Registration
Registration of a company in the register that corresponds to it. It gives it its legal existence, its identification number and its first publication.
Definition
Registration is the entry of a business or company in the register that corresponds to it. For commercial activities, this is the trade and companies register, kept by the court registry. Other activities fall under their own registers, in particular regulated professions, and the non-profit sector has its own register.
It is registration that gives the company its legal existence and its date of birth. It assigns the identification number of the legal unit, triggers the first published notice and opens access to the rights and obligations attached to the declared activity, and the entry marks the starting point of that existence.
The formality is filed electronically and then reviewed by the court registry, which verifies that the required documents are present and that the declared particulars match the supporting documents. An incomplete file is subject to a request for regularization. Registration must not be confused with authorization to carry on business: it records the existence of a business and does not replace either a permit or a professional qualification.
What registration triggers
The assignment of the identification number
Registration gives the business its legal unit identification number, made up of nine digits. This number follows it throughout its existence and serves as a reference in formalities.
The registration extract and proof of existence
The registry issues a registration extract, often called a Kbis for commercial companies. It certifies the business's situation as of a given date.
The creation notice and the opening of rights
Registration triggers the publication of a creation notice and opens access to the rights attached to the declared activity, while at the same time giving rise to the obligations that follow from it.
The registrations that follow
The secondary establishment
When a company opens an additional place of business, a secondary registration is requested from the competent registry, separate from that of the registered office. Each location has its own number.
The amending registration
A change of director, registered office, corporate purpose or share capital gives rise to an amending registration. The formality updates the registry and the particulars intended for the public are published. The company remains the same.
Deregistration at the end of the company's life
Upon dissolution, then upon the closing of the liquidation, deregistration brings the registration in the registry to an end. The company ceases to exist as a registered legal person and this deregistration is published.
Registration does not constitute authorization to carry on business. It records the existence of a company without exempting it from the authorizations or qualifications required where the activity is regulated.
Frequently asked questions
What documents are required for registration?
Proof of identity and a declaration concerning the company officers, proof of the business premises, the articles of association where the legal form requires them, and, depending on the activity, evidence of qualification.
Does registration make the activity legal?
No. Registration establishes the existence of the business and makes its situation public. Where the activity is regulated, it does not replace the authorization or qualification required to carry it on.
What happens if the file is incomplete?
The registry asks for the missing documents or particulars to be regularized. Until the file is regularized, the registration cannot be granted.
Is registration subject to publication?
Yes. The creation of the business is brought to the public's attention, and so is its removal from the register, which enables third parties to ascertain the situation of businesses.