The registered office of a SASU: complete guide 2019

A domiciliation address is to a SASU what an official residence is to an individual.

Specifically, it's the address that determines its nationality, country of taxation, and the competent courts in the event of a dispute.

This question requires very close attention when setting up a business.

You have several options: the manager's home address, renting commercial premises, or using a business address service.

Let's review the advantages and disadvantages of each in the case of a SASU.

Business address provider: why it's the simple, effective, and economical alternative for a SASU (single-shareholder simplified joint-stock company).

Domiciliation companies are the ideal solution for young business owners: starting from a few dozen euros per month, they protect your privacy, offer you a prestigious address, and lighten your daily workload by taking care of many tedious and low value-added tasks.

Specifically, you can choose your address from a wide range of prestigious locations, in the most valued districts of Paris in order to inspire confidence in all your partners and customers.

Using a domiciliation company does not prevent you from carrying on your business in another location, such as commercial premises in a less prestigious geographical area, or from your home!

Business address providers offer you a range of additional services, such as daily mail processing.

Companies have developed "à la carte" services for all budgets, allowing them to add a secretary, a telephone answering service, legal assistance, or the provision of premises for organizing meetings, for example.

The retention of accounting and administrative documents is one of the legal obligations that every domiciliation company must provide to its clients. With a minimum duration of three months, the contract can be renewed by tacit agreement and without prior notice of termination.

Using the manager's personal address as the company's registered address: why it's not really advantageous

French law allows SASU managers to register their company at their personal address. In some joint ownerships, the regulations may object to this. If this is not the case, you must inform your landlord, the lessor or the property manager of your decision.

In cities with more than 200,000 inhabitants, as well as in the Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne departments, if the activity is carried out on the ground floor, it must not cause any disturbance or danger within the building.

If it is carried out upstairs, you will not be able to receive clients or goods.

For many SASU (single-member simplified joint-stock company) managers, the appeal of saving money motivates their choice to use their home address. It's true that you won't need to pay rent. Also, it's possible to write off several expenses shared between your personal life and your business activity (like your internet plan, etc.).

But in reality, there are several disadvantages:

•  It is forbidden to register your company at your personal address for more than 5 years.
• Making this choice doesn't mean you don't have to pay the CFE.
• That creates major problems when it comes to protecting your privacy. By publishing your registered office address on all your company's official documents, you make it visible to the general public. It will also be automatically listed in online business directories that are visible everywhere on the web.

Renting professional premises: why is it expensive and restrictive?

Any manager of a SASU can choose to domicile their company in a commercial space for rent.

This solution is very expensive because it involves paying a monthly rent, which can sometimes be a heavy burden for a new business. It commits you through a lease agreement with a notice period if you want to leave.

Finally, it's often essential to provide a deposit.

Since it's not very flexible and quite expensive, it's not the best option for a young SASU (Single-Shareholder Simplified Joint Stock Company), which needs to use its funds for other things.

Choosing your company's business address is a top priority.

Among these three alternatives, each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

It's up to you to define the one that best suits your needs and your means!