Transferring the registered office of an SAS: Instructions for use

The registered address of aSAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée - Simplified Joint Stock Company) is often more important than you might think. Why? Because it's the company's legal home, its nationality, and therefore the law that applies if things go wrong.

It also lets you quickly identify the courts that have jurisdiction to handle any disputes. This address appears everywhere: on your official letters, invoices, delivery notes, purchase orders, as well as online directories, business cards, social media, etc. It's also at this official address that the partners meet to make strategic decisions during the general meetings.

In other words, it's an important choice to improve the image the company projects to all its stakeholders, as well as its operational performance. Want to change the registered address of your SAS?

Let's explore the entire procedure to follow, step by step.

Personal address, business premises, or domiciliation company: How to choose your registered office address?

Every entrepreneur is free to choose their business address from several options:

• Choose your personal address: This requires you to publicly disclose your personal address on all your official paper and online documents.
• Renting commercial premises: Guarantees and deposits are required to sign the rental contract. What's more, paying a monthly rent is often a burden for many small businesses.
• Using a domiciliation company: It's the best, simplest, and most affordable way to get a prestigious address, handy services to make your life easier, and tax breaks.

Step #1: Formalize the decision to change your company's registered address and amend your articles of association.

To formalise your wish to change the address of your registered office, you should refer to the conditions specified in the articles of association of your company.

In most SAS companies, this responsibility falls to the President or the sole shareholder.

Changing your company's articles of association is something the law keeps a close eye on. You'll need to fill out the CERFA M2 form, make sure it's dated, signed, and certified by someone who's authorized to do so. Then, swap out the old details for the new ones that have been approved by the right people, making sure they match what's written in the official record.

Step #2: Publish a legal notice in an approved newspaper

The next step is to carry out the legal publicity of your decision. You are required to publish an announcement in a legal announcement journal mentioning your change of registered office.

If your new registered office remains under the jurisdiction of the same commercial court, a single legal announcement in an approved newspaper in your department is sufficient.

If your new address is located in a department under the jurisdiction of a different commercial court, you will need to publish two announcements: the first in a newspaper approved by the former commercial court, and the second in the newspaper for the new commercial court.

This publication must occur within one month after the date of the act formalizing the transfer of the registered office.

Step #3: Declare the change of registered address to the authorities.

The final step consists of definitively recording the change of registered office with the competent public authority. Send your complete file to the competent CFE (Business Formalities Center). The latter must contain the following documents:

• The CERFA M2 form, duly completed and signed in 3 copies.
• The updated and certified articles of association
• If the jurisdiction of your SAS has changed, you'll need a certified list of the previous registered addresses.
• Proof of publication in legal announcement newspapers
• Proof of occupancy of the new premises

Many SAS managers opt for the services of a domiciliation company to assist them with their procedures.

Indeed, they provide them with administrative and legal assistance to lighten their daily workload.

They also allow you to benefit from a prestigious address, many essential services on a daily basis, and to save on taxes. This solution allows SAS managers to focus on what's essential: growing their business!