Address change at the RCS: free or paid depending on who files
You may have received a letter from your town hall informing you that your street name has changed. Nothing serious in itself, but this change must be reflected at the Trade and Companies Register. And there, surprise: depending on how the information reaches the registry, you will pay... or not.
A recent ministerial answer clarifies the rules.
Why this address change?
Many French municipalities are currently carrying outmandatory naming of streets. This is a legal obligation aimed at facilitating emergency services and parcel delivery, among other things.
Result: thousands of businesses see their administrative address change without having moved. The number may change, the street name too. And this new address must appear on the Kbis.
This is not a transfer of registered office
First important point: this updateis not treated as a transfer of registered office. You have not moved; only the wording of your address has changed.
This distinction is fundamental because it determines the formalities to be completed and their cost.
Two scenarios, two different costs
Scenario 1: The town hall notifies the registry directly
If your municipality transmits the information directly to the commercial court registry, the registry updates the RCSautomatically and free of charge.
You have nothing to do. The registry changes your address in its database without charging you anything.
You will simply be invited later to file your updated articles of association as an annex. That filing is paid (it goes through the single business portal), but it is a simple document filing, not a modification formalities.
Scenario 2: You take the step yourself
If you take the initiative to change your address via the single business formalities portal, it is a different story.
The formalities are then processed like any RCS modification:
- Registry feesto pay
- Disbursements(publication costs, etc.)
- Total cost that can reach several tens of euros
In other words, you pay for a change you did not choose.
Why this difference?
The Economy Minister's answer is pragmatic:no rule currently provides for free filingwhen the request comes from the company itself. The single portal IT system does not distinguish a change of address wording from a genuine transfer of registered office.
Unfair? Probably. But that is the current rule.
What you can do
Wait for the town hall to notify the registry
This is the most economical option. If your municipality plans to transmit the information to registries, you only need to wait.
Contact your town hall
The Minister encourages local authorities tonotify registries directlyto avoid unnecessary costs for businesses. If your municipality has not done so, suggest this step.
Anticipate regulatory change
A draft decree is announced toharmonise proceduresand provide for free filing (or at least reduced cost) of this formality when the company completes it itself. But no date has yet been set.
Key takeaways
- A change of address wording (without moving)is not a transfer of registered office
- If the registry is informed by the town hall, the update isfree
- If you complete the step yourself via the single portal,fees apply
- A decree is being prepared to correct this unequal treatment
- Meanwhile, favour the scenario where the town hall notifies the registry
Before rushing to the single portal, check with your town hall whether it plans to transmit the information to registries. A few days' patience can save you avoidable fees.