the option chosen, the cost of drafting the articles of association can vary considerably.

This article gives you an overview of all the ways in which you can draw up your articles of association, as well as the budget involved.

Follow the guide!

Write your own articles of association

There are many websites offering templates free of charge or for a very small fee. For some others, you need to fill in the details of your company and specify the particular clauses to receive completed articles of association directly in your e-mail inbox.

However, be careful not to forget any specific information, and fill in the online questionnaire correctly.

If you're given a simple template, make sure you're aware of any changes you need to make to make your document valid and suitable for your project.

Approved and validated bylaws cannot be modified at a later date without generating new, restrictive and costly administrative procedures.

Some online platforms offer 100% automated services that do not involve any human control. As a result, rates vary according to any additional clauses required.

For example, it is not uncommon to incur a surcharge if your company's incorporation specifies the appointment of a contribution auditor.

In general, the total cost varies according to the quality of the questionnaire and the templates proposed, ranging from €0 to several dozen euros. But above all, the absence of human intervention does not guarantee an adequate final result for the administration.

It's up to you to know enough not to miss anything, and not to make mistakes when filling in the forms.

Otherwise, your application will be rejected by the authorities, and you will not be able to set up your business as it stands.

Calling on a professional to draw up the articles of association

It's also possible to enlist the help of an industry expert to offer you a "turnkey" solution. Admittedly, this is a more expensive solution, but it also guarantees a satisfactory and legally compliant result .

This is undoubtedly the solution of choice if your legal knowledge is very limited.

In this case, the expert will ask you the right questions and take care of drawing up the appropriate articles of association on your own. As a bonus, you'll have someone to talk to about all your questions, and all the benefits of advice.

Of course, the fees charged depend in particular on the expert's experience and reputation, as well as the complexity of the project you wish to set up: major in-kind contributions, or the creation of a company through a capital increase, are often the source of additional costs.

Some specialists work exclusively online, using dedicated platforms, which keeps their fees down. Meeting them several times in their offices generates higher fees.

In the case of a 1-shareholder company, budgets rarely exceed €300 to €500. On the other hand, in the case of a SAS, SA or SARL, you should expect to pay between €400 and €1,500.

Above all, don't forget to factor in the cost of administrative formalities. They apply regardless of the solution chosen.

This fee covers the publication of the legal announcement of the company's creation in an approved newspaper, and the transmission of your file to the Greffe du Tribunal de Commerce and the Centre des Formalités des Entreprises (CFE).

For this service, the clerk's office charges €45.68 incl. VAT, and publication of a legal announcement varies from €90 to over €1,000, depending on the project and the region.

If you decide to set up a craft company, registration with the Trade Register costs between €100 and €200 extra.

Making the right choice to optimize the costs generated by the drafting of your articles of association therefore depends on your knowledge of corporate law to carry out this important task.

Don't forget that a rejected application may require you to pay a new application fee, and that changing the articles of association costs an average of €500.